This black tulip dining chair from Sederica comes as a matched pair, with a moulded black shell, a padded seat and four legs of solid beech. The contrast is the point: a dark, cupped seat sitting on pale timber, so the chairs read clearly against both light and dark tables.
It is a chair built for daily meals rather than occasional dinners. The shell wipes clean in seconds, and the splayed legs keep it steady when someone leans back after eating.
Black tulip chair: what it is made of
The shell is moulded polypropylene, smooth to the touch and solid black all the way through. Because the colour runs through the material rather than sitting on top as paint, light scuffs are far less visible than on a painted chair, which is one reason we like it for family kitchens.
On top sits a padded seat cushion, colour-matched to the shell so the chair reads as one black form. The back curves round you and the front edge rolls downward in a soft waterfall, so there is no hard lip pressing into the backs of your legs.
The legs are solid beech, a hardwood with a fine, even grain and a warm, pale tone. Each foot carries a floor-protecting pad, and the legs splay outward from a cross frame beneath the seat for a wide, stable stance.
Where the tulip style dining chair comes from
Moulded shell seating came out of the late 1940s and 1950s, when designers began shaping chairs from new plastics and resins instead of joining wood. The shell on wooden legs, with a cushion added for comfort, became a fixture of European kitchens and cafés much later, pairing that mid-century shell with the plain timber legs of Scandinavian furniture.
The “tulip” name comes from the cupped shape of the seat. It borrows from Eero Saarinen’s pedestal chair of 1956, though that chair rises from a single stem while this one stands on four legs.
Why the black tulip chair
Black is the colour that forgives most. It hides the everyday traces of meals, pens and small hands better than white, and it gives a dining area weight without making it feel heavy.
Against the beech legs, black looks sharp in a pale Scandinavian kitchen, and it sits comfortably with oak, walnut or painted tables. If your room is already dark, you may prefer a lighter shell; see the full tulip chair range.
Size, fit and assembly
- Chair: 48 × 50 × 85 cm (W × D × H)
- Seat height: 45 cm, which suits standard dining tables of about 72 to 76 cm
- Supplied as a set of 2 matching chairs
- Legs bolt onto the seat in a few minutes
- Floor-protecting pads fitted to each foot
- Ships from our EU warehouse, 2-year warranty
| Feature | Measurement |
|---|---|
| Overall Width | 48 cm |
| Overall Depth | 50 cm |
| Overall Height | 85 cm |
| Seat Height | 45 cm |
At 48 cm wide, allow about 60 cm of table edge per chair so people are not bumping elbows. The chairs are not designed to stack.
Caring for your tulip chairs
Wipe the shell and cushion with a damp cloth and a drop of mild soap, then dry. Avoid solvents and abrasive sponges, which dull the polypropylene surface.
Dust the beech legs with a dry cloth and wipe up standing water promptly. Check the leg bolts after the first few weeks of use and tighten them if needed, as timber settles slightly once assembled.
Why buy from Sederica
We ship from our own EU warehouse, so the price you see is the price at your door, with no customs bill a week later. We describe what each piece is made from, and we tell you plainly when a design is a reproduction or a style interpretation, as this one is.
Every set carries a 2-year written warranty, and our team in Europe answers email at hello@sederica.com within 24 to 48 hours.
This is a tulip style dining chair, designed and made independently and inspired by mid-century shell seating. See our Legal Disclaimer for terms.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Will these chairs fit my dining table?
Most likely, yes. The seat height is 45 cm, which works with standard dining tables between roughly 72 and 76 cm high and leaves comfortable room for your knees. Each chair is 48 cm wide, so plan about 60 cm of table edge per person. A 120 cm table seats two per side comfortably with these chairs.
Is this the Saarinen Tulip chair?
No. This is a tulip style dining chair with a moulded shell and four solid beech legs. Saarinen’s 1956 Tulip chair stands on a single pedestal stem, which is a different design. The tulip name here refers to the cupped shape of the shell. We design and sell it independently. See our Legal Disclaimer for terms.
Is the black tulip chair practical with children?
It is one of the easier chairs to live with. The polypropylene shell wipes clean with a damp cloth, and because it is black throughout, everyday scuffs are much harder to spot than on a painted or white chair. The splayed beech legs give a wide base, so the chair stays steady when children climb on and off. Wipe the cushion promptly after spills.
How long does assembly take?
A few minutes per chair. The four beech legs bolt onto the underside of the seat, and there is no upholstery or frame to build. Full steps are in the Assembly and Setup tab on this page. Recheck the bolts after a few weeks, as solid timber settles slightly once it is fixed in place.
Will the legs mark my floor?
Each foot is fitted with a floor-protecting pad, so the chairs slide without scratching wooden, tiled or vinyl floors in normal use. The pads can wear over time, particularly on rough tiles, so check them every few months and replace them if they thin. On rugs, the splayed legs spread the load and stay stable.
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