I am very familiar with the struggle of not having enough seating; I'm a natural-born host who lives in a small apartment — it's not an easy combination. Around this time last year, I planned a dinner party with more guests than I had seats, and the faux pas led to a last-minute dash to find some fold-out chairs mere hours before they arrived. They worked in a pinch, but the only problem? The clunky metal design was an absolute eyesore.
A stack of ugly chairs and a touch of buyer's remorse were all I needed to inspire a high-and-low search for some actually stylish folding chairs. Turns out, functional furniture that folds away doesn't have to mean sacrificing on style. Folding dining chairs provide a practical solution to seating dilemmas while keeping your room's layout flexible — I'll count that as a win-win.
After hours of searching for the best options to shop, I now know one thing for certain: stylish folding chairs are certainly not easy to find, but they are out there. And luckily for you, listed neatly below. Trust me, this small space hosting trick will be a godsend this festive season.
The cane weaving on these beech chairs instantly elevates this folding dining chair set. They are made in Italy and come fully assembled, so you don't have to spend any extra time building when you've got a dinner party to plan. While all of the reviews note that these folding dining chairs look beautiful in person, some customers recommend checking each piece upon purchase as the quality tends to vary.
For something with a little extra comfort, this set of padded folding dining chairs doesn't look like it folds in half (but it does). Reviews do mention that they aren't necessarily the most durable of designs, but considering you'll only pull them out for certain occasions, it's a risk worth taking.
I know, this one may rustle up a bit of PTSD for me, but even I was shocked at how much I liked this option from Habitat. It made me question whether it's the metal or the typical dreary color palettes that I didn't like. Either way, this Ultra Azure chair has swayed my opinion. It comes in a range of colors, which would add a lovely pop to your setting.
Classic, minimalist, sleek — this is the folding dining chair set for those who still want to maximize traditional style. It has a more obvious fold-out design, but the darker walnut veneer really elevates the overall style. Plus, these are a great plain chair to balance your mismatched dining chair collection.
The slim design makes these folding dining chairs easy to slip extra seating into a tight dining setup. They're made of solid Acacia wood and built to withstand the weather. So, rather than stocking up on practical seating solely for the holidays, you can keep these chairs around for garden parties come spring and summer.
Once again, this rattan folding dining chair doubles as a bistro chair for the garden when you need it. The reviews on Amazon are all five stars, with customers praising its sturdiness and quality. Yes, they make a dependable choice for back-up seating, but if you need small apartment dining room ideas, these chairs don't compromise style. You can choose between one and a set of up to four, so get your party plans ready!
The chrome-rattan combo just might knock this retro folding dining chair to the top of my list. Not only does it feel neutral enough to fit with multiple design styles, but the chrome decor frame is very contemporary. It's an elevated take on the basics of foldable chairs. You can choose between a single or a pack of two, but you will have to assemble them yourself as they come in a flat pack.
Pink certainly isn't the right color for every dining room idea, but a subtle pop of this bubble gum pink in the right space would look fabulous (not to mention, pink is a surprisingly chic color for Christmas). The chair has a simple design, but the velvet cushions add comfort. For only £15, this could be the cool girl answer to your folding dining chair problems.
You can always count on IKEA to make even the basics feel more streamlined and, of course, oozing with sleek Scandinavian style. The piece is made of high-strength powder-coated steel and plastic, is easy to carry, and wipes clean. IKEA even shows these chairs styled with its VIHALS fold-out table, a piece that allows you to tuck the chairs inside the table when not in use.
It's always handy to have a few extra seats on the go around the holidays — a well-prepared host leaves no room for surprises.
Now you just have to worry about whether anyone will be staying the night. Perhaps it's a good idea to invest in an entryway bed just in case!
