Ten dining rooms where cantilever chairs sit pretty around the table

The cantilever chair is an icon of 20th-century modernist design. This lookbook compiles ten elegant dining spaces with different versions of the classic chair.

Cantilever chairs deviate from traditional four-legged seats as they are supported by a continuous frame that stretches from the front of the seat downwards, forming the front two legs, the base and the backrest in one.

While the original inventor is contentious, eminent designers – including Marcel Breuer, Mart Stam, Ludwig Mies van der Rohe and Alvar Aalto – all contributed to its popularity by developing their own variations from the 1920s onwards.

Classic examples are comprised of a metal frame and fabric, leather or cane seats; however, designers Verner Panton, Jasper Morrison and Alexander Begge have all created monobloc iterations from plastic and fibreglass.

Metal, fibreglass and plastic are suitable materials for cantilever chair frames as they have high tensile strength, allowing them to support the sitter's weight despite having fewer points of contact with the floor.

This is the latest in our lookbooks series, which provides visual inspiration from Dezeen's archive. For more inspiration, see previous lookbooks featuring unfitted kitchens, living areas with rammed-earth walls and art deco-informed interiors.

Babendiekstraße 23, Germany, by NOTO

The dining area in this Hamburg home by architecture studio NOTO sits on a tiled platform within the residence's split-level living space.

Four black-and-cane cantilever chairs are arranged around the dining table, which has matching metallic legs.

Find out more about Babendiekstraße 23 ›

ZigZag House, UK, by Dan Marks

Pale blue and white plastic cantilever Panton Chairs stand out against the stone and wood surfaces in this kitchen diner by Dan Marks, founder of Mata Architects.

Contrast also exists between the chairs' sweeping, continuous forms and the straight, linear shapes of the kitchen units, island and dining table.

Find out more about ZigZag House ›

Barcelona apartment, Spain, by Raúl Sánchez

Metallic elements in this Barcelona apartment include the reflective metal frames of its cantilever dining chairs and the gold-leaf-clad wall that separates the dining area from the kitchen.

These sheeny details are counteracted by the chairs' cane-and-wood seats and backrests, as well as the paper lampshade suspended above.

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Mortsel house, Belgium, by Memo Architectuur

Six leather-and-metal cantilever chairs are tucked in nearly around the dining table in the verdant extension of this Belgian house by local studio Memo Architectuur.

The seats, backrests and armrests are made from a dark, petrol green leather, tying them into the green-toned polished concrete floor, the cluster of houseplants and the garden beyond.

Find out more about Mortsel house ›

St Pauls Road townhouse, UK, by Tabitha Isobel

Huddled around the stone table in the lofty dining room of this Victorian townhouse are six matching cantilever chairs.

These chairs have sweeping, curvilinear bases and lipped backrests, which contribute to the home's subtly futuristic aesthetic.

Find out more about St Pauls Road townhouse ›

Kier, Germany, by Demo Working Group

A trio of purple-upholstered, armless cantilever chairs is arranged around a three-legged, circular dining table in this 1970s high-rise Cologne apartment.

Their all-in-one metal frames match the apartment's metal-dominated design scheme, while the purple fabric provides a pop of colour.

Find out more about Kier ›

BH apartment, Ukraine, by Modektura

The informal, mismatched dining setup in this Kyiv flat includes two cantilever chairs – one with armrests and leather accents, and another with cane detailing.

The dining area sits between the kitchen and the glazed balcony-turned-conservatory, which is filled with plants.

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House 1616, Spain, by H Arquitectes

Curvaceous fibreglass cantilever chairs with characterful cut-outs are among the seating options in this Spanish residence's living areas.

The white chairs form part of an eclectic interior design scheme that also features ornate lighting, artwork and ornamental objects.

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Powerscroft Road townhouse, UK, by Daytrip

Positioned around a round marble table in this London townhouse basement are four black, cane and metal cantilever chairs.

Local studio Daytrip used an earthy, neutral colour palette for the residence's interior, which was echoed in the appearance of the dining chairs.

Find out more about Powerscroft Road townhouse ›

Solit-Garreau Residence, USA, by Studio Bower

In a departure from typical silver-coloured cantilever frames, the duo of seats in this Washington DC home have a white finish.

The chairs also sport arms that extend out horizontally and are capped by wooden details, in reference to the kitchen worktop and the garden outside.

Find out more about Solit-Garreau Residence ›

This is the latest in our lookbooks series, which provides visual inspiration from Dezeen's archive. For more inspiration, see previous lookbooks featuring unfitted kitchens, living areas with rammed-earth walls and art deco-informed interiors.

The post Ten dining rooms where cantilever chairs sit pretty around the table appeared first on Dezeen.