I like the thought of painting the chairs. The dining chairs you found are more formal then the table, but I feel if you painted them and found a more casual fabric that it could work.

I love the chairs, but not with the table. RH has some interesting pieces, but in fifteen years, I don't know. I would stick with the chairs and fine another table. :>)

If you paint the chairs like you suggested and go with a casual fabric, it may work. IMO, your chairs as is are too ornate/traditional for the rustic table.

Have you bought the table yet?

The table is on back order and I haven't bought the chairs yet, so both are still up in the air:) I was wondering about the combination too. I want it to be more casual (it's the only dining area - open concept breakfast & dining) so I thought the painted chairs might help with that. I love the table, but am struggling with the chairs. The RH non-upholstered are small and I'm not sure how long they will last. Most of the other RH chairs are too formal or too much linen upholstery for two little boys. I'm not great with decisions;)

Hi, Jennifer! We agree with Mmilos that something a little less ornate ( http://www.atgstores.com/craftsman-missionandrustic-lodge-dining-chairs_1473.html?st=2,119) may better pair with the table. We've posted a couple images to give you ideas and wish you luck!

I like the table, and painting the chairs is a great idea, I think it will work for you, you're on the right path

RH is outrageously expensive (gotta pay for those huge catalogs). If you like the table, go for it but look for cheaper chairs.

The table was 20% off and rang in at about $975 - on the lower end for RH prices:). The 6 chairs are $250 total. My goal was to find chairs less than some of the $300+ RH chairs, but it looks like I might need to keep looking and find a more casual chair. Thanks everyone and keep the suggestions coming.

I think your idea for painting the chairs is excellent! You could put a fun fabric on the seats to instantly make the chairs feel casual. Also, $250 for all the chairs is a great buy!

It's important to actually try the chair WITH the table before you invest in the table. That particular table is a very "substantial" (large scale), so if for example someone put chairs from a place like Home Goods, they'd look too skimpy next to the table - and they'd be too short for comfort.

Check out out before/after photos on this blog (click link below) - lots of color ideas, etc. It explains why you should always pick fabric first, THEN the paint color. Just type in whatever you're curious about in the search box "paint colors" "window treatment ideas" "room layouts" "recovering furniture" etc

http://www.interiordesigngreensboro.com

I like the color match but the legs and lines of the chairs look narrow and delicate in contrast with the table base. I would find chairs with more substantial lines.

Thanks, I'll take a look at the blog once I hit submit. The chair with the linen cushion is one of the chairs that RH says can pair with the table. It's economical at $95 each and I was considering it in the brown to match the table, but thought it might not be substantial enough and might not last long with two boys...my husband has the same thoughts. I've still considered using four of these at the 76" table with two slip covered side chairs. Another option is the leather covered cane back for a whopping $360 or $370 each and a little too formal or stuffy for me, I think.

Have you thought about a bench on one side for the kids? This way you can still have the upholstered chairs and seating for the kids that you do not have to worry about.

Hi, The cane back chairs have a petite look; French style (Louis 15) and no matter how much you spend on them they feel wrong, and as you said, too formal for that table. I consider the style of the cris cross chairs "Campaigne" such as French Napolean with a base of bentwood. I love the look but they tend to not be very strong and that base is conflicting with the table. They might not hold up well for your boys. I have seen these chairs made in metal....also a painted finish would be good with the RV table It would not conflict with whatever quality of finish is on the table.

@Anne. Have a bench now and hate it. My dream is that my boys will move around less and sit still in chairs...I think I might be expecting too much out of chairs. Ha! I'm loving all of the feedback and as much as I hate to start over, I might just have too look for something different...both chairs and a table.

My favorite color for found furniture deals is $1.98 satin black spray paint from Home Depot. Gray flannel for seat bottoms works great with everything. You can do the painting yourself; it just takes more cans than you'd expect. It really makes older designs look more modern. I haven't had luck with using silver paint on old furniture. It ends up looking cheap and funky.

Jennifer: The table in the picture you posted is similar to the table we have in our kitchen. The attached picture may give you an idea of how your table would look with a French cafe-like chair. We have paired those chairs with our table. We find the casual and comfortable. They were the right choice for our French country-style kitchen.

@Billie, those are the bistro style chairs I have ordered in the brown to match the table. I'm going to do slipcovered chairs on the ends. I'm just concerned that these chairs are not sturdy or durable enough for my two boys - ages 3 and 7. What are your thoughts? Do you have young kids who use yours?

@Jennifer, No we don't have young children in house. Our children have all grown up and are at Uni. I do see your concern. The chairs are not as heavy as you may like them. When our children were growing up we had heavy oak chairs that were very hard to knock over.

I might be switching gears a little. Passing on the unique cane back chairs and the Restoration Hardware table and going with my new find, an old elm trestle table that doesn't seem as "substantial" as the RH one. Still considering the bistro style chairs from either RH or a local store. Here's a picture. The table is in three pictures. The chair options are the picture of two options from Restoration Hardware or the one option from a local store. I am also planning to do slip covered chairs on the ends. The stools pictured are already on order. Thoughts on this combination? And which chair color?

Jennifer, that table looks very nice and solid enough to stand up well to your kids. If you decide to do those chairs with the cane seats, invest in the cushions as well as they protect the seats from damage and be much more comfy. If you choose the chairs to match as closely as possible, do a lighter cushion. I would recommend the perennial in sand, as it will not stain, even with the kids daily use.

Jennifer, I have the Restoration Hardware Monestary table you were originally considering and I absolutely love it. Everyone that comes over just falls in love with it. I too have an open concept first floor where the dining room is right next to the kitchen. I took a different approach then everyone else has been suggesting. I paired it with some Eifel chairs. This is the only table in the home so I wanted it to be more casual than formal. I also wanted something that was easy to clean and that I could wipe down... Especially with my 11 year old son in the home. The table is so solid it will last me forever. I didn't feel the need to invest too much in the chairs, and can easily be replaced by something more formal later on if I want to.

Jennifer, I have the Restoration Hardware Monestary table you were originally considering and I absolutely love it. Everyone that comes over just falls in love with it. I too have an open concept first floor where the dining room is right next to the kitchen. I took a different approach then everyone else has been suggesting. I paired it with some Eifel chairs. This is the only table in the home so I wanted it to be more casual than formal. I also wanted something that was easy to clean and that I could wipe down... Especially with my 11 year old son in the home. The table is so solid it will last me forever. I didn't feel the need to invest too much in the chairs, and can easily be replaced by something more formal later on if I want to.

Jennifer, I like your new choice too. Since you have little children I would suggest to get some Ikea cushions for your chairs. They have them in different colours. I chose sand, and it seems to be purrfect. We have cats that like to scratch a lot, so I wanted something inexpensive. You can see them in the photo I posted. A bit oft topic but, You mentioned in your earlier posts that the table was somewhere around $1000, which I consider a real bargain. I wish we would be living in US again. Holland is so much more expensive!

@Ossofine, any chance you can share a picture? What size do you have?
@BillieG, I agree about the price. The 76" is $1195 and I bought it when they were running a 20% off special. Most other RH tables are more. Plus the chairs are $95 each if you buy 4 or more. The metal cross backs are $195 each, but seem to have a more solid seat. The other trestle table I am looking at is on sale for $925 at a local boutique store. I'm pleased with the prices, but want to make sure it's all quality too. I'm definitely going to get cushions too. Might even get custom so I can use fabric that can be unzipped and thrown in the wash.

@Jennifer, Our table is 2.2 m and I still think it is a bit too small, as we cannot really comfortably seat three people next to each other. My suggestion is buy the table as big as you possibly can. They look great when they are a bit bigger and you will have more space. We have a victorian table and chairs in the more formal dining room, but we never use it because everybody loves this table so we end up eating in the kitchen. The monastery table just looks so friendly and comfy. Good idea with the seat cushions. :-)

I love the suggestion of the french cafe chair. Would look fabulous with table. Bonus- they don't take up much room, and are a small investment.

@Jennifer, here you go. I notice that they now have 3 colors to chose from and 4 different lengths. I have the 96" long table in the grey finish. Good luck!

@ossofine. That looks great. I would have never thought of it, but I need to look into those chairs. Are they white or off white. I searched but couldn't find any off white ones online.

@jennifer. They are white eiffel chairs. They do come in a variety of colors and finishes.

@ossofine. I just ordered the exact same table and have been thinking about pairing it with a more modern chair. I was having a hard time envisioning it, and your picture helped so much. I absolutely love the look!

@malgal3002 I'm happy to hear that, glad the photo helped :)