[NOTE: I am going to update this post with impunity, adding new chairs and ideas whenever I care to.]
1 - V's Rule: No furniture that kids must be especially careful on or around. e.g., no light colored upholstery or leather, nothing fragile, nothing too expensive, nothing we will worry about every time the kids sit on it, etc. V is prioritizing peace of mind.
2 - J's Rule: Nothing that will loosen up or wobble or come apart. I want comfort that my furniture can survive regular family use and outlast me. I am prioritizing peace of mind too - but in a slightly different way
With these two rules in mind, we are starting to think about our options. To meet rule 2, I am focused on chairs with a bentwood (or upholstered) seat and back and steel structural legs and structural elements.
Here are several that meet our requirements.
Galvanitas Chair S16 - This is my absolute favorite of the chairs shown here.
Galvanitas Chair S22 - I like this a lot, moreso with the little hole in the back of the seat.
DSC 106 Chair by Giancarlo Piretti for Castelli - We picked up four of these at Artists & Fleas in Portland last year. A couple are in medium shape, but they're so durable and stylish, is hard to care about blemishes.
Prouve Chair (reproduction) - Love this, but it's sort of ubiquitous now. I dunno. The Galvanitas S16 is less recognizable.