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Need help with dining room/dining chairs, please! Lots of pics!

15 years ago

I would love, love to get your help on this!

I'm finally getting to the dining room of our new house, and I can't decide what dining chairs to use with it. I can go with the traditional Parsons chairs that "go" with the table, but I'd like to think a little outside the box. The table is fairly traditional, and I like to mix modern and traditional in my home.

Our house is what I call "modern craftsman" (lots of stone, steel, and wood and craftsman elements), and the interior is pretty modern/eclectic. The dining room is right off the foyer and is pretty open, so I've included pics of the table plus the surrounding areas to give you a feel of what the space looks likes.

Any suggestions on chairs or other design ideas for the dining room is GREATLY appreciated. I spent so much time working on the the design of the house in general that now I've lost steam. I am looking for a long buffet to go underneath the big long window.

Dining table (seats 8-10 without leaf)

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View from house entrance

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Iron stairs next to dining room (stainless steel cables are going to be added between the black "clips")

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Asian armoire I'm using as a hutch

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Back wall leading to butler's pantry

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Kitchen on other side of butler's pantry (old pic - I've since added artwork and some accessories/chairs)

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Thanks in advance for your help!

Comments (13)

  • 15 years ago

    I have and love upholstered dining room chairs.

    Here is one I like from Pierre Deux...love the monogram:

    Here is another from Williams Sonoma Home:

    I don't care for the upholstery on the WS Home chair, but I love the shape!

  • 15 years ago

    I do like the full upholstered chairs, but with two little ones I'm afraid of them, lol.

    I do love the shape of that WS chair - thanks so much!

  • 15 years ago

    My chairs were originally white moire. They were that way from the time my daughter was born until she was 15. They had been Fabricoated (or something like that) by the decorator when we bought them. The only concession I made was to throw a beach towel over hers for everyday use...and we used them everyday.

    Give it a shot! They may stay cleaner than you think.

  • 15 years ago

    Here's a selection from Mitchell Gold -- dining chairs.

    JUST examples -- and for measurements etc.

    Hmmmmm ..... how about a long wood bench on one side? Wood chairs on the other? Perhaps arm chairs -- maybe upholstered -- at each end?

    Here is a link that might be useful: Mitchell Gold dining chairs

  • 15 years ago

    JUST an example from West Elm with a table and bench plus chairs .....

    Jan

    Here is a link that might be useful: JUST an example of modern table/benches

  • 15 years ago

    Here's a chair from Crate and Barrel -- and they carry benches too .....

    Jan

    Here is a link that might be useful: Crate and barrel

  • 15 years ago

    What an amazing home you have! Lots of wonderful decor in place, with a great combination of modern and transitional.

    I would really like to see some chairs that have curves to them in some way. You have so many rectangles and hard angles in the DR and adjoining areas that I think some curves would be welcome.

    Something like this, perhaps:

    round dining chair

    Or an oval or spider back:

    oval back chair

    Some other ideas (mostly the first three pages):

    oval/spider back chairs

  • 15 years ago

    I've seen in Traditional home magazine that they mix the two I don't think this is the right finish but just an example. These are from Restoration Hardware.
    end chairs
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    side chairs
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    this style mimicks your table
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  • 15 years ago

    Thanks for the great suggestions everyone - keep them coming!

    I think you guys are right with the comment and chair suggestions - I need something with curves or soft angles to balance all the hard lines.

    I hadn't thought of a bench before - but the idea is growing on me since I could put it on the side facing the foyer and leave some of the cross-braces exposed....

    Marybeth - my table is from Restoration Hardware, actually! They pair it with a Parsons chair, which looks great, but it would be cool to do something a little different.

  • 15 years ago

    Oh, I wanted to add that the table is dark cherry and will darken over time.

  • 15 years ago

    Don't write off fabric just yet. You could use microsuede, Crypton, or any of the newer indoor/outdoor fabrics available now. My DD chucked a whole bowl of tomato soup on one of my pale blue microsuede chairs and I swear it cleaned up perfectly.

    I think softer lines, and fabric, would bring some balance to the angularity of your room. I love the artwork and might think about pulling some color from the painting next to the stairs into said fabric.

    I know and love your kitchen from the KB. Nice to see you over here. looking forward to seeing more! :-)

  • 15 years ago

    In my first house we had a table like that, and used benches on each side, with upholstered dining chairs at each end. The benches were great with the kids being so young, and I made a fabric covered foam cushion for each bench that was Scotchguarded to deter any spills. The fabric on the cushions was a complementary print that coordinated with the fabric on the chairs. I received many, many compliments on that dining arrangement throughout the years.

  • 15 years ago

    Lots of different looks:

    Please excuse the mismatched image sizes -- I SWEAR I sized them all the same, but they come out different!

    Transitional

    more modern:

    kinda mid-century:


    end of table modern
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