Dear Designing Solutions: I moved to a brand new home last May. Recently I purchased living and dining room furniture from the same group. However I did not purchase dining room chairs. Is it possible to match chairs from another group with what I have purchased already? My furniture was discontinued and
the chairs to the group were all gone. When I purchase the chairs should the
wood colors match exactly? I thought about purchasing two upholstered
chairs for the host and hostess with the remaining chairs all wood? Do
you think this would work? I need help desperately! Sharyn
Dear Sharyn: You did the right thing by not buying the matched dining room chairs! When all the furniture in the living and dining room comes from the same line and from the same manufacturer, there’s not much opportunity to make it uniquely yours- and that’s the goal of home design. Whenever possible, choose a piece or two from several lines and even several styles so that, just as in nature, your room is a pleasing combination of different elements. Instead of looking contrived and boring, as if you bought a room scene right out of a furniture store, your home will have a far more interesting look that reflects your personality and individual style.
Upholstered chairs in a fabric you love would be a great choice for your dining room table. They will add color, comfort, pattern and softness to your room. Try using arm chairs at the host and hostess spot with armless side chairs for the remainder of the table. The arm chairs can then double in your living room when you entertain a crowd that’s larger than your present seating can accommodate.
You can use upholstered chairs that are skirted, with no exposed legs, or a chair that has finished wood legs. Instead of fretting over matching the leg finish on the chairs to the wood finish of the table, look to complement instead. Go a bit darker on the chairs legs and they will blend in more with their surroundings. A lighter finish on the chair legs will make them more noticeable.
And just as we suggest you mix up your furniture pieces, you can also mix up the fabric on your upholstered dining chairs. One option is to do the host and hostess chair in a solid fabric (one that will mix well with the living room when the chairs are called into service) and the side chairs in a coordinating patterned fabric. Another, more daring option is to use one fabric on the interior of the chair and a coordinating fabric on the back of the chair. If your goal is to create a less formal and fun dining room, you can mix up the fabrics altogether, using a different color of the same fabric (like a heavy linen or ultra suede) on each and every chair (try alternating solid pumpkin, gold and steel gray linen on skirted chairs). The options are endless, but whatever you choose, your dining room will indeed be uniquely yours.
With Love,
Debbie
Interior Designer to the Slobs
