7 Unstuffy Ways With a Formal Dining Set
You can play the match game with your table and chairs yet still have an inspired, multidimensional dining room
Whatever happened to formal dining sets? A generation or two ago, it seemed, no well-outfitted home was complete without a table and chair suite and a coordinating china hutch or sideboard. Then came the rise of shabby chic and cottage style, as well as a new appreciation for the collected approach to decor. Suddenly, dining sets got an undeserved rap as stuffy and uninspired, a relic of a less enlightened design era.
While I've seen many an eclectic dining room that stuns me with its style chops, I'm not ready to dismiss classic furniture sets yet — in fact, I have one in my own dining room. With a variety of textiles, found treasures, casual art and unexpected accents, I've managed to alleviate the one-dimensional look that can result when all the furniture in a room matches.
Check out these seven spaces to get a glimpse of just how versatile dining sets can be. And let us know in the Comments how you've updated your own!
While I've seen many an eclectic dining room that stuns me with its style chops, I'm not ready to dismiss classic furniture sets yet — in fact, I have one in my own dining room. With a variety of textiles, found treasures, casual art and unexpected accents, I've managed to alleviate the one-dimensional look that can result when all the furniture in a room matches.
Check out these seven spaces to get a glimpse of just how versatile dining sets can be. And let us know in the Comments how you've updated your own!
Clean. The black Chinese Chippendale-style chairs and dining table are so crisp that they appear etched into this neutral space. Simple, layered millwork, a duo of abstract paintings and an unobtrusive sisal rug enhance the linear feel of the room, balanced by the gentle curves of the table and chandelier.
Glamorous. This dining room whispers of luxury, from the velvet chair upholstery to the intricately patterned wallpaper. Yet look closely and you'll see contemporary touches: the subtle geometric-pattern rug, the simple Roman shades at the windows, the stripped-down take on a traditional crystal chandelier. The effect: quiet opulence with an updated edge.
Cozy. This space has all the trappings of traditional decor: a blue and white palette, a stately dining set, handsome moldings and trim. Yet it feels as relaxed and welcoming as a summer cottage. Is it the patchwork houndstooth rug or the splashy toile curtains? Or perhaps the unfussy porcelain and drum-style chandelier?
Vibrant. A riot of color and pattern spices up what could have been a very traditional dining area. Orange walls, sizzling pink and white chair seats, beribboned armchairs at either end of the table and preppy plaid curtains combine with such confidence that they cooperate rather than clash. Even so, the room has enough formal architecture and fixtures that the Chippendale dining set doesn't feel out of place.
Refined. Everything about this setting feels graceful and mannerly, right down to the pineapple finials on the curtain rods. There are no design surprises here, and yet the look is anything but stale or stodgy. Like a well-cut navy blazer or a pristine strand of pearls, well-chosen furnishings and accents are always in style and good taste.
Breezy. Despite the dressy furniture, this coastal space feels buttoned down enough for beach living. Cheery apple green, casual stripes and a mod chandelier set an informal tone that suits the natural surroundings.