BH | Studio Lenox Barrel-Back Velvet Dining Chairs, Set of 2

The barrel-back chair, with a back that curves round the sitter in one continuous sweep, has a long history in European drawing rooms, where the deeply rounded tub chair was a favourite through the nineteenth century, and it crossed the Atlantic to furnish the Gilded Age country houses of the Berkshires around Lenox. Scaled down to dining height, it gives a table the comfort of an easy chair.

Each chair has a low, rounded back and arms in one smooth curve that holds you comfortably, open at the sides so you can turn to the person beside you. The deep seat is fixed rather than loose, so it keeps a clean, tailored line. Seat and back are shaped plywood wrapped in thick dense foam and upholstered in a performance velvet in Cream or Truffle that resists stains, a real help at a dining table, with velvet's soft sheen. Four sturdy wooden legs in a warm mid-brown carry it, with non-marking pins underneath. Each is rated to hold 331 lbs, and assembly is easy.

They are lovely at a round table in a pale dining room or a kitchen, comfortable enough that everyone stays on after dessert. Apart, they become small accent chairs by a fireplace, at a desk in a bedroom or either side of a low table. The velvet catches the light, beautiful with blush, brass and a cloud of white hydrangeas. This listing is for a set of two chairs.