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Your Modern Kitchen Deserves the Coolest Unique Dining Chairs!

Whether you're at your favorite bar, restaurant, or girlfriend's house, they catch your eye immediately. You feel a flutter of interest, followed by questions.

What is that? Where did it come from? Could it work in my kitchen or dining room?

We've worked in modern furniture for more than 20 years, and have our own selection of modern dining chairs and modern dining room sets. But these designs fall into a class of their own!

Love them or hate them, we think you'll agree that some chairs are so striking, so unusual, that you can't help but look at them!

Eames Molded Plastic Chair

Shown here with the dowel-legs, the Eames Plastic Dining Chair is a fantastic example of contemporary design and innovative manufacturing.

A staple in mid-Century modern designs the world over, this piece is a fan favorite for myriad reasons. To start, unlike some of its brethren, the molded plastic chair is a little more affordable than its wooden counterparts.

But we think there's more to it!

The plastic variation is available in dozens of colors, enabling it to blend or pop as needed! And like all Eames designs, we think it's amazing how well it has stood the test of time.

It's a timeless modern dining chair fit for any modern kitchen design! Shop the licensed version here, or you might like our Charlie Dining Chair.

Spindle Chair

 

 

 

A contemporary take on the old-school spindle chairs you might find in Amish country, the Spindle Chair is a design by architect Craig Bassam and Scott Fellows.

By recasting the traditional chair with metal spindles instead of wood, BassamFellows have completely recreated the motif of a traditional classic in a dining or side chair.

The ergonomic seat floats beneath a curved back and armrests, all supported with brushed nickel or brass creating a dining chair that's daring, natural and stylish!

For more info, check it out here.

Kartell Louis Ghost Armchair

Another classic, the Louis Ghost Chair was designed by Philippe Starck in 2002.

Compared to Eames' designs, it seems like just yesterday; however Starck's designs are exceptionally popular, and also often replicated.

What's cool about the design is how a formal chair from the 18th Century is reimagined and cast in clear or colored polycarbonate.

Lovers of modern dining chairs hardly think of 18th Century as "modern," yet the Louis Ghost Chair is exactly that! It's perfect in your dining room, or even as a side chair.

Get the licensed version here or you might like our goona be casper.

Sloane Dining Chair

An iF Product Design Award Winner from 2012, the Sloane Dining Chair is one of our personal favorites.

With a low back design and slimmer stature, it's an ideal chair for any modern or contemporary home. Like many contemporary Italian designs, Sloane features a taut leather seat and back, foregoing the standard stitched-look for a more seamless aesthetic.

However, what makes Sloane incredible is the marriage of classic contemporary elements. The Italian-inspired leather pairs perfectly with the bold geometric sweeping of the seat and back. Steel legs complete the contemporary styling!

Get it here!

Ottowa Dining Chair

It's hard not to see the classic inspirations from chairs like the Drop and Eames Plastic (DSW) when we look at the Ottowa Dining Chair by BoConcept.

Nevertheless, we like that the Danish manufacturer added a new twist to those designs giving the finished piece a decidedly more contemporary bent with the pointed back and chunky legs.

Like most BoConcept products Ottowa is available in an overwhelming number of options, but we really like the black leather and Oak veneer option the best. You can see all your choices on BoConcept's site.

Brno Flat Bar Chair

 

We know, we know... it's a classic, but it's also one of our favorite designs of all time! In fact, we think it might be THE classic.

Ludwig Mies van der Rohe created the design in 1930; an homage to the growing number of skyscrapers being developed in the nation's major cities.

Designed to replace the typical armchair that was so common in the era, Mies van der Rohe employed a cantilevered design using a thick steel base and arms to create a bold design that felt more open and airy.

Finished in high-end leather with supple padded armrests, the Brno is, in many ways, the father to every other chair on this list!

Get a licensed version of one of the most popular styles ever here.

Curule Dining Chair

Curved criss-crossing legs combine to create the Curule Dining Chair by Pierre Paulin.

Originally designed in 1983, Curule manages to create a striking shape while still folding in the middle.

Crafted from beech wood in a variety of stains, we love the Curule Dining Chair's uncompromising silhouette created out of, what we would normally consider, more traditional materials.

You can find yours here!

Cesca Armchair

Cara McCarty, and associate curator at MoMA says of Cesca, "it's among the ten most important chairs of the 20th century." Who are we to disagree with an expert?

Named in recognition of his daughter Francesca, this classic from Marcel Breuer is sometimes referred to as the Breuer Dining Chair.

Following his iconic Wassily Chair design, Breuer expanded on his idea of bent tubular steel to create a comparably iconic dining chair. Leather upholstery completes the piece. Shop the original design here.

Cherner Armchair

A chair with a complicated history, the Cherner Armchair makes our list of amazing dining chairs thanks entirely to its sweeping curves and stunning shape.

Cherner shares similarities with the classic Series 7 chair in basic shape, but that's really selling this design short. More curvaceous, Cherner also features bentwood Oak legs and unmistakable rounded bentwood arms.

The end result is a dining chair that's striking and memorable. Made in the USA, the Cherner Armchair is crafted from laminated plywood, solid beech wood and walnut veneers. You can get yours here.

Panton System 1-2-3 Standard Dining Chair

The result of three years of work by Verner Panton, the Standard Dining Chair was introduced in 1973; part of a series of more than 20 different models.

Like many of Panton's designs, the 1-2-3 Standard Dining Chair features a cantilevered design that makes its curvy shape difficult to ignore. The brushed aluminum base gives the piece a more modern feel than the classic Panton Chair.

Nevertheless, the broad array of colors and upholstery options still make the 1-2-3 Standard Dining Chair a must for any list of classic contemporary kitchen chairs! Licensed versions are available here.

Fauna Dining Chair

Pulling in organic inspirations, the Fauna Dining Chair has a natural, yet modern feel.

The Fauna Dining Chair is constructed from a formed polypropylene, and its seat and back have a little bend or "flex" in them, much like the tree branches they seem to emulate.

Chromed steel legs give the chair a simple, polished feel. Fauna is designed and manufactured by Nuevo Living, a Canadian based company specializing in high-quality modern designs. Just click here to order yours!

Saarinen Tulip Armchair

It's not hard to see similarities between this chair and its counterpart, the classic Saarinen Dining Table. And some may know the Gateway Arch in St. Louis was also designed by Eero Saarinen.

What you may not know is that Saarinen's furniture designs were more than just sculpturally-imbued pieces of art, Eero was on a mission to render furniture legs obsolete.

It's a bold idea, and his swiveling pedestal base, inspired by architecture's classic arch, is undeniably clever.

Nevertheless, you don't have to look far on this list of contemporary dining chairs to find a set of legs you'd love in your home! Check out the original at DWR.

Panton Chair

From the renowned designer Verner Panton, his namesake chair was a first of its kind.

In fact, the Panton Chair was the very first chair made from a single piece of a single material. (Obviously, we're talking about chairs that are produced or manufactured, not one-offs! We're sure there's some pretty impressive one-piece marble thrones or something sitting around Europe.)

The cantilevered design is eye-catching on its own, and the overall impression of the chair definitely met Panton's goal when he said, "I want to design furniture that grows up out of the floor!"

You can score a licensed version here.

Eames Molded Plywood Dining Chair

Instantly recognizable, the Molded Plywood Dining Chair has been a staple of modern design for decades.

Quite frankly, very few chairs will ever live up to the quality, style or ubiquity of this design.

The dining chair is actually a variation of the Eames Lounge Chair, its predecessor, resized for the dining space.

Shown above with sturdy metal legs, it's available in a multitude of options, including wooden legs, and a variety of finish or upholstery choices. Licensed versions are here.

Valentine Dining Chair

Inspired by designs by Milo Baughman and Ludwig Mies van der Rohe, Valentine defines contemporary design by integrating steel and eco-friendly leather with clean lines you can't ignore.

Valentine places a plush seat and backrest into a striking steel frame. Each of the legs meet at the armrests, which sweep up in the back to create a seamless and elegant frame.

The end result is a beautiful blend of lines and materials, a truly comfy and striking dining chair. You can order Valentine here.

Crazy Dave Dining Chair

Where to start with Crazy Dave?

Crafted in England by Bespoke Furniture, the Crazy Dave Dining Chair is a construction triumph surpassed only by the whimsy of the design itself. Offered in Light, Brown and Blackened Oak or Sycamore, each Crazy Dave Dining Chair is handcrafted by highly trained furniture makers.

Crazy Dave combines an almost overwhelming number of mid Century design elements to create a dining chair that's hard to fit into any one style genre.

We don't think Crazy Dave is available in the States, but it's online here.

Drop Chair

Originally designed for the SAS Royal Hotel by Arne Jacobsen (currently the Radisson Blu in Copenhagen), the Drop Chair was the sibling to the more well known Swan and Egg Chairs.

The design actually sat dormant for 50 years before the Republic of Fritz Hansen began producing authentic copies of the 1958 original just a few years ago.

Like many mid-Century classics, the Drop is available in a variety of colors, all crafted from ABS plastic set upon slender tubular steel legs.

The end result is a surprisingly comfortable dollop of a chair with an unmistakable style and contemporary silhouette! Check it out at Dwell.

Kartell Victoria Ghost Chair

Following the popularity of the Louis Ghost Armchair, Philippe Starck created Victoria as a less formal dining chair that could stand on its own or pair with the Louis.

Like many of the most recognizable chairs on our list, Starck's design was recognized only through innovative manufacturing techniques the enabled the Victoria Chair to be crafted from a single piece of injection-molded polycarbonate.

The versatility of Victoria's shape and composition makes it a chair you've probably seen everywhere, from street side cafes to upscale eateries.

Series 7 Chair

Easily one of the most recognizable and replicated chairs on the planet, we're surprised by how many people don't realize the pedigree or origins of the original Series 7 Dining Chair.

We'll chalk it up to the downsides of being popular!

The Series 7 Chair was introduced in 1955, another icon from Arne Jacobsen, and, believe it or not, was originally handmade from bent plywood.

Modern technology has made manufacturing the Series 7 significantly easier now. We can't imagine the meticulous patience that went into creating the waterfall seat front and the bend in the back without breaking or cracking the wood.

A variety of finishes and chrome legs polish off this modern chair. Licensed originals of the Series 7 are available here.

Eames Molded Wood Side Chair

The Eames Molded Wood Side Chair is an amazing demonstration of how modern technological advances, particularly in manufacturing, can move a classic design in a new direction.

Owning rights to the Eames' designs, Herman Miller has created a bold new vision of the original Plastic Chair. Casting the seat and back in a variety of wood veneers, Herman Miller gives us an alternate reality: one where the piece is cast not in bold colors, but instead, lives in the natural beauty of wood.

Like the plastic version, the molded wood chair features one-piece construction with waterfall edges, and a variety of bases. It makes us wonder if Eames himself would have created the chair, had the manufacturing capabilities been available to him!

HiveModern currently offers the design here.

Real Good Dining Chair

From BluDot, this chair makes our list for a few reasons.

First off, like the Series 7 and Louis Ghost before it, the Real Good Chair incorporates some intriguing manufacturing methods into its design. After all, the Real Good Chair ships flat, and then you simply unfold it to make the seat and back!

And like clear polycarbonate or bentwood, laser-cut steel feels like a modern substrate ideal for today's furniture styles.

Lastly, Real Good's geometric profile and colorful options make it a surefire contemporary solution. Now, if only we could do something about the name!

Find them at BluDot.

Entwine Dining Chair

Looking for a fun and affordable dining chair to complete your modern space? Look no further than Entwine!

Our Entwine Dining Chair is crafted from solid plastic in a variety of fun colors, making it a great way to add a pop of personality to your dining room. You'll love the trendy shape and style of this chair, as well as its durability.

So go ahead and mix and match different colors to create your perfect look. Whether you're going for a monochromatic scheme or adding some fun pops of color, Entwine is the perfect way to achieve cool modern style.

Hanna Dining Chair

One of our newest dining chairs, the Hanna Dining Chair is anything but ordinary, with its stylish open frame and modern wheat finish.

This sustainable and earth-friendly chair is perfect for adding a touch of grace to any dining room. The nature-inspired Wheat finish gives Hanna a light and modern look, while the variations in grain and color add to the bamboo furniture's natural beauty.

Hanna boasts solid bamboo construction throughout. Plus, it's comfortable and built to last. So go ahead and pull up a chair!

Arden

Arden is a modern twist on some of the iconic dining chairs above.

Arden is a one-of-a-kind piece that will add a touch of elegance to an entire dining room. The unique, single-shell form is achieved through a proprietary manufacturing process that enables wood veneer to be molded into complex curves.

With its ergonomic pitched back design, swivel padded seat, and padded upholstered seat pad, the Arden chair is as comfortable as it is stylish.

Soho

Casual mid Century modern elegance is easy to achieve with the Soho Bamboo Dining Chairs.

This stunning chair celebrates the beauty of solid Amber bamboo with its gently curved seat and back. The sturdy matte black steel provides a lovely contrast, while the black plastic floor glides protect your floors from scratches.

The Soho Bamboo Chair is the perfect piece for any dining room or kitchen. Click here to shop more bamboo furniture!

Kaede

Our Kaede Dining Chairs are beautifully designed pieces of functional art.

The intersection of the curves and angles create a sharp, yet stylish look that is perfect for any modern home. The sturdy solid wood construction, Andorra wool upholstery, and padded seat make this chair not only comfortable, but also durable.

Kaede is the perfect addition to your dining table.

Orchard

Introducing the Orchard Dining Chair, a stunning piece that combines iconic mid Century materials with modern lines.

The angular steel frame is wrapped in beautiful wood veneer, creating a shape that seems to defy physics. The plush seat and wrapping back are upholstered in top quality Brazilian leather, making Orchard the most comfortable seat in the house.

Whether you're looking for statement chairs for your dining room or simply a comfortable place to sit, Orchard delivers.

Harper

Looking for a dining chair that is both unique and durable? Look no further than the Harper Dining Chair!

This chair is made with a high-quality walnut shell and premium Italian-made fabric, ensuring that it will last for years to come.

The contoured seat and curved back make this chair extremely comfortable, while the angular steel leg design adds a modern touch.

Langham

Looking for a bold and daring dining chair that will make a statement in your home? Look no further than the Langham Dining Chair!

This one-of-a-kind chair features a mid-century modern design with striking materials and finishes. The ergonomic fiberglass bucket seat and back are finished in a matte lacquer, while the curvaceous shell gives way to a padded and upholstered seating surface.

The steel legs are painted or finished in a Teak veneer, ensuring that this chair will stand out in any room.

Rutgers

Looking for a cool and contemporary dining chair? Look no further than the Rutgers Dining Chairs.

This stylish chair features a bucket seat with a low-back design, giving it a subtle casual air. It's upholstered in your choice of upscale fabric or Italian leather, and is supported by durable steel legs wrapped in real wood veneer.

Conclusion

As we searched for the very best contemporary dining chairs we could find, it got us wondering what factors really go into creating a long-lasting and modern design.

And frankly, we had some disagreement about which chairs should be on this list, and which wouldn't make the cut! After all, there are still a few popular designs we left off.

However, when it comes to sheer eye-catching brilliance, we felt like these 30 chairs were the most exceptional we'd seen!

Updated 9/27/2022

posted on 2/19/2016