I really like your current chairs.

I prefer the new French country chairs. They freshen up your kitchen nicely! It may take some time to adjust to the lighter wood finish but they’re look good in there!

I vote for your current chairs. The French chairs are so petite they make your table look like it has elephant legs.

I appreciate the feedback very much, ladies! It’s funny because I can walk into my daughter’s or mom’s house & tell them exactly what to do, but sometimes really struggle with a decision in my own home.

I don't think I would want off-white fabric on chairs that could easily get stained. If you get those chairs make sure to spray with Scotch Guard or similar stain protection.

I like your original chairs the best.

I only bought 2 chairs to try, & did buy an outdoor variety of the scotch-guard, just in case I kept them. I’m retired so I don’t have little ones in the home anymore. Thank you to all who have commented so far. I want to make a decision by Monday, so I appreciate the input.

I’d like to say how nice it is to see a kitchen table in the center of the kitchen—rare these days.

Whatever chairs you choose, you could always try a stain wash using a gel stain the color of your tabletop so they blend in more. Brush on, let it sit for a few minutes, wipe off. Repeat to get the shade you like. Also, it’s a little hard to tell but it looks like the wood in the French chairs picks up the color of your counters and walls.

I have a small house, so an island in my kitchen isn't an option. But we spend a lot of family time in that kitchen & around that table. It's nice to hear a positive comment about that. I actually did consider staining the chairs, & used gel stain on the table top. Rubberwood takes stain so differently, I actually had to use 2 coats each of 2 different colors. It was awful.

I’d echo @elluviga comments “Also, it’s a little hard to tell but it looks like the wood in the French chairs picks up the color of your counters and walls.” That was my thought too. I think that your feedback is so mixed because both styles / colors of chairs work so well that it’s down to a personal choice preference. One thing I like about the French Country chairs is the style of the back. Since it’s lower it seems to open up the space more. They’re also less ’fussy’. Is there a difference in comfort with the upholstered back vs the wood back? Or, is there a case to be made for using 2 of each chair - if you could change out the original chair seats to more closely match the new chair seats?

Honestly... my heart is crying for everyone to vote for the french country chairs, even though the originals look just fine with the table. :) I LOVE the style! I just wasn't sure about the color. I wanted something a little smaller than the original chairs because the original ones are so wide that it makes it hard to get enough chairs around the table when I have family over. Someone always ends up sitting with a table leg between their legs. And I am so sick of dusting between all those back rungs, and the leg supports. The color shows all the dust. :( I recently came across some french country chairs just like the ones pictured, but taller. I also considered the french country with a cane back instead of upholstered back because they were a tad darker. Why I struggle with this, I don't know, but it makes me want to slap myself. :) Again, thank you all for the input! I am considering everything being said.

I prefer the original wheatback chairs over the french oval back which seem too stunted for the table.. If you want to go lighter you could always paint the wheatback chairs lighter though I see no need to.

@1mrsc You should go for the French Country chairs! It’s what you want & that’s the most important point. There are no issues that favor keeping the original chairs & you just listed enough strong reasons to change the chairs! You’re probably struggling because the practical side of your brain is saying the current chairs are fine & so there’s no good reason to change them. But, the lively & fun side of your brain is pointing out the problems with tedious dusting required & lack of space with too many people seated at table. Go for it!

The French Country chairs are too small in scale to work with your existing table. Having that beefier turned leg on the chair is important.

I love your current chairs with your table. But since you love the new chairs so much and they aren't really as nice with your table as the current ones, why not sell your old set and buy a new table that will complement the new chairs? I think someone would LOVE to have your current set!

I vote for the current chairs, not the new ones.

I just want to thank everyone who has weighed in on this! I have decided to keep what I have for now, & have returned the French Country chairs. I love the soft & homey French country style, so I think I was just hoping everyone would talk me into keeping them, even though I knew they were kind of ”dwarfed” by the table. :) I love my table since refinishing it, & put a lot of work into doing so. Maybe one day I’ll find the ”perfect chairs”. Maybe I’ll come to love these more. Either way, life has other decisions that matter more, & sometimes we need to be reminded of that. This is a great community to draw from, & sometimes unexpected ”friendships” are forged. Have a wonderful weekend all!