The Best Cesca Chairs (and Their Affordable Lookalikes)

Is your dining chair doing enough for you? And, more importantly, is it doing it effortlessly? We’re asking ourselves the hard questions in 2023. That means we’ve been leaning into a “less is more” mantra for home decor, and Craigslisting our crusty IKEA wares for more intentionally purchased furniture that reflects our aspirations (make out more, read more, eat more ambitious pasta shapes) to reach the glossy, Aesop-scented zenith of our adulthood. We’ve swapped the saggy diaper couch for a Togo sofa, and started sipping Americanos from our Italian kettles. Now, it’s time to bring the GOAT of dining chairs into the mix: the Marcel Breuer Cesca.

“Hey! I know her” you might say at a first glance, unsure of the Cesca’s lore, yet filled with vague memories of its silhouette in the homes of rich, hot people who smell good, or from that one vintage furniture spot that sells squiggle candles for $39. The intricate caning work, cantilevered design, and glistening tubular steel frame inspired by Breuer’s own bike—it’s a hard chair to forget, and an easy one to fall in love with. 

Breuer, also the daddy of the Wassily chair and the designer of Modernist buildings such as the UNESCO headquarters in Paris, designed the Cesca almost a century ago—swallow that one for a second, my brother in Christ. When Breuer was drafting up the Cesca, he wanted to bring more of what he did best to the bums of the people: create a versatile design using simple yet resilient materials that, in his words, “[are] not only symbolic of our modern technology, but actually technology itself.” Breuer found inspiration in the egalitarian principles of the Bauhaus movement, and wanted to create a chair that could be easily mass produced, but felt erudite in design. The result was a chair that’s a bit of a chameleon, ready to anchor the home aesthetics of Japandi lovers, mid-century modern fans, minimalists, and anyone who wants a statement chair that can stand the test of time. It is in the MoMA, after all. 

So where can you buy one of these beauts? First and foremost, we must preach the gospel of the OG home of the Cesca, Knoll. If you have the budget to cop a $716 Cesca from the iconic American design house, we highly suggest doing so; the website has a whopping 16 mix-and-match Cesca options and 15 different fabric colorways to pick from, making it the equivalent of a Build-A-Bear workshop for design-obsessed millennials with decor ennui and BAGGU full of Elf Bars.  

Alternatively, you could peep second-hand vendors and auction sites such as eBay, Etsy, 1stDibs, and Kaiyo to find pre-loved Cescas in a variety of styles. Who doesn’t need a set of eleven leather Cescas? That’s almost enough for every apostle. And if you’re on a solo mission, check out this black fabric Cesca, which is 78% off its nearly $1,000 price tag.

We also understand, however, that not everyone can spend half their rent money on a chair. That’s why we’ve slipped into our humble Robin Hood tights to bring you a few options for Cesca chair alternatives and lookalikes, whether you’re just in the market for a new bedroom chair or need an entire set for the commune.  

If you’ve never perused AllModern before, you’re in for a treat. The home furnishing site has some sick couches (that look way more expensive than they are), and a velvet upholstered Cesca-esque side chair that is $120 off. 

We’ve dragged our shrimp net through the depths of Amazon to bring you the absolute best must-have items from the behemoth, including affordable chef’s knives and deep tissue massage guns, and the latest star in the lineup is this 4.8-star Cesca döppelganger. It has nearly 100 ratings, and plenty of glowing reviews that say it’s lightweight and easy to assemble.

First, Walmart showed up with the best alternatives for Eames chairs that don’t cost $10,000. Now it's bringing us Cesca lookalikes whose blend of faux leather and wicker caning is nothing short of a textural orgy. 

Wayfair is the parent company of AllModern, which is why you can also find a bunch of great Cesca alternatives such as this set of two Walsh chairs, which has a 4.8-star average rating on the site from over 120 reviews. Cop it while it’s 43% off. 

Next up, the Noguchi lamps. 

The Rec Room staff independently selected all of the stuff featured in this story. Want more reviews, recommendations, and red-hot deals? Sign up for our newsletter.