The arms are the whole design. Everything else is in service of them.

That single continuous sweep from one armrest, around the back and down to the other is the hardest part of a chair like this to get right, and it is why so many attempts look clumsy. Here the curve is even, the section thins as it travels, and the join into the back post is clean enough that you have to look for it.

Solid ash makes that possible. Ash bends and holds better than almost any other European hardwood, which is why it has been the timber of choice for chair-makers, tool handles and cricket bats for centuries. Not veneer over softwood, which is what most chairs at this shape are.

Then two textures on top. Hand-woven rope across the back panel and again as strapping under the seat, and a linen-viscose cushion over foam. Three materials, all natural in tone, none of them shouting. It sits easily beside the rest of our furniture without needing to match anything.

How many will fit. At 57cm wide, allow 60cm to 65cm per chair along a table edge so the arms are not touching. A 180cm table takes two comfortably per long side, a 220cm table takes three.

Room clearance. Leave 90cm between the table edge and the nearest wall so the chair can be pushed back and sat in without a shuffle. Browse dining tables to check sizes side by side.

The rope back panel is the part people are surprised by. Woven rather than solid, it gives slightly as you lean, which is why this chair is comfortable for a long meal without a cushion strapped to it.

The seat is foam wrapped in linen-viscose, sat on rope strapping rather than a solid board. That combination gives a small amount of flex underneath and stops the seat feeling hard by the second course.

Arms sit at a natural resting height and the seat depth of 58cm suits most adults without the front edge catching behind the knee. It is a chair built for lingering rather than for perching.

Most people buy two as carvers at the ends and use armless chairs down the sides. A full matching set works too if your table is wide enough.

The seat height and the arms make this a legitimate desk chair for anyone who does not want an office chair in the room.

Single chairs earn their place in a corner. If that is what you are after, our accent chairs range covers the softer, lower options too.

Solid ash and rope hold up to commercial use better than upholstered dining chairs, and the seat cushion is the only part that sees real wear.

Tables. The warm mid-brown ash finish sits naturally against reclaimed pine, oak and walnut. Against a painted or limewashed table it provides the contrast the room needs.

Walls. Off-white, chalk, mushroom and warm plaster. The linen seat is a true natural oat, so it reads warm rather than grey.

Layers. Add a rug underneath to soften the sound of chairs on hard floors, and finish the table with napkins and crockery in the same natural register.

Light. A pendant light in brass or rattan over the table picks up the rope detail rather than competing with it.

Solid ash frame. A pale, tough, straight-grained European hardwood with visible open grain, finished in a warm mid-brown stain. Ash is the traditional chair-making timber for good reason. It takes stress without splitting.

Hand-woven rope. Wrapped across the back panel and used as strapping beneath the seat. Woven by hand, so the weave has slight natural variation across every chair.

Linen and viscose seat. A foam-filled cushion in a linen-viscose blend. The viscose gives the linen a softer handle and better recovery from creasing than pure linen at this price.

Timber is a natural material. Grain, tone and the way the stain settles will vary between chairs, which is what tells you it is real wood.

Timber. Dust with a dry cloth. Wipe spills immediately rather than letting them sit. Avoid silicone polishes and anything abrasive.

Rope. Vacuum with a soft brush attachment. Never soak it. A barely damp cloth on a mark, dried straight after, is as far as we would go.

Linen seat. Linen creases and softens with use. That is the material behaving correctly rather than a fault. Blot spills, do not rub, and treat marks promptly.

Placement. Keep it out of prolonged direct sunlight, which will lighten both the timber and the linen over years. Avoid sitting it directly against a radiator, as dry heat is hard on solid wood joints.

Floors. Fit felt pads to the leg ends if you have hard floors. Tapered legs concentrate weight on a small footprint.

Allow 10 to 14 days for delivery, often sooner. Your chairs travel with our specialist furniture courier, who will call ahead to arrange a time. See our delivery information for full details.

If it is not right once it is in the room, our returns policy is straightforward, and every piece is covered by our guarantees and warranties.

Furnishing a restaurant, a holiday let or a project? Ask about trade accounts before you order a full set.