French Cane Chairs

Chloe Hughes Interior Design Expert

Chloe is a highly-regarded expert in all things vintage and antique. She’s excited to share her vast knowledge with readers and clients wishing to infuse their homes with a mixture of old-time warmth and modern comfort. In addition to her design work, Chloe regularly volunteers at her local community center, teaching DIY projects to adults and kids.

Updated 30/04/2021

Having a cane chair over a wicker chair shows a touch of southern charm and class that is obvious to anyone who sees it, but for a step up, a French cane chair takes that aesthetic to a whole other level. In our collection of French cane chairs you will see some truly lovely examples of what can happen when simplicity and refinement meet to create an attractive and comfortable chair.

Buying Guide

Cane chairs come in a very specific and unique style. You are likely to have seen them before, or you may even have owned one yourself. While not often seen in modern homes, there is a beautiful traditional charm to these items of furniture, making them comfortable additions to many rooms in your house. Here are some of the factors you should consider before buying any French cane chairs.

Where to position French cane chairs?

French cane chairs are often seen either outdoors or indoors. Since they are so versatile and suitable to a wide range of environments, it makes them ideal for rooms such as a conservatory, or on an outdoor balcony which is covered by some form of shelter. Environments which fall halfway between the outdoors and indoors are ideal for French cane chairs.

Once you have decided where your chairs are going to be positioned, you can start thinking about the finer details.

How many cane chairs to buy?

Most chairs require a space of three feet squared, but it's still important to take measurements and find out exactly how large each chair is.

Deciding how many chairs to buy can be a challenge, especially if you live on your own or you're not sure what you intend to do in the future. It's easy if you have set plans for the future, for example, if you know that you're going to host several garden parties over the next few months. However, if you're unsure, you should buy just one or two chairs and then decide in the future whether you want to add more.

You will also be confined by how much space you have in your home for the chairs. If you already have furniture in your conservatory, or you have a small balcony which doesn't allow more than two chairs, then it won't be possible to include any extra seating even if you really wanted to.

What's the best shape for a French cane chair?

Nowadays, you may see an increasing number of square-shaped chairs, but these aren't always the most comfortable for your back. If you know that you are more comfortable with a rounded back on your chair, or your doctor has recommended that you use this type of furniture, you should bear this in mind. Always try out the chairs for yourself before buying wherever possible, but if you can't, try to gather as much information as possible.

Some French cane chairs will have a back but no arms. In this case, the shape becomes less important, since the back is not rounding or joining in a square shape to provide extra support.

While people worry about the size of the chairs and the material used to line the chairs, the shape is often forgotten. It isn't something which is easy to forget when you're looking at chairs, but if you're shopping online, you may forget the importance of a comfortable seat. The shape of a chair can have a lot to do with this.