BH | Studio Trianon Medallion-Back Dining Chairs, 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 turns light and modern.

Moulded as one piece in acrylic, glossy Jet or clear Crystal, this armless side chair keeps the oval medallion back, a gently shaped seat and four square, slightly tapering legs. One-piece construction makes it surprisingly sturdy for its weight. The 18.5-inch seat is a standard dining height, and the chair is just as happy outdoors as in. Jet gives the outline a lacquered, almost Regency smartness, like a silhouette cut from paper, while Crystal lets it almost disappear.

A pair looks sharp either side of a console in a hall, or at the ends of a white dining table with mismatched wooden chairs along the sides. They are light enough to carry out to a terrace for summer suppers. Either finish looks crisp against white walls, checkerboard floors and a vase of white peonies. This listing is for a set of two chairs.