Would you buy a dining set and be OK with mismatched chairs?

14 years ago

I found a deal on CL for a dining set that I'd like to refinish/paint. The reason I am interested in a new one is that (a) I am aiming for a more vintage look (though I do like mine) and (b) because in November, if everything goes OK, we will officially be a family of 6 . . .and our current set only has 4 chairs.

The set I'm thinking about only has 4 chairs, but they are from the 40s, and it's a fairly common style, so I could find more . . .though I highly doubt I could get chairs to match EXACTLY. Since I'd likely be painting this set, all the chairs would at least be the same color.

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Comments (18)

redbazel
14 years ago
Yes. The last three dining sets I have owned have had mismatched chairs. Or at the very least, chairs that didn't go with the table. Why not?

Red
ingrid_vc so. CA zone 9
14 years ago
I see nothing wrong at all with mismatched chairs as long as they look harmonious together. In fact, my antique dining table has mismatched chairs. Sometimes matching can translate into booring.
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oceanna
14 years ago
Please go look in our dining rooms thread in the gallery. You will see some wonderful pictures with mismatched chairs... even some with each chair painted a different color that are utterly charming.

And good luck on the "if all goes well" part of your post! Care to clue us in?
groomingal
14 years ago
I like the mismatched chairs- and when the chairs aren't painted all the same color but coordinate is really charming to me.
downsouth
14 years ago
I would be just fine with it. My husband thinks everything has to match.
casajakada
14 years ago
I love the look of mismatched chairs, especially four of one style and two of another. Have you thought about using upholstered chairs on the ends? I saw a beautiful dining room with an older set with wing chairs on either end of the table done in a beautiful tapestry. They should be easy to find on CL, or you could try parsons chairs if that is your preference. Do what makes you happy with the room.
oceanna
14 years ago
My goodness, how can we talk without pictures? These are so charming...

Of course, you can always distract the focus from the chairs - lol...

If you want the chairs to look the same, you can always slipcover everything the same...

Does that give you some good ideas? Hope so!
emagineer
14 years ago
Oceanaa..I cannot live without you. Always wonderful pics and ideas. Am off to paint my kitchen chairs!
anele_gw
Original Author
14 years ago
Oooh! Thank you, everyone, for your input!

Oceanna, thank you for suggesting the gallery (I did look!) and posting those pics. They are very inspirational!

Well, if I can get DH to go out with me to get this set (I think it will take 2 cars to get it . . .) then I probably will.

Oceanna, re: who will be coming in November- I am due with another baby then. (Not that the baby will need another dining room chair so soon, ha, ha!) I am just hoping that my morning sickness goes away sooner than then! It keeps dragging on . ..
parma42
14 years ago
Anele, congratulations and I hope you start to feel better, soon.

Chicago's CL is always full of nice DR sets. I happen to love chairs that don't match. If you feel a bit uneasy with the feel, just put the different ones at the table's ends. Wouldn't hurt if they were slightly taller, also, but not necessary.
juddgirl2
14 years ago
I like mismatched chairs - especially with using the matching chairs in even numbers (e.g., 2 of the same with 4 of the same).

Are all of the chairs side chairs? If so, the suggestion to use upholstered as head/foot chairs is a good one. I'm doing the same and just used coordinating fabric for the slipcovered head/foot chairs.

Congratulations on your new addition!
saltnpeppa
14 years ago
Gosh, I just love those pics, Oceanna. Some are such different styles & I am drawn to each of them for certain reasons.....no wonder I have such a hard time with my own house!! ( wish my boobs still looked like those in the painting!!)

I have an old DR set and to try to update it a bit - I had upholstered parsons chairs to put at the ends of the tables. I don't feel I have to have the "hostess" seat so I always sit to the side where I can access the kitchen easily if something is needed.

I also love the look of all upholstered parsons chairs around a table, too. I have considered Carrington Court Direct for their chairs. That company has gotten good reviews from people here at GW. I have found with my antique table/chairs that the chairs are much smaller & not very comfy:( I think their prices seem reasonable for chairs made here in the USA.

Smiles:)
oceanna
14 years ago
Emagineer, thanks! I hope you take before and after pics for us. You go, girl!

Anele, congratulations! Do you knnow if it's a boy or girl? This is your child # ?

Oh, you SOOO have my sympathy. I was The Queen of Morning Sickness. I was even hospitalized with it on my second baby. I barfed everything, including water, for five months and ate bottles and bottles of Rolaids and Tums for the last four. That was back in the days of hairspray and I'd be in a bathroom stall at work when some woman would spray hairspray in front of the mirror and bleah, there I'd go! lol! Nothing stopped it but time. I hope by now they've got better drugs for you than they had for me. If I had it to do over and an alopathic doc couldn't help me, I'd see a holistic doc. You might also post to the Conversations side and ask for tips? Anyway, happy baby!!!

So... any ideas about your chairs now? Please let us know if you get this set. We want pictures. :o)

Scooby, you are so cute. You know what Gypsy Rose Lee said in her later years? She said, "Well boys, I've still got everything I used to have. It's all just a little bit lower." Hahaha! You are in good company. My experience about babies is they suck the stuffing out. Oh well. We are still utterly charming, are we not? ;o)

I'm with you -- I sit nearest the kitchen so I don't have to trip over others to keep the serving bowls and platters full. Can't have anyone leaving my table hungry!

Oh, I know JUST what you're talking about... I have a set of antique oak Arts & Crafts (Mission?) chairs that are so small, and so uncomfy. I want to sell them and I'm thinking tiny people would love them. Where can I find some tiny people? China? I really began to hate them one day when a guest of mine said her back hurt in those chairs and could we please go sit in the living room. :/ I hope you'll take before and afters for us, and good luck with your project. But if you don't like the chairs, why not pass them on to someone who will and get something you like better? That's what God invented CL for, you know. ;o)
oceanna
14 years ago
See the third picture down with the blue polka dotted nautical themed chairs? Someone must have used a jigsaw (and a Dremel?) to make the fancy pieces that go into the backs of the chairs. My question is how do you think those backs are probably attached?

Now, see the 9th picture down? The one outside with the blue tablecloth and the pink chair nearest to us. Is there a name for that style of chair?

Is there a name for the style of chair in picture #2? I see those in CL all the time. I usually don't like them but I love what they did with them in that pic.

I detest chairs with arms on them at the dining table. They're so awkward to try to scoot in and out, and I feel imprisoned in them when scooted in. Maybe that goes way back to being trapped in a high chair as a baby. Am I the only one who feels that way?

Scoobyruby, I just remembered something else. When I worked at Boeing we had to wear a badge. The rule was it had to be at chest height. I've always been pretty stacked and I got SO tired of men saying "hi" to my boobs when we passed in the hallway at work. My badge being there gave them an excuse. So I started wearing my badge attached to the bottom of my shirt instead. It actually did cut down on the rude boob staring from the guys. So one day one of those "hall monitor" types of women looks at my badge and says, "You're supposed to wear that at chest height." I (in my mid 50s at that point, and she was too) replied, "I am! They didn't specify with or without a bra." She went into gales of laughter and that and it diffused the situation.

Okay, one more. There was this one guy named Howard who would *always* say HI to your boobs when you passed him in the hallway. He was just awful and all us gals hated it. One of my friends was a really fun and funny gal. One morning Howard said HI to her boobs and she smiled and dipped her head down toward her boobs and raised her hand to boob height to wave at him and replied, HI! He blushed crimson at being caught and he NEVER did it to her again. But he kept right on doing it to the rest of us. We actually all should have done it to him. I wonder if we'd have cured him?

Anyway, if you hang a picture of a woman in your house, I think she should deffinitely be ugly -- make you look good! :o)
groomingal
14 years ago
oceanna- The nautical chairs look like there is a rod attaching them- if you look at the boat ones you see a dark rod on the sides and I bet the others have holes bored in for rods to support them.

The chairs in pic#2 are what we call farmhouse chairs.

The pink dining chair- which I LOVE!!!! I'm not sure what those are called but I have seen some sets from the 1930's that have similar styles.

My dining set has one chair with the arms- we call those the captains seat- it is always at the head of the table. I actually like the arms it gives me a spot to put my elbows.
Oakley
14 years ago
I'm with Ingrid (and the above pictures!), that the chairs need to be "harmonious" with each other. The chairs in the pictures above are a good example. They don't look like mishmash which would throw me off.
anele_gw
Original Author
14 years ago
Well, I didn't get the original table, but I suspect this is going to be an issue with most sets, and now I think mismatched chairs would be preferable, if I can manage to pull it off!

Look at the deal, though. For anyone around Chicago, I think this is a STEAL! Note, though, she said one of the chairs has been shortened by her grandfather:

$40 for all:

{{!gwi}}

{{!gwi}}

parma42: Thank you for the congrats! Yes, you are right-- we do seem to be lucky with some nice sets in this area! At least we have THAT going for us!

groomingal: I see your point about the arms. I am Queen of Comfort so I think that would be my chair!

oakleyok: Yes- there is definitely a right way to do it!

juddgirl2: Yes, most sets I'm finding are just side chairs, which I guess is good! Thank you for the congrats!

oceanna: This is child #4 and the only baby that has been a surprise (blush!). We don't know the gender yet-- we have three girls so with one more we'd be all set with the clothes at least! Your morning sickness sounds horrible!!! Though mine has dragged on, it's more the migraines (I never get them unless PMSing or pregnant) and nausea without too much of the actually throwing up. I agree, though-- if it were really severe I'd probably start by seeing someone who does acupuncture or something first rather than drugs. Hahahaha about the boob guy! Too funny!
casajakada
14 years ago
Best wishes for your new addition, Anele!

Scoobyruby, I bought four dining room chairs from Carrington Court Direct and love them. I was surprised at the quality of the chairs for the price. It was only $800 with delivery for four of them. I am also going to order a chair for my vanity from them. If you'd like to see a picture, let me know.