The Windsor is the quintessential wooden chair, a classic that since its first known appearance in the 18th century has been stained, painted, deconstructed, and reimagined in all sorts of ways.
Christopher Howe takes the classic beechwood Windsor and gives it a high gloss finish in custom paint colors.
The Hay relaunch of Børge Mogensen’s J42 Chair in Oiled Oak is $372 at Finnish Design Shop.
A Remodelista favorite, Design Within Reach’s Salt Chair is a modern take on the Shaker-style chair and a go-to for affordable seating.
The Rainbow Side Chair from Sawkille is made in American Black Walnut or Hard Maple with the option for different treatments and finishes.
UK designer Matthew Hilton’s 362 Hastoe Windsor Chair for De la Espada is $1,120 from YLiving.
Designed by Lina Nordqvist for Design House Stockholm, the Family Chairs are a 21st-century take on the Swedish-style Windsor with a stick back. Each chair in the set of four has a different spindle design.
Very Good & Proper’s Bird Chair is designed by Michael Marriot and available in red (shown), natural ash, and black.
The J110 Windsor Chair by Paul M. Volther for Danish design company Hay, is available in natural beech wood (shown) as well as black, white, gray, and red finishes; $350 at A+R Store.
Similar to the Salt Chair from Design Within Reach above, the Serena & Lily Tucker Chair is available in four colors (shown in navy) for $198 each at Serena & Lily.
Designed for New York store Matter, Chris Specce’s Windsor Chair pares the classic down to its basic elements.
UK-based Italian designer Martino Gamper’s Yellow Chair is a reclaimed Windsor updated with wood stains that have been applied and removed in different areas.
The Crate & Barrel Marlow II Wood Dining Chair is available in Dove (shown), Black, and White for $329 at Crate & Barrel.
The Coventry Chair by Chris Eckersley, manufactured by Sitting Firm Chairmakers in Coventry, features “an uncluttered contemporary aesthetic”; £510 from Sitting Firm in the UK.