The cane panel is the Chadlington's defining quality. Take it away and this is a good oak chair. Leave it in and it is a considered one.

The open weave provides back support without the visual weight of a solid panel, which makes the chair feel lighter and more elegant from across the room. Set six or eight around a table and you can see through them, so a dining room reads as spacious rather than crowded with furniture. A solid-backed chair never gives you that.

The shaped carved frame around it is what stops the cane looking utilitarian. That scalloped profile on the back rail is the period detail that gives the chair its character, and it is the sort of shaping that takes real work to get right. Most cane-backed chairs settle for a plain rectangular surround.

The limed oak has the pale, slightly bleached tone that reveals the pronounced grain of the timber beneath. Warm without being golden, light without being cold. It is the finish that lets this chair sit against reclaimed pine, painted timber and dark walnut dining tables alike.

Natural linen on the seat completes it. Breathable, slightly textured, warm to the touch, and the right soft neutral against limed oak.

• Open cane back that keeps a dining room feeling light rather than crowded
• Carved shaped back rail with genuine period character, not a plain surround
• Limed oak finish that reveals the grain rather than covering it
• Generously padded natural linen seat, built for long meals
• 48cm width, so you fit more chairs along a table than most designs allow
• 48.5cm seat height, the standard pairing for a 75cm to 79cm table
• Neutral enough to work with reclaimed pine, painted, oak and walnut tables
• Sold individually, so you can build a set as a scheme develops

How many will fit. Allow 55cm to 60cm of table edge per chair. A 180cm table takes three per long side. A 240cm table takes four per side, or three plus a chair at each end for eight.

Check the height, not just the seat. At 86.5cm the back is taller than average, so measure to the underside of your table apron if you want the chairs to tuck fully away. Browse dining tables if you are buying both together.

Six or eight around a table is the classic. If your room only takes four, add a bench along one side rather than squeezing in a fifth and sixth chair the room cannot carry.

Limed oak is a cool-leaning pale timber, so it wants warm neutrals around it rather than more cool tones. Soft white, oatmeal, putty and mushroom on the walls. For depth, sage, olive or a muted clay. It is one of the few timber finishes that also holds up beautifully against a darker charcoal wall.

This is where the Chadlington earns its keep. Against a warm reclaimed pine or acacia table, the pale oak gives contrast rather than a near-miss match, which is what makes a dining room look collected rather than bought as a set.

A pendant hung 75cm to 85cm above the tabletop lights the cane weave from above and shows off the openwork. Warm bulbs of 2400K to 2700K, as cool light drains the warmth out of both the linen and the limed finish.

A jute or wool rug quietens chair movement on hard floors. On the table, keep it low with washed linen napkins and a run of small ceramics so people can see across, and through the cane backs.

The last two rows are the honest trade-off. Cane is not upholstery and it is not wipe-clean. What you gain is a chair that lightens a room rather than filling it.

Cerused oak frame. Cerusing, or liming, works pigment into the open grain of the oak and then wipes the surface back, so the grain reads pale against the timber rather than being covered by it. It is a finish that shows the wood off rather than disguising it, and it is why this chair does not look like painted timber from a distance.

Carved shaped back rail. The scalloped profile is shaped rather than pressed, which gives it a depth of section that moulded alternatives never quite match.

Open cane panel. Woven cane set into the frame. It flexes slightly as you lean, which is a large part of why an open-backed chair is more comfortable than it looks.

Padded natural linen seat. Breathable and slightly textured, in a soft neutral chosen to sit correctly against the pale oak rather than to match it exactly.

Oak grain and the take-up of the limed finish vary between chairs. If you are ordering a full set, order together so they come from the same batch.

Two natural materials, both of which behave like natural materials. Here is what to expect rather than what sounds best.

Never soak the cane or clean it with a wet cloth. Water is what makes woven cane slacken and split, so a dry brush is the right tool. Keep the chairs away from a radiator too, since very dry heat is equally hard on cane over time.

The linen seat is a pale natural fabric. It will show marks more readily than a dark or wipe-clean surface, which is the trade for how it looks and feels. Blot promptly and it will serve you well for years.

Your chairs are packed carefully and travel with our specialist furniture courier, who will call ahead to arrange a time that suits you. Allow 10 to 14 days, often sooner. Full details on our delivery page.

If they are not right once they are in the room, our returns process is straightforward and we will arrange collection. Everything is covered by our guarantees and warranties.

0% interest-free finance is available at checkout, and our price match promise stands if you find the same piece for less elsewhere.

Not sure how many will fit? Our team will happily work it out with you via our contact page or live chat. Furnishing a restaurant or a holiday let? Ask about trade accounts.