The main advantages of an upholstered dining chair are that this style usually looks elegant and is also typically padded. Unlike dining chairs with plastic, wood or metal seats, the seat of an upholstered chair is usually comfortably padded. The addition of upholstery fabric makes this type of chair look more elegant, formal and complete. An upholstered dining chair set has the advantage of being able to coordinate well with a fine wood table.
Non-upholstered chairs usually don't look dressy enough to work in a formal dining room. Some carved wood chairs may coordinate well with a formal dining table, but they won't provide as comfortable seating as upholstered chair varieties. An upholstered dining chair may be modern or traditional in style. Detailed wood dining chairs with upholstered seats are traditional, while fabric-covered, straight-backed Parson's versions are more modern in design. Being able to choose upholstered dining chairs in the style that best suits the table as well as the home's decor is a strong advantage.
The range of fabric types, textures, patterns and colors for upholstered dining chairs is another distinct advantage. There are velvets, silks, cottons, wool blends and many more fabrics to suit each taste and amount of wear a dining set is likely to get. The colors range from neutrals to accent shades to coordinate well with any home. An upholstered dining chair usually is long lasting, as the fabrics used tend to be strong and simple to spot clean with a damp cloth or a stain remover product. Cleaning the chair with an upholstery shampooer is also usually an option.
The frame-like construction of upholstered dining chairs is advantageous because when the fabric does start to wear or become too stained, it's usually very easy to replace. All that's needed to do this is a staple gun and staples. If extra padding is needed, it's easy to tuck into the fabric. The replacement fabric, and foam pad if needed, is stapled onto the underside of the chair's seat. The fabric should be long enough to roll up several times to create a hem.
Another advantage of upholstered dining chairs is that they can be reupholstered when a home's decor is changed. This can bring a whole new look not only to the dining chairs, but the living space as well. This type of change can make even the most antique or dated dining room look fresh again.