Folding Chairs

An entire post about folding chairs? Really? Yes.
When I have enough space and money to have a proper dinning room I want a big one. I like having dinner with 10-20 guests and that means a big table.
I like the look of a bench on one side, big chairs on either end and smaller chairs opposite the bench. But it isn't practical to have the table set up for 20 every day, nor is it practical to have 10 extra dining room chairs hanging around your house (I know this from experience, not only is my apartment in my parents house right now, my mother also went chair happy a few years ago so the house is nearly exploding with chairs).

Folding chairs are the obvious solution to wanting extra seating. But metal ones are ugly, sound terrible, and uncomfortable. Plastic ones have similar problems, but are even more cheap looking. Wooden ones are clearly the way to go.
These are my favorite, from Ballard Designs. They're simple yet pretty and don't cost an arm and a leg. I also like that you can easily add cushions.

Ballard Designs St. Germain Folding Chair

These next chairs are from Ballard as well, but they seem more appropriate for outdoor entertaining and not in a dining room setting. But they are nice too.

Ballard Designs Oxford Folding Chair

These chairs from World Market aren't as pretty as the first ones, and look a bit cheap because of the built in padded seat. But they are less expensive and they seem slim which is good when you're trying to accommodate extra people at a table.

World Market Ladder Back Folding Chair

World Market also has a number of solid wood folding chairs. This one is the slimmest at 16.5 inches wide. I think that when you're using this seating to stuff as many of your friends and family around a table as possible its best to get the narrowest seat. That way you can sit more people without the chairs actually touching. These chairs are simple, wood, and look very nice (maybe even better with a coat of stain, though).

World Market Mika Wooden Folding Chairs

These last ones from Horchow are the most expensive. But they look it. They have detailing and look extremely sturdy. The question is are you willing to pay almost triple the price as the ones directly above? You might. Depends on how fancy your dining room is, and how much you can spend.

Horchow wooden folding chairs

Well I hope you enjoyed that. I did. And I hope you think twice before buying a metal folding chair.