How To Choose the Perfect Fabric for Your Dining Chairs

Choosing the right dining chairs for your home can be a confusing process, especially when deciding what materials to select for your furniture. For some spaces, solid wooden chairs might be the right choice, particularly in more mess-prone homes where fabric can get easily stained and damaged. Wooden chairs might also suit a more minimalist or rustic aesthetic, depending on the overall look and feel of your dining space. 

However, the reason fabric dining chairs are often the most popular choice is simply due to comfort – the relaxed and comfortable feeling of sitting down to eat your meal and embracing the soft cushioning beneath you. Fabric elements on chairs, such as padded seats, backs and arms can create a more informal feel in your space, encouraging easy conversation, easygoing dining experiences and a general sense of warmth at every meal. 

Choosing fabric dining chairs also opens up a wider selection of styles, materials, colours and patterns, allowing you to explore a variety of different elements that can make up your final selection. You can customise and adjust your choices to suit your space, picking the perfect design to meet both your aesthetic and practical needs. 

Knowing which fabric to choose for your dining chair can be a difficult task, especially with so many elements to consider. From the durability and toughness of the fabric to the hand feel, comfort level and cleaning process required, it’s important to find a fabric that works for your specific dining routine – whether you’re a big family, a couple, a frequent host or a solo diner. A good way to evaluate your fabric is through the Martindale Scale; a scale determined by the durability of your chosen fabric over time. Any fabric with a Martindale rating of 25000 is likely to be a good choice for a heavy traffic furniture piece. 

It’s also important to consider the style and shape of fabric chair you’d prefer as well, choosing between a large, plush and fully padded wraparound chair, a classic armless fabric chair or a more contemporary Scandi chair with a padded seat and arms. With so many different frames, structures and variations, exploring the full range of styles available can be a great way to help you choose your favourite. 

Through our partners here at Milola, we offer a big selection of dining chair options, with customisable fabrics included in many of our products. From soft, inviting bouclé to elegant, crushed velvet, the different materials available can offer some big variations when it comes to appearance, texture, softness, durability and maintenance. 

A popular choice for many a family dining room, leather dining chairs are a great option for those looking for furniture that looks and feels premium but is also designed for easy cleaning and long-lasting stability. Easily customisable with a selection of different colours and textures, leather fabrics – whether made from real or artificial leather, require little everyday cleaning, making them a practical choice for busy families or large groups.

In terms of style, leather can also offer a sleek timeless feel for your dining space, working across a number of bespoke styles and frames for an overall polished look. 

Perfect for: Those looking for a fabric that is easy to clean, stylish, hardwearing and durable in many different environments. We recommend exploring the CASØ BONN Dining Chair, the ROOST Dining Chair or the FLAIR Dining Chair from Danform.

Created as a cosier and warmer alternative to standard fabrics, bouclé is an elegant, contemporary and welcoming fabric that can deliver on both aesthetic and textural qualities. Widely recognised for its softer feel and plushness, it’s a beautiful choice for those looking to create a more intimate and comfortable space for their diners. 

Available in a range of colours and textures, ranging from thinner, softer fabrics to thicker and more structured materials, bouclé is a versatile choice for creative spaces. Not only is it resistant to fading, even in bright sunlight, but the tight weave of the yarn makes it easier to clean in the case of stains and spills. With a Martindale scale of 40,000, bouclé is also one of the more durable fabrics, able to withstand heavy traffic without losing texture and softness. 

Perfect for: Those looking to create comfort in their dining spaces, for slow, relaxed and informal dining occasions. Some beautiful examples of chairs that can be customised with bouclé fabric are the RAM COMFORT Wooden Dining Chair, the GLAM Dining Chair or the PLENTI Dining Chair from Danform. 

A traditional fabric with universal appeal, polyester is a classic and time-tested material for any and all dining rooms. Tightly woven to protect your furniture against water and stains, it offers durability, easy maintenance and is even resistant to scratches and claw marks from excitable pets. 

Polyester is a great option for those looking for simplicity in their fabric choices, something classic, straightforward and reliable, designed to last in the modern home. Available across many of the dining chairs in our collection, polyester is a versatile, soft, comfortable and low maintenance choice.  

Perfect for: Those looking for simple, elegant and minimalist design details in their dining furniture, that can work for both relaxed intimate meals and big family gatherings. Some great choices for dining chairs with polyester fabric padded seating are the KINU Dining Chair, the RAM COMFORT STEEL Chair or the Skovby #811. 

A refined, sturdy and traditional fabric choice, wool is a durable and stable material for use in your dining chairs. Designed to last, wool offers breathable, comfortable and hard-wearing properties, and is naturally resistant to sagging or becoming misshapen even after years of use. 

Creating a warming rustic feel, wool blends are a popular choice for those looking for something organic and textured in their dining chairs, with an elegant, timeless aesthetic that works well in classical homes and dining spaces. 

Perfect for: Those who value traditional, organic materials and weighty, beautiful fabrics in their dining chairs. We recommend taking a look at the SAKS, METRO or VEIFA Dining Chairs for some examples of these elegant wool fabric samples. 

Elegant, luxurious, polished and sophisticated, velvet is a great choice for those who want to dine in style. Soft to touch and stylish in appearance, velvet is a comfortable and premium material that can work in so many different colours and styles. Not only offering visual appeal, but also insulation against cooler weather and durability over long periods of time. Velvet is also surprisingly easy to clean, despite its premium appearance, with just water required to remove any spills or drops. 

For those looking to create a luxe, glamorous feel in their dining spaces, velvet is a standout choice, with many of our Milola dining chairs featuring custom velvet upholstery. 

Perfect for: Those who want each and every dining experience to feel luxurious and elegant, whether it’s an early morning breakfast or a late-night supper. Some great examples of the use of velvet as a dining chair fabric can be found in the CLOUD Dining Chair, the HYPE Dining Chair or the GAIA Dining Chair 

Each different fabric choice will have its own unique properties, characteristics and styles which can help to create the ideal dining space for your family and your home. From rich, organic wool blends to soft, supple leathers, the range of fabrics available throughout our dining chair collection at Milola allows us to help our customers find their perfect match. 

To find out more about the fabrics we have available and the samples we can supply, get in touch with our team today.