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Barrel Back Chairs

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You will feel like you are sitting in the lap of luxury when you plop yourself down in one of these upholstered barrel back chairs. They are very handsome and come in tons of upholstery options, not to mention they're very well made by some of the finest furniture makers. They have a classic look that will properly accent your space in style in class.

5 Recommendations and 149 Ideas

Updated 16/11/2022
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1
Cane Barrel Back Chair

Cane Barrel Back Chair

Birch Lane™

Made with sturdy and durable birch wood and cane, this cane barrel back chair has a tightback inset fabric cushion. The matching seat cushion features web suspension for support. Measuring 27.5” wide by 28.25” deep, the chair back reaches 33.5” high and has continuous sloped arms.

$598 $799.99

Designer Advice:

We love the look of this cane barrel back chair. The combination of material and style suits both a traditional and transitional style home. Create a color palette for the rest of the room by first repeating the greige fabric color and the cane stain. Add a darker wood stain color, a little black, and then two or three accent colors. 

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2
Mid Century Modern Barrel Back Chair

Mid Century Modern Barrel Back Chair

Steelside™

Available in black or dark moss green, this mid-century barrel back chair’s upholstery is made with polyurethane that looks like leather. The chair seat base features formed plywood and comes in one piece. On delivery, screw the four wood legs into the base of the seat.  

$125.99 $179.99

Designer Advice:

The scale of this mid-century barrel chair makes it ideal for small-space living. It takes up only 19.5” by 18.25” of space at its widest point. The seat height is just under 18”, so it can do double duty as an occasional chair for a living space and for sitting at a dining table or a desk. 

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3
Commercial Barrel Back Chair

Commercial Barrel Back Chair

Gracie Oaks

The stained legs on this barrel back chair are a unique driftwood color, giving the chair a contemporary look. It’s upholstered in a commercial-grade cream or gray linen that’s flame retardant. Measuring 28” high, the barrel back partially wraps around the sides of the chair. 

$289.99 $469

Designer Advice:

This barrel back chair is made to commercial-grade standards. They’re tested for durability, stability, and weight-bearing qualities. Built to survive eight hours of use in a day, these chairs are ideal for doctor’s or lawyer’s waiting rooms. You can set them up around the perimeter of the lobby or pair two on either side of a sofa that’s upholstered in a contrasting color. 

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4
Velvet Barrel Back Chair

Velvet Barrel Back Chair

Etta Avenue™

Velvet upholstery and a brushed gold frame combine to give this barrel-back chair a contemporary and glamorous look. You can choose from one of the seven fabric colors available. The chair weighs 37 lbs and can support up to 300 lbs. It comes fully assembled.

$299.99 $599

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5
Vintage Style Barrel Back Chair

Vintage Style Barrel Back Chair

Caracole Classic

This one-of-a-kind vintage barrel back chair uses coral-like detailing in the leg and chair supports. The organic design is made from solid cast brass that’s finished in gold brush with white enamel. The seat and chair back are upholstered in a polyester blend fabric over a combination of foam and feather filling. 

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Barrel Back Chairs

Buying Guide

Barrel back chairs are chairs which consist of a seat and then a large back piece which surrounds the chair and provides arms too. The name is taken from the fact that these chairs do look like they are made somewhat in the shape of a barrel, and their short legs often contribute to this look too. This is a look which has been featured in homes for decades, if not centuries, and you can opt for the modern versions of the chair or the traditional furniture.

The patterns will vary on upholstered barrel back chairs. Since they are upholstered, the most common material is fabric, creating a comfortable environment in your home. Let's consider some of the most popular patterns that people choose when buying barrel back chairs.

  • Subtle floral pattern: This is normally upholstered using one main color for the chair. For example, light brown or beige are common colors. The material is then embroidered with flowers and leaves which are a shade just slightly darker or lighter than the main color. This means that the floral pattern doesn't stand out too much, but is obviously not a completely plain piece of furniture.
  • Brighter floral pattern: Similar to the subtle pattern mentioned above, the brighter floral patterns have more contrast and are therefore more colorful. While the main background color might be beige or cream, the flowers will normally have some pink, green or purple thread running through them to add color. If choosing this pattern, consider any other prominent colors in the room to decide whether it will clash or work well.
  • Plain pattern: Since many of these chairs have an antique frame, the fabric upholstery is the chance to make it a little more modern. Since floral patterns are very traditional, many buyers like to consider plainer solid colors. Dark colors are popular if you intend to make the barrel chair a feature piece in a room or the only furniture for seating, while lighter colors work well as part of a wider living room suite.

A common look for older chairs is the distressed wooden look. While this may have been reinforced with newer wooden materials, the upholsterer is careful not to force the chair to look its antique look. A distressed frame paired with modern upholstery can create a beautiful contrast which is ideal for homes furnished with a shabby chic design.

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Best Ideas

Barrel back chairs

The oversized barrel back chairs are an excellent combination of exceptionally smart antique styling and functionality. The whole, based on the beautifully carved wooden frame, creates a unique upholstered composition.

Upholstered barrel back chairs 28

Lathe turned and trimmed legs and carved wood trim on this barrel backed upholstered chair are lime-washed to give a feeling of antiquity. Seat and back are neatly upholstered in natural linen-look fabric, trimmed with matching piping around the seat and across the back.

Mid century cane back barrel chairs hollywood glam 2

Mid century cane back barrel chairs hollywood glam 2

Barrel back chairs with solid wooden frames and classic lines. Gentle slope of the back provides additional comfort. Green-gold tone cushions are soft for more relaxation to any user. Four strong legs assure good stability.

Upholstered barrel back chairs

The nicely-framed barrel back chair is a perfect combination of style and functionality. Interesting details and solid wood construction are beautifully compiled with a light cover, which adds charm to the striped pattern.

Barrel back chairs 1

An elegant vintage chair with a woody frame and 4 quite tall angular tapered legs in brown. Its tub shell features a half-oval seat and full arms running to same height rounded back. Upholstery is of light brown leather with nailhead trims on edges.

Vintage barrel chair

An absolutely adorable example of the shabby chic style, this accent chair will provide your bedrooms a regal character. Its inside delights with fabulous button-tufted upholstery, while the outer side features timeless black and white stripes.

Cane back barrel chair

Boasting of amazing hand-carvings and timeless elegance, this fine swan chair has a walnut-finished hardwood frame and quality gray upholstery. Includes a barrel back, a removable seat cushion, padded armrests, and flared rear legs.

Savannah Barrel Chair

Savannah Barrel Chair

Cozy barrel chair on tapered turned legs. The body is padded with maintenance-free faux leather in yellow with lime undertones. You may choose from toher upholstery colors to match the style to your current decor color scheme.

Amazing Pair Of Milo Baughman Wide Barrel Back Lounge Chairs Mid Century Modern

Amazing Pair Of Milo Baughman Wide Barrel Back Lounge Chairs Mid Century Modern

Set of 2 arm chairs mounted on wooden frame and reinforced with solid supports. It is upholstered with pleasant to the touch fabric. Great addition to the living room and others interiors according to taste.

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French louis xvi style chair with a painted wood frame

French Louis XVI style chair with a painted wood frame.The barrel back extends to upholstered arm pads and curves down to the seat rail, and is scrolled and supported on tapered, fluted legs. The back legs are splayed. The top rail is scrolled with a cent

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