BH | Studio Trianon Medallion-Back Dining Armchairs, Set of 2

The oval medallion back, which the French call a chaise en médaillon, was one of the signatures of Paris chairmaking in the reign of Louis XVI, framed like a cameo above a straight, tapering leg. English makers admired it too, and oval and shield backs soon graced the neoclassical dining rooms of Georgian England. Cast that outline in acrylic and the old drawing room shape takes on a light, modern look.

The armchair version adds gently curved arms that sweep from the oval back down to the front of the seat, following the line of an eighteenth-century fauteuil, the open French armchair. It is moulded as one piece in glossy acrylic, in Jet or Crystal, with square, tapering legs and a softly shaped seat, so it is sturdy and easy to keep clean. Its seat sits 18.5 inches off the floor, the usual dining height, and it can be used indoors or outside.

Set the pair at the head and foot of a long dining table, or flank a fireplace with them in a black-and-white sitting room, where Jet frames read like ink drawings and Crystal ones all but disappear. They work on a terrace too, for long dinners outdoors. Either finish looks especially elegant with white linen, silver candlesticks and dark green box plants. This listing is for a set of two armchairs.