Dining Room Dilemma

8 years ago

Just bought a new house and I am on the hunt for a new dining room set. The problem is I have to match my grandmother's old china cabinet - which is a dark cherry and very traditional (I don't have a photo at the moment, it's in storage - the photo below is almost identical, but mine is wider). The house has been completely updated with new floors and light grey walls, so I'm stuck.... I need some ideas! My style is more contemporary.... think modern farmhouse. (The fan is going, so lighting ideas would be great too!)

Featured Answer

lindac92

8 years ago

By all that's holy don't paint your grandmother's china cabinet!!
There is no law nor rule that says the china cabinet and the table and chairs should match. Look at pictures of rooms in say Architechtural Digest, Town and Country. The styles give a nod to precious things acquired over the years. Pretty well you can use almost any style....a simple table with metal legs and a glass top would be lovely....as would a farmhouse trestle style. There really is nothing "cheaper" looking than a room that looks like you tossed all and went to a store and bought "a matched set" and painted what you already have to match. And nothing so "dated" as what was trendy 3 years ago. Decorate for the long term with the hard goods....if you want to be "trendy" do that with accessories. Remember when everyone had a few mushrooms as decoration? Remember the goose? Taupe and mauve? Red dining room walls? All easily reversed and tossed aside. But painting furniture that wasn't originally meant to be painted seems to be the current trend....and it's NOT easily reversed.

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Comments (8)

jck910
8 years ago
Wow that hutch is colonial. Have you thought of taking the top off? Painting it? Other than sentimentality is there a reason to keep it?
clt3
8 years ago
last modified: 8 years ago
That particular hutch you've shown isn't cherry, it's pine. Paint it. You need a proper primer to cover the knot holes that pine has.
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PRO
Ferguson Shamamian Architects
8 years ago
Absolutely don't paint the cabinet, I'm not sure who started it but the "let's make everything shabby chic" got old a long time ago. Mixing wood tones is completely doable, or bringing in painted furniture can be interesting. Matching can be difficult but also an option: truth is, you have so much freedom. If anything, too much freedom can be overwhelming and having to work with this cabinet can be a nice ground line. The cabinet has alot of red tones, and I would personally paint the room a really vibrant green and have fun. But if your'e stuck on the grey walls, I would try and pull green in elsewhere. maybe you could do a cool rug with tones to compliment the cabinet, etc. I also remember seeing a very cool modern farmhouse on here a couple years ago that mixed old and new and kept things very clean, maybe more your style, I've attached some photos that might give you an idea of what I was thinking in terms of mixing styles

https://www.architecturaldigest.com/story/mixing-wood-furniture-tones-tips

Farmhouse Dining Room · More Info
aflangdon thanked Ferguson Shamamian Architects
jck910
8 years ago
First that's not the OP's cabinet. Just a sample of what she thinks she has in storage. There is nothing redeeming about a stained pine hutch in any 2018 design
cpaul1
8 years ago
last modified: 8 years ago
I hate to hear that people feel they HAVE to take something because it was a grandmother's. Your life is your life, she got to pick her furniture and now you get to pick your's. It's not your actual grandmother, it's only something she once owned. So if you don't like it and it doesn't fit your style, then do something else with it. If you do like it and you want to use it, then incorporate it into your design. Your dining table does not HAVE to match it. I don't personally do "modern farmhouse", but in general do what you want to with it ... sell it, paint it, whatever .... but please know you don't have to match everything else to it. That's what style is. It's not matched, it's created.
gracie01 zone5 SW of Chicago
8 years ago
OMG I have that same china cabinet! Look inside the drawer to see if it says "Kling Colonial". I bought mine back in 1978 as a floor model reduced to $700.
PRO
Nandina Home & Design
8 years ago
There are many different tables out there. If you decide to paint the hutch here are some ideas to help.
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