These Four Walls

  • BLOG
    • INTERIORS
    • TRAVEL
    • LIFESTYLE
  • ABOUT
  • WORK WITH ME
    • BRINGING YOUR BRAND STORY TO LIFE
    • INTERIORS / PRODUCT STYLING & PHOTOGRAPHY PORTFOLIO
    • TRAVEL PHOTOGRAPHY PORTFOLIO
    • PRESS, FEATURES & AWARDS
  • DESIGN SERVICE
  • SHOP MY HOME
  • BUY MY BOOK

21 of the best desk chairs

August 26, 2021

Minimalist home office with oak desk, beige panelled walls and green desk chair | 21 of the best desk chairs | These Four Walls blog

As summer draws to a close, many of us are turning our thoughts towards work, and there’s definitely a back-to-school feeling about this time of year. So, it seems like a good point to share a round-up of the best desk chairs, with a focus on designs that offer a balance between form and function.

It’s well-known that our working environment and posture can have a huge impact on our productivity and wellbeing. And, with many people shifting towards home-working on a permanent or semi-permanent basis, it’s worth taking the time to create a comfortable set-up. But that needn’t mean compromising on style, as the below selection demonstrates. I’ve trawled hundreds of chairs and picked out 21 models that offset minimalist looks with practical features and good support. These aren’t the kind of chunky, utilitarian eyesores that you’d normally associate with office chairs – they’re elegant, pared-back designs that will complement rather than dominate whatever space they’re in. As always I’ve tried to include options for a range of budgets, and there’s a variety of base types, materials and shapes to suit different needs. You’ll also find a few tips on choosing the right desk chair for you at the end of the post.

21 of the best desk chairs | These Four Walls blog

  1. ‘LÅNGFJÄLL’ office chair (available in beige, blue, dark grey or brown-pink, with a black or white base, with or without casters, and with or without armrests), from £90, IKEA
  2. HAY ‘About A Chair’ (available in numerous upholstered and non-upholstered options, with a black, chrome or white base, with or without armrests, and with or without casters), from £279, Utility Design
  3. ‘Radoni’ grey swivel office chair, £225, Perch & Parrow
  4. ‘Fernanda’ grey and ash-veneer office chair, £199, MADE.com [AD – affiliate link]
  5. &Tradition ‘Rely’ office chair (available in numerous upholstered and non-upholstered options, with a black, chrome or bronzed base, with or without armrests, and with or without casters), from £280, Nest.co.uk
  6. ‘Keira’ office chair (available in ‘Steel Bouclé’ and black, ‘Marl Grey’ and brass, ‘Pine Green’ and brass, or ‘Warm Caramel’ and brass), £199, MADE.com [AD – affiliate link]
  7. Humanscale ‘Liberty’ office chair (available in grey or black), £729, John Lewis
  8. Vitra ‘Rookie’ office chair (available in numerous fabrics, with a black or grey base, and with casters for hard flooring or carpet), from £413, Utility Design
  9. ‘FJÄLLBERGET’ conference chair (available in white-stained oak veneer and beige, or black-stained ash veneer and grey), £150, IKEA
  10. Viccarbe ‘Aleta’ beige and black swivel chair, £849, Nest.co.uk
  11. ANYDAY ‘Nova’ grey office chair, £70, John Lewis
  12. ‘Beck’ mesh office chair (available in grey or black), £70, Habitat
  13. &Tradition ‘Elefy’ swivel chair (available in numerous upholstered and non-upholstered options, with a black or aluminium base, and with or without casters), from £325, Nest.co.uk
  14. Herman Miller ‘Aeron’ grey and polished aluminium office chair (available in several sizes), £1,499, John Lewis
  15. Vitra ‘Eames EA Aluminium’ chair (available in numerous upholstery options, with a swivel or non-swivel base, with or without armrests, and with or without casters), from £1,500, Nest.co.uk
  16. AM.PM ‘Suliac’ oak-veneer office chair, £285, La Redoute
  17. Muuto ‘Fiber’ office armchair (available in several upholstery options, with a grey or black base, with or without armrests, and with or without casters), from £555, Nest.co.uk
  18. ‘Knox’ office chair (available in ‘Soot Grey’, ‘Retro Orange’ or ‘Rosa Weave’), £109, MADE.com [AD – affiliate link]
  19. ‘Shell’ office chair (available in grey or green), £179, John Lewis
  20. Grey faux-leather office chair, £300, Cox & Cox
  21. ‘HATTEFJÄLL’ office chair (available in grey, beige, brown-pink or black, and with or without armrests), £179, IKEA

Minimalist office with grey leather desk chair | 21 of the best desk chairs | These Four Walls blog

Minimalist office with tan desk chairs, white desk and plants | 21 of the best desk chairs | These Four Walls blog

Above: two different versions of Muuto’s ‘Fiber’ chair, which comes with or without casters and upholstery

Here are a few tips to help you find the best desk chair for you:

  • Consider how long you’ll be sitting at your desk. If it’s only for an hour or two here and there, then you can probably get away with a standard fixed or swivel design. If it’s all day, every day, then it’s worth investing in a fully adjustable ergonomic chair
  • Similarly, an ergonomic chair is ideal if you’ll be sharing it with someone else, as each person will be able to set it up to suit their own preferences
  • Make sure the chair is compatible with the height of your desk – you don’t want to be slumping over or reaching up to type. Many of the above designs have height-adjustable seats, but if you have your heart set on a fixed chair then check there’s a gap of around 30cm between the seat and the desk. You could even buy your chair first and choose a desk that fits, rather than the other way round – it might sound counter-intuitive, but the chair will have a much bigger impact on your day-to-day comfort
  • You also need to take your own height into account. You should be able to sit with your feet flat on the floor and your thighs level or very slightly angled downwards (anything else will put pressure on your lower spine)
  • Ensure the seat isn’t too deep – ideally, you should be able to lean against the backrest and still have a gap of at least 3cm between the edge of the seat and the back of your knees. Anything less could restrict your circulation and cause discomfort
  • Think about what kind of base you want. If you tend to move around a lot, a chair on casters will be ideal. I particularly like IKEA’s ‘LÅNGFJÄLL’ model, whose pressure-sensitive wheels brake when you stand up and release when you sit down. Also very clever is Vitra’s ‘Rookie’ chair, which has a choice of castors depending on whether you have hard floors or carpet
  • If you tend to get hot and sticky leaning against a backrest, consider a design made from breathable mesh. The Humanscale, Habitat and Herman Miller models above are good examples
  • If you choose a chair that doesn’t have full lumber support, you might want to buy a special cushion to aid good posture and prevent back issues. Posturite has a good range

Minimalist home office with beige IKEA desk chair | 21 of the best desk chairs | These Four Walls blog

Wood panelled home office with minimalist grey chair | 21 of the best desk chairs | These Four Walls blog

Above: IKEA’s ‘LÅNGFJÄLL’ and &Tradition’s ‘Rely’ chair

Please note this post contains affiliate links (all clearly marked), which means I will receive a small commission on any resulting sales. You won’t pay any more by clicking on these links than you would by visiting the websites directly.

All images via the respective brands above

Related

Leave a Comment · Interiors

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

HELLO

Abi Dare | These Four Walls blog

I’m Abi Dare – a stylist, photographer and writer based in Bristol (UK). I set up this blog to share interior design, travel and lifestyle inspiration for simple, relaxed living at home and beyond. You’ll find home tours, advice and tips, interviews, reviews, postcards from places I love and more – always with a focus on soft minimalism, muted colours and timeless, considered design.

‘Top 10 UK interior design blogs’ 2025, 2024, 2023 & 2022, Vuelio

‘Best Interior Design Blog’, uFurnish Home Awards 2024

Winner of the ‘Blogger’ category in the Sweetpea & Willow Home Influencer Awards 2023

‘Best Design & Architecture Blog’, UK Blog Awards 2019

BUY MY BOOK

Order a copy of my first book, The Soft Minimalist Home – Calm, Cozy Decor for Real Lives and Spaces, published by Ryland Peters & Small and available now.

NEWSLETTER

Sign up to my newsletter

Subscribe here to receive more interiors, lifestyle and travel inspiration straight to your inbox.

WORK WITH ME

Photography, styling & content creation | These Four Walls blog

Discover how I can help you tell your brand story through photography, styling and content creation…

DESIGN SERVICES

Interior design services | These Four Walls

Find out how my interior design packages could help you create a home you love…

DISCLOSURE

These Four Walls occasionally contains paid-for content, gifted products and affiliate links (where I receive a commission on sales of the products concerned). All such content is clearly marked. Thank you for supporting the posts that make this blog possible.

  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • Facebook
  • Bloglovin

INSTAGRAM

Back on the grid after more than two weeks. Thanks Back on the grid after more than two weeks. Thanks to everyone who sent messages checking I was OK - I just lost my Instagram mojo and needed a bit of a break. Anyway, here are some phone-camera snippets of life lately...

1.  Guard cat on duty while I work
2.  Evening light hitting the last of the Japanese quince blossom in the garden 
3.  Country drives
4.  Coming across 17th-century graffiti while house-hunting
5 & 6.  A lazy Sunday stroll on Clevedon Pier, on one of those hazy days where the sea and sky seem to merge into one
7.  Keeping drooping spring blooms going for as long as possible 
8 & 9.  Wisteria at @ntbarringtoncourt in Somerset 
10.  Brunch at the always-wonderful @lunitapasteleria 
11.  Enjoying the balmy spring breeze 
12.  Stunning mosaic floors at Chedworth Roman Villa in Gloucestershire 
13.  Bluebell season
14.  My kind of wine
15.  Wild garlic 

#springhassprung #slowsimpleseasonal #cornersofmyworld #lifelately #blossomseverywhere #thisprettyengland #thelocalwayfarer #westcountry #littlestoriesofmylife #poetryofsimplethings #seeingthepretty #tinytinymoments
[AD - PR product] I've always loved marble as a ma [AD - PR product] I've always loved marble as a material, and the beige Kunis Breccia version of the @newworksdk 'Kizu' table lamp caught my eye immediately. I now have this design in three different colourways around the house, and this is definitely my favourite to date! 

#softminimalisthome #softminimalstyle #neutralhomedecor #simplehomestyle #minimalistdecor #simpleinterior #mycosyhome #neutrallivingroom #minimalistlighting #scandiinterior
A few weeks ago I travelled to Drammen in Norway f A few weeks ago I travelled to Drammen in Norway for the big project I'm working on (more on that soon), and while I was there I had a look around @askogeng's workshop. I've been a fan of their sustainable bamboo kitchens and furniture for a long time, so this was a real treat. And the space itself is full of the time-worn textures and beautiful details that always catch my eye.

#texturesandtones #warehousestyle #kitchendesign #scandinavianinteriors #scandinaviandesign #bitsofbuildings #ihavethisthingwithwindows #perfectlyimperfect
Is it just me, or are slightly droopy flowers the Is it just me, or are slightly droopy flowers the most elegant? Anyway, these are butterfly ranunculus - always a favourite. I couldn't resist the lovely soft peach ones - such a pretty colour for spring.

If you've seen my Stories, you'll know we've had a stressful Sunday and Monday thanks to a poorly cat and some big house news. At least it's only a four-day week!

#springflowers #springhomedecor #simplehomestyle #softminimalhome #springdecor #simpleinterior #neutrallivingroom #victorianterracerenovation #myminimalhome #springhomestyle

PRIVACY POLICY | Copyright © 2025 THESE FOUR WALLS BLOG

This site uses cookies to give you the best possible web experience. If you continue to use this site we will assume that you are happy with this.OKReject cookiesLearn more