Breaking Up the Dining Room
Hi from Brooklyn,
Seriously, does your dining room resemble the conference room at your office? Or does in beckon you in, even when you aren't planning on your extended family coming for a visit? You can be honest with me!
Here's the thing- We don't really use our dining rooms more than a handful of times a year. And, most of us are ok with that. But we pass by our dining room many times a day and it should, at a minimum, bring joy to look in there.
Does yours? There are many little ways that you can achieve this dining joy de vivre. Great lighting, a cool chandelier and a lovely paint on the ceiling all are quick, easy fixes.
The other easy fix is the Great Dining Chair Mashup. This is not the same as placing an armed version of your dining chairs at each end. This is about taking beautifully eccentric chairs and mixing them in with your more basic seats.
Too much of the same thing is just boring. Even these totally awesome vintage furry lucite chairs need a breakup. They would have much more impact with some visual relief between them. The same goes for these cool 1990's wood chairs; visual relief is needed in order to appreciate their unique line and shape. Mixing in more modern fabric covered chairs would work perfectly.
Keep in mind that your dining chairs are always viewed from the back as well as the front. Chairs with a curve are especially pretty with a contrasting fabric on the back. Trim and nailheads also add visual interest, as does a little sparkle.
In order to break up your dining room, keep your chair selection to 3 styles; use 2 if your table is 7' or less. Vintage chairs are fabulous here as their shape is interesting and can either be left distressed or lacquered in any shade you love. Use companion fabics for cohesion like in the photos below. And have a fun…breaking up your dining experience!
xoxo Theresa
