The Wishbone Chair: 29 inspiring dining rooms with the iconic design chair

post
12-06-2023

The iconic CH24 Wishbone Chair was designed by Hans Wegner in 1949. It was the first model Wegner designed exclusively for Carl Hansen & Son and it has been in continuous production ever since it was introduced in 1950.

The combination of the back-and armrest into a single piece lends the chair its organic functionalism. To stabilize the steam-bent top and ensure comfortable support, Hans Wegner added the characteristic Y-shaped back, hence its name Wishbone Chair (also referred to as CH24 chair or sometimes y-chair).

Over time, the Wishbone Chair has gained recognition as the ideal chair, capturing the essence of modern Danish design. Its many material variations have found their place in many dining rooms all over the world. I you are thinking about purchasing this timeless classic, I have listed my favorite dining room inspiration with the CH24 chair below.

  • Oak Wishbone Chairs in a beautiful kitchen dining room setting with beige marble details
  • Oak Wishbone Chairs in a beautiful kitchen dining room setting with beige marble details

via Behrer & Partners

The production process

The manufacturing of each Wishbone chair takes more than 100 steps, most of which are constructed by hand. The hand-woven paper cord seat alone takes a skilled craftsman at Carl Hansen & Son about an hour to create, using approximately 120 meters of paper cord.

This process ensures impressive durability, and stability that make the chair both strong and long-lasting. The built quality paired with its timeless design aesthetics and a distinctive, elegant form, more than allow the Wishbone Chair to stand the test of time.

Wishbone chairs in colored or solid wood variations

Wegner’s iconic design comes in various solid wood variations, each accentuating and highlighting the tapered legs and curved back in their own distinct way.

The Wishbone Chair is available in different wood variations ranging from beech, ash, walnut, and oak, to a teak version recently re-released. You can even buy a seat cushion to add on top of the paper cord seat.

Next to the solid wood versions, Carl Hansen & Son releases the Wishbone Chair in a variety of limited edition colorways and a few lacquered staple colors in their collection.

Wegner wishbone chair in oak

Wood Wishbone Chairs are very popular and it’s the material version you see most in the inspiring home tours I feature here on the blog. The oak Wishbone Chair has a natural appearance that looks great in a Scandinavian interior and the oak wood has a very subtle contrast with the paper cord seat.

The Wishbone Chairs in oak combined with the elegant Saarinen Tulip dining table in this elegant shaker kitchen are the finishing touch in this interior to me. I love the way you can observe the Wishbone Chair and its y-back from different angles at all times, because of the way they are arranged. A true tribute to Hans Wegner’s design.

White shaker-style kitchen cabinets, stainless steel stove and hood, upper cabinets, wine cooler, round marble dining table, CH24 wishbone chairs

via Bjurfors

The natural wood tone in these oak Wishbone chairs adds a warm element to this interior style with a desaturated color palette.

  • A white dining room with Wishbone Chairs around a white dining table
  • A white dining room with Wishbone Chairs around a white dining table
  • A white dining room with Wishbone Chairs around a white dining table

via Alexander White

The natural oak tone in the CH24-chairs around this simple white table pairs nicely with the light oak of the herringbone hardwood flooring. The rest of the kitchen design has been decorated in white, black, and grey, making the natural oak wood stand out in a lovely way.

  • white kitchen cabinets, chrome hardware, marble countertops, marble backsplash, white floating shelf, round dining table with wood CH24 wishbone chairs
  • A white kitchen with oak Wishbone Chairs around a small white dining table

via Alvhem

Hans Wegner’s dining chair is one of the few iconic design classics I can imagine in such a majestic turn-of-the-century dining room with curved walls and impressive wainscoting. The Wishbone Chairs enhance the look around this unique marble oval table.

A turn-of-the-century dining room with a marble oval table and Hans Wegners' Wishbone Chair in oak

Styled by  Sundling & Kickén, photography by Kristofer Johnson for InMyCorner

When you have a classic kitchen design that can remain in your home for years, you don’t want to worry about your dining chairs going out of style. The timeless oak of the Wishbone Chairs is a few tints warmer than the white-soaped hardwood flooring, making them stand out in a stunning way.

  • Antique white kitchen cabinets and black granite countertops with Wishbone Chairs around the table
  • A simple white kitchen dining area with Wishbone Chairs in oak
  • A simple white kitchen dining area with Wishbone Chairs in oak

via Alvhem

This impressive dining room with black walls and impressive crown molding on the white ceilings includes a large oiled wood dining table, paired up with three oak Wishbone Chairs on each side of the table.

  • A dining room with black walls and oak Wishbone Chairs around the impressive dining table
  • A dining room with black walls and oak Wishbone Chairs around the impressive dining table
  • A dining room with black walls and oak Wishbone Chairs around the impressive dining table
  • A dining room with black walls and oak Wishbone Chairs around the impressive dining table
  • A dining room with black walls and oak Wishbone Chairs around the impressive dining table

Styled by Gabriella Fabien for Entrance Makleri

The natural oak tones in the CH24 chairs and herringbone flooring balance out the rich color palette in this unique kitchen with pink cabinets.

A pink shaker kitchen combined with dark red details and grey walls and oak Wishbone chairs around the table

via Historiska Hem

The natural oak on the Wishbone Chairs in combination with the dark vintage wood tone on the table and the natural texture of the rug makes for a beautiful variation in the furniture, that adds an interesting texture to the interior.

  • Oak Wishbone chairs combined with a vintage dining table
  • Oak Wishbone chairs combined with a vintage dining table

Photographed by Jonas Berg for Entrance Makleri

The next six examples showcase the powerful minimalism the CH24 chairs in oak can add to a space when combined in a minimal interior setting. Combine the chair with white, grey, or lighter wood tones to make its distinct style and iconic lines stand out in your interior in a minimal, yet powerful way.

Oak Wishbone chairs in a white dining area

via Sjöman Frisk

  • A white dining room with Wishbone Chairs around a white dining table
  • A white dining room with Wishbone Chairs around a white dining table
  • A white dining room with Wishbone Chairs around a white dining table
  • A white dining room with Wishbone Chairs around a white dining table

via Stadshem

  • Oak Wishbone chairs in a white kitchen dining area
  • Oak Wishbone chairs in a white kitchen dining area
  • Oak Wishbone chairs in a white kitchen dining area

via Fantastic Frank

  • Oak Wishbone chairs in a white kitchen dining area
  • Oak Wishbone chairs in a white kitchen dining area

via Entrance Makleri

Oak Wishbone chairs in a dining room with dark floors and a small black dining table

via Alvhem

A grey dining room with oak Wishbone Chairs and white-soaped hardwood flooring

via Alvhem

Beech wishbone chair

While the contrast between the oak wood wishbone chair and the paper cord seat is stronger, in the beech or ash wood chairs, the color palette is more uniform and subtle.

While an arrangement of Wishbone Chairs can be very impressive around a large dining table, they fit perfectly around a small dining space as well. The beech CH24 chairs are combined with the round dining table and the soft pink tone on the walls.

  • Beech wood Wishbone Chairs in a dining room with pink walls
  • Beech wood Wishbone Chairs in a dining room with pink walls

Styled by Gärde, photographed by Borgelin via Historiska Hem

Six beech wood wishbone chairs around a large dining table in a living kitchen with a green vintage filing cabinet.

Beech wood Wishbone Chairs in a beige kitchen with a green vintge filing cabinet

via Alvhem

A set of 4 beechwood wishbone chairs around a round white dining table in a light beige, greige, and white interior setting.

  • Beech wood Wishbone Chairs in a beige dining room around a round table
  • Beech wood Wishbone Chairs in a beige dining room around a round table

via Alvhem

The beech wood Wishbone Chairs in this beautiful turn-of-the-century dining room setting blend in nicely with the material of the tabletop and the light tone on the herringbone hardwood flooring. The paper cord seat of the chair stands out in a subtle way against the black legs.

  • Beech Wishbone chairs in a minimal dining room setting with white walls
  • Beech Wishbone chairs in a minimal dining room setting with white walls

via Skandia Maklarna

Lacquered black Wishbone Chairs

While the ash, beech, and oak CH24 chair tends to blend into an interior in a subtle way, a black Wishbone Chair really stands out in a light palette interior, and the clean black lines of the Wegner design form an elegant silhouette in the space.

The black Wishbone Chairs with a black woven seat pop out of this stylish dining room interior with beige walls, a light beige area rug, and an ash dining table.

  • All-black Wishbone chairs in a turn-of-the-century dining room with beige walls and bright red accessories
  • All-black Wishbone chairs in a turn-of-the-century dining room with beige walls and bright red accessories
  • All-black Wishbone chairs in a turn-of-the-century dining room with beige walls and bright red accessories

via Alvhem

The black Wishbone chairs in this living kitchen add a lovely element of contrast against the green kitchen cabinets in the space and the durable paper cord seat really stands out against the black frame of the chair.

  • Black Wishbone Chairs with a natural seat in a living kitchen with light greige walls and green kitchen cabinets
  • Black Wishbone Chairs with a natural seat in a living kitchen with light greige walls and green kitchen cabinets
  • Black Wishbone Chairs with a natural seat in a living kitchen with light greige walls and green kitchen cabinets
  • Black Wishbone Chairs with a natural seat in a living kitchen with light greige walls and green kitchen cabinets

Styled by Linnéa H. Manaberi and Emma Fischer, photographed by Fredrik J Karlsson for Alvhem

The antique white oval table in this dining room is enhanced with all-black CH24 chairs with a black seat that take up all the attention against the backdrop of the white walls and the light hardwood floors.

  • Black Wishbone Chairs in a white dining room setting
  • Black Wishbone Chairs in a white dining room setting
  • Black Wishbone Chairs in a white dining room setting

via Alvhem

The combination of the natural seat with the black frame works in a modest, yet contrasting way in this kitchen dining area with exposed brick walls.

  • A kitchen dining area with an exposed brick wall and black Wishbone chairs with a natural chord seat
  • A kitchen dining area with an exposed brick wall and black Wishbone chairs with a natural chord seat

via Alvhem

The beautiful vintage wood table is paired with timeless black Wishbone Chairs, combining modern design, iconic masterpieces from 1950, and a characterful antique piece.

  • Black Wishbone chairs around a vintage dining table
  • Black Wishbone chairs around a vintage dining table
  • Black Wishbone chairs around a vintage dining table

Styled by Linnéa H. Manaberi and Annica Clarmell, photographed by Henrik Linden for Alvhem

Walnut Wishbone Chairs

This gorgeous dining room with an impressive bookcase features walnut Wishbone chairs in combination with many other unique and vintage furniture pieces for a unique and one-of-a-kind interior design.

The impressive standing mirror reflects the space in a majestic way and makes it appear even bigger.

  • A dining room with an impressive book shelf, CH24 wishbone chairs
  • A dining room with an impressive book shelf, CH24 wishbone chairs
  • A dining room with an impressive book shelf, CH24 wishbone chairs

via Sjoman Frisk

The walnut Wishbone Chairs get all the attention in this minimal dining room space with limewash walls and subtle hardwood flooring.

  • Walnut Wishbone chairs in a minimal dining room setting with limewash walls
  • Walnut Wishbone chairs in a minimal dining room setting with limewash walls
  • Walnut Wishbone chairs in a minimal dining room setting with limewash walls

by Ibiza Interiors

With a seat cushion

Carl Hansen & Son also stocks a fabric or leather seat cushion, which can be added on top of the paper cord seat for extra comfort. The walnut Wishbone Chairs in this cozy dining room setting with greige walls are enhanced with a black leather seat cushion to match the black marble and the black pendants in the space.

  • Walnut Wishbone chairs with a black leather seat cushion around a black marble dining table
  • Walnut Wishbone chairs with a black leather seat cushion around a black marble dining table

via Fantastic Frank

Colored Wishbone chairs

Even though Hans Wegner designed the first Wishbone Chair in wood, over time, Carl Hansen & Son released a few color swatches to the collection as well. Some are limited and some are always available.

The white elements present in the window seat of this apartment are carried over to a single white Wishbone chair around the table, paired up with three blue Wishbone Chairs that add a beautiful cool tone against the grey walls.

A single white Wishbone chair combined with three blue Wishbone Chairs in a Scandinavian dining room

Styled by Grey Deco, photographed by Anders Bergstedt for Entrance Makleri

Smoked oak Wishbone chairs in a butter yellow shaker kitchen

The beautiful smoked oak countertop on the kitchen island in this gorgeous shaker kitchen comes back in the dining chairs around the vintage round dining table. The lightweight design of the chairs contrasts nicely with the classic appearance of the kitchen design itself. A perfect mixture of styles.

A butter yellow shaker kitchen with smoked oak Wishbone Chairs around a vintage round table

via Devol Kitchens

*This blog post was written in collaboration with Carl Hansen & Son, however as always, my opinions are my own.

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