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googlybear_gw

Need help re-doing dining chairs!

16 years ago

Hi all, I'm new here! I have a huge challenge on my hands and would love to get your feedback! My home is really small, and my kitchen and dining room are completely open to one another. My kitchen cabinetry is substantial in a medium honey shade with red undertones. The granite countertops are a dark brown/black mix. My dining table sits about 2 feet from the large kitchen island and does not match anything! It is a walnut stained wood table with a golden metallic curvy base. The chairs are completely mismatched from the table, in a very red cherry stain. What can I do to tie it all together? If I paint the chairs, what color? What color fabric to reupholster the seats? Will I need to hide the table under a tablecloth or is there a way to refinish the chairs that will tie it ALL together? Any help appreciated! I would go out and just purchase a whole new coordinating set if I had the money, but I don't.

Thanks!

I would love to show you all pictures but can't figure out how to upload them here!

Comments (9)

  • 16 years ago

    Pictures! I think I figured this out.


    The island nearby

    The kitchen

  • 16 years ago

    Cute chairs! It looks like the table goes okay with the cabinets? If it were me, I'd paint/stain the chairs a color pulled from the granite - probably black? And I'd paint the table base to match. I'd never be able to suggest fabric- too many choices but some experts here will have some great ideas for you.

  • 16 years ago

    Welcome! As you will soon see, you will not lack for ideas here!

    Since the cabinets and table have a deeper tone, and the space is small, I would consider painting the chairs a nice creamy white, and upholstering the seats in a black and cream pattern...a stripe, a check, a toile, or a viney leafy print (black on cream). And since I see a booster seat, a good fabric protection spray!

    I would also consider hanging a fabric panel of the same black and cream in front of the bookcase, to make it more part of the dining area than the kitchen, and give you some hidden storage to stash the messy bits.
    I think such a scheme would give you some lightness, variety, personality...and would tie your dining area into your kitchen, with its white fridge and black bits on the appliances.

  • 16 years ago

    Olychick and I agree. Black. If you use white it will accentuate the white fridg....not a good idea.

    Then cover the chair seats with a classic stripe. Your granite has a red tone? Maybe a black & red pin stripe fabric?

  • 16 years ago

    I agree...chairs and base of table in black. Table top looks like it complements your cabinets so I would leave that as is. A classy stripe would indeed be great.

    Here is a link that might be useful: Nice Striped Fabric Priced Right

  • 16 years ago

    Ooh, I really like the suggestions guys, thanks! Instead of black, what do you think of a rich brown like Espresso? Our large ottoman in our L/R which is adjacent is that color...plus the granite has those dark rich browns as well. About the chair fabric...I am hesitant about a stripe because this room has a large set of french doors which I have brown plaid roman shades on. The same fabric you can see in my Kitchen window... won't a stripe collash with the plaid print?

  • 16 years ago

    Since you have the brown in counter and shade I think a really dark expresso would be good. I too was originally thinking of the black base and chairs and leaving the top as it. My sis has hers done like that and it is really nice. For the chairs you could get a brown and red stripe, I think it would be fine. Or maybe a solid red.

  • 16 years ago

    I just re-did an old dining table and chairs. I figured I had nothing to lose since they were either going to look better or it was going to the dump. I'm SO glad we refinished it.

    I found a fabric that incorporated my colors at the store, ignoring anything except the fact that it had all of my colors in it, then we washed and very lightly sanded the chairs so that they would take spray paint. Two light coats covered the old ugly white.

    A friend used his sander VERY lightly on the top of the table, since it is actually a veneer, then I stained and polyurethaned the table top and sides.

    The finished product:

    I believe that wood is wood is wood, so I don't care if one wood doesn't match another. If that is a problem for you, then use a tablecloth over the top that goes with your other decor.

  • 16 years ago

    Wow your table is BEAUTIFUL! I love it, and I love the color you chose to paint the chairs and legs! Great job! I will for sure update with pics as soon as I finish the job... hopefully I can do it next week! Thanks everyone!!!