Upholstered dining chairs are a key trend for relaxed, modern dining spaces. Our editor picks the 9 best to buy now

Upholstered dining chairs help to create relaxed, comfortable spaces you and your guests can sit in for hours. Our editor picks the most stylish to buy right now

upholstered dining chairs around a modern round table
(Image credit: Future)

Upholstered dining chairs are a key part of the current trend for super-relaxed, super-comfortable spaces that you and your friends can spend hours in. They're padded, they're cushioned, they're soft to the touch, they invite you to turn your phone face down and focus on the people around you as you hunker in for a night of conversation.

Modern shapes and colors tend to be jewel bright, following interior design trends for organic curves and uplifting shades. Here are the 9 I've got my eye on, many of of which have been in my own virtual shopping baskets for a while - I just need to commit. Mix, match or buy as a complementing set - either way, get ready to settle in.

The 3 best 'head of table' upholstered chairs

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These upholstered dining chairs take up a touch more space than I'd feel comfortable with along the long edge of a dining table. But they're so beautiful, so modern and so comfy I'd happily make room at the head for them.

The 3 best upholstered chairs to go along the long edge of the table

These slimline upholstered dining chairs are no less comfortable but can be easily tucked in alongside each other. I'm planning on buying a couple of the Jonathan Adler ones to mix into a more understated collection - why should your chairs have to match?!

The three best upholstered chairs on a budget

Of course, if you're buying a lot of dining chairs, their high price point soon adds up. I can't promise these won't break your bank - you know your finances better than me - but hopefully buying a few of them is an easier reach.

Pip Rich
Editor

The editor of Livingetc, Pip Rich (formerly Pip McCormac) is a lifestyle journalist of almost 20 years experience working for some of the UK's biggest titles. As well as holding staff positions at Sunday Times Style, Red and Grazia he has written for the Guardian, The Telegraph, The Times and ES Magazine. The host of Livingetc's podcast Home Truths, Pip has also published three books - his most recent, A New Leaf, was released in December 2021 and is about the homes of architects who have filled their spaces with houseplants.  He has recently moved out of London - and a home that ELLE Decoration called one of the ten best small spaces in the world - to start a new renovation project in Somerset.