Bontempi Dining Chairs

Dining chairs are where Bontempi has been particularly strong for us. We have worked with the brand for around 12 years and, despite seeing plenty of new designs during that time, we continue to come back to three established chair families: Tai, Nata and Clara. Each approaches comfort and shape differently, so rather than choosing from photographs alone, we recommend sitting in them and comparing how they actually feel.

Tai gives you a taller back and a more supported feel

Tai is the tallest and most linear of the three. Its slim profile, square tubular legs and high back give it sharper lines, but the shape of that back is about more than appearance. A pronounced curve provides good lumbar support, making Tai a useful starting point if you prefer to feel well supported through your back when sitting at the table.

Tai is available with either a fixed back or a Tai Flex version with a flexible, ergonomic back that allows some movement as you lean back. If your dining table is somewhere you regularly sit and talk long after the meal has finished, it is worth trying both rather than assuming which you will prefer.

Nata keeps the profile lower and the lines softer

Nata has a lower, three-quarter-height feel, with round metal legs and a piping detail that runs around the upholstered chair. The back retains a gentle curve, which is important to its comfort: reducing the height does not mean you are left sitting against a flat edge pressing into your back.

High- and low-back versions give you further choice over the proportions around the table. This can be particularly useful if you want the chairs to sit more quietly beneath the table line rather than creating a row of taller backs around the room.

Clara is the Bontempi chair our customers choose most often

Clara has become our bestselling Bontempi dining chair. Its lower back curves around the sitter before tapering upwards, creating a comfortable, enveloping feel without making the chair look heavy. It is that combination that seems to work particularly well: there is a cosy, supported feeling when you sit in it, while the sweeping shape and tapered round legs keep the overall design elegant.

There is no particular type of customer who chooses Clara, Nata or Tai. After years of selling dining furniture, we have learnt not to put people into boxes based on the style of their home or what we think they ought to like. Try the different shapes and let your own comfort and preference make the decision.

Choose the chair before you choose the finish

One of Bontempi's strengths is the amount of choice available once you have found the chair that suits you. Depending on the model, options can include different frame colours, upholstery materials, quilting and contrasting piping. The breadth of frame and covering colours gives us considerable flexibility when we are trying to coordinate new chairs with an existing table, kitchen or wider room scheme.

Think about how the chairs will be used as well as how you want them to look. Modern upholstery fabrics can offer very good practicality, so choosing fabric does not automatically mean accepting something difficult to live with. For a heavily used kitchen or a home with young children, an appropriate leather or wipeable synthetic may still be the more straightforward option. We can help you compare the individual coverings rather than assuming one material is right for everybody.

Make sure the chair works with your table as well as your body

If you are keeping your existing dining table, it is useful to know its height before choosing new chairs. Look underneath it too. A deep frame or extending mechanism can reduce the available legroom, so a chair that feels perfectly comfortable on its own may sit too high once it is pulled up to your particular table.

Then give yourself time to sit properly. If your dining table is mainly somewhere you eat a quick meal, try the chair in that position. If dinner regularly turns into several hours sitting around the table, settle back and see how the chair supports you over time. Furniture at this level should be chosen for the way you actually live with it, not from a thirty-second sit or an online photograph.

Compare Bontempi with the wider choice at Vale

The Bontempi chairs shown online form only part of the collection we can access. At our Ash Vale showroom you can compare Bontempi with dining chairs from other manufacturers, look through the wider choice of coverings and finishes and, where available, take samples home to see them in your own light.

If you are unsure how a chair will work with your existing table or room, ask us about taking a display chair home to try. You can also explore our wider collection of dining chairs online if you would like to compare Bontempi with other designs.