Whilst you can now easily choose a dining set complete with table and chairs, there may be occasions where you have to choose dining chairs on your own. If you operate a café or restaurant, for instance, you may have to select dining chairs separately from the tables. Or perhaps you just don’t like the dining chairs which come with your dining table. Whatever your reason for looking for the perfect dining chair, it pays to know what’s out there and how you can best use the dining chairs you do choose.

• The chair’s comfort

Whilst size always matters, especially if you want the dining chairs to fit suitably in the available space, you also have to consider the comfort of the chair itself. Of course, you have two main choices when it comes to comfort: you can either go for an upholstered chair or an un-upholstered chair, and both have their merits. If you want a chair that withstands spills and stains, then go for an un-upholstered chair. Un-upholstered chairs are also usually narrower compared to upholstered ones, so they’re more convenient for smaller spaces. If, however, you love lounging around your dinner table after meals, then you’d best go with upholstered chairs. Upholstered chairs usually go better with bigger dining areas as well; just make sure you have a space of about 7 inches from the chair’s arm to the table.

• The chair’s finish and fabric

Some people like to mix and match, and if you are one of those, then you have to think carefully about the finish of your chairs. The finishes of your chairs should complement each other but shouldn’t be a precise match, as recommended by chair specialists like Diiiz.com. If you want, you can incorporate a consistent aspect or element and a contrasting aspect or element. With contrast, the space can look more interesting, and with consistency, the space can look more put together.

• The head chairs

If you want a more eclectic, layered look, you can also choose special head chairs for your dining table. For the head chairs, you can choose a bolder, brightly patterned fabric, or you can opt for a chair with an unusual or unique shape and a style that’s a bit heavier than the other chairs. It is often better for the head chair to be more substantial than the side chairs because there is more room where the head chairs are placed. The head chairs can accentuate the beginning and the end of your dining table, and they can then give more depth to the table and make it look more appealing.

• Your personality

Dining areas are used mostly in the evenings and for special events or occasions, and because of this, it’s the perfect area for showcasing your personality. It isn’t really a room everyone uses every single day, so you can feel free to play with patterns and colours a bit more. With dining chairs, you can add an extra element of style with unusual colours, shapes, and patterns.