I work at home -- thus my desk chair gets a lot of use -- and I used to go through one a year until I broke down and bought a Herman Miller Aeron chair -- expensive yes, but the only thing that has lasted (at least 5 years now, I've lost track). Available at a discount online -- think I got mine from homeofficesolutions.com. It's not upholstered and may be too modern for your kitchen but if you want a chair that works and lasts, hard to beat it in my experience. Here is a link that might be useful: Aeorn Chair at Home Office Solutions

I think that blue can actually be gloomy unless chosen very very carefully. And that it is maybe the most difficult color to choose well. You will need to use a warm color to achieve the "feel" that you want. A warm gray would actually work better than a blue in my opinion. Suggest you take some photos of the carpet, wood, and any fabrics on the chairs, and then paste them into one of the paint manufacturer's websites and look at various colors with your existing elements. Some colors I have used you may want to look at are Pashmina and Chelsea Gray by BM, and Kestral White by SW. Oh, and congrats on earning the office!

This is a long shot, but my office chair that I spend MANY hours a day in, is a Hancock Moore Berwind office chair that I got from Craigslist. It is by far the most comfy chair that I have ever had. If you could find any of theirs or Bradington Young in your area, I'd go see it for sure. I found a different style on the Boston CL - Computer Chair Leather Executive Hamilton Swivel Tilt Hancock Moore - $550 (Wakefield) This is the style I lucked out on, in burgundy leather. I think it'll last as long as I do.

In my limited experience, it is challenging to find desk or task chairs that are both functional and attractive. How often do you use the desk? Do you need something fairly comfortable or can you get by with something that is attractive but may not be quite as comfy?