A real eye catcher in the store, the West Elm Lenox Dining Chair unfortunately doesn’t seem quite as pleasing on closer inspection.
The lines & general style, velvet fabric and relative elegance make this the kind of chair you want to love. Unfortunately, we found several issues with it which we simply couldn’t let pass.
For one, it’s uncomfortable. It’s not so uncomfortable you’ll writhe in pain, but it feels awkward. The arm “rests” being just metal bars are non-functional and create somewhat of a cage around you. The back is curved significantly more than a human body and is rigid and awkwardly placed.
Materials-wise, the fabric is nice to the touch but will wear and loosen over time. Fixable. The steel frame may be hollow, as it’s lighter weight than we’d want. Most upsetting is that if you buy a chair with a finish (we love the bronze and light bronze finish), you’re guaranteed to see that finish peeling. While this is technically “fixable”, to do it right it requires you strip the metal of finish completely and then re-finish. We just don’t think it’s worth it.
Unless you like a “distressed” look of paint chipped off and a chair of “get me through this dinner please” comfort level, we’re recommending you look elsewhere, especially at the retail price of $249 and even when it’s on sale.
