Post by shopgirl07 on Sept 1, 2015 22:08:58 GMT -5
Yes, I think so. The trick is to get the very best table that you can afford. Buy a classic shape and good quality and you should be able to use it for decades.
Dislike the "sofa" on one side of the dining table. And I wouldn't subject my guests to upholstered chairs in a dining room. Spilling something would make a guest feel awful. Curtains are too heavy.
I don't know if you would buy that exact table, but I don't think that it looks very functional. It should have more of an overhang on the sides. It looks like anyone sitting on the side of the table is going to be sitting right in front of one of the table legs. Also, you can't push the chairs in (because they hit the legs) and that would drive me completely nuts.
The table is the only thing I like and would consider "timeless". The chairs look more like living room chairs to me, and I think those curtains look too heavy.
I think you'd be better off with wood chairs that match the table, and different window treatments.
I don't like the light at all. It just feels too heavy.
Overall I like the look of the room - but I have to agree, I actually question those chairs for a dining room table. They make me want to sit back and relax. Not sit up properly and eat a meal!
Also, dining room chairs are meant to be moved a lot - in and out, etc. Would those chairs easily move in and out AND if you went w/ a light fabric, would they really hold up to hands being put on them all the time to be moved??
And the sofa? No. I'd feel weird sitting on a sofa to eat dinner.
I love the overall look but I also question the practicality of those chairs. I bought $$$ white linen dining room chairs too and cover them every time we have guests over that will sit there. Our dining room furniture is the nicest furniture in the house but rarely used.
I don't think it's hard to buy furniture that will still look good in 10 years, so I wouldn't actually consider that "timeless." When I think of timeless, I think about heirloom furniture. That said, I don't think the two-tone wood is something that I would buy today. It's a look that has already begun to look dated to me.
Also, while I actually love the look of settee, I don't think it's practical or even all that comfortable. I do not love the end chairs, they look too much like living room chairs to me. At first glance, I love the look of the room, but when I start thinking about the logistics of the way we use our dining room (mostly dinner parties and holiday meals), it doesn't seem practical enough.
I think maybe I'll look into slipcovered dining room chairs.. I do like the "comfy" look for the dining room. We entertain a lot a good amount with friends so I want something that is comfortable sitting for a few hours, not just for a formal dinner once in a while.
I used to have slip covers for my (very ugly) dining room chairs and I thought they were very practical. When they got dirty, I would just throw them in the washing machine.
I want something that is comfortable sitting for a few hours, not just for a formal dinner once in a while.
That's just it. I don't think the settee is comfortable for a few hours. That's about how long our dinner parties last and we tend to linger at the table long after dessert and I don't think that would be comfortable.
The furniture is tan, not white! But you guys are right- upholstered furniture is a disaster waiting to happen.I like the look so maybe I'll be able to find a slipcovered option like below, then I can get them cleaned or switch out the slipcovers if I want to update the look.
I don't care for much about the chairs in the OP pic either. Too light colored, too big, too awkward on the bench/sofa. Better suited to a living room than a dining room. If you want a timeless look, buy dining chairs for a dining room. It's also an awfully formal look. Does that fit your lifestyle? (It would not fit mine.) We never host formal dinners for 6 people. Meals in our dining room are usually for more people (which requires smaller/closer together chairs) with less formality.
The table is fine, but doesn't look particularly unique to me. Especially since you're looking for something nice and don't have a lot of experience with furniture shopping I'd suggest shopping at a brick & mortar store rather than (or at least before) ordering online. It will give you a lot more to go on, in assessing quality/value.
All the ties on these slip covers look messy to me. Like you were trying to go for a high end, custom upholstered look and cheaped out. Slipcovers may be able to be done well, but not like this.
I think you might have problems with the legs on that table. It looks like each person is going to be straddling a leg sitting at the side of the table. Or knowing me, running their knee into the leg and yelping in pain!
Take a look at Restoration hardware. We found some "affordable" (meaning on par with pottery barn/Ballard but all real wood), and got during their furniture sale after Christmas. Some tables come in like 5 sizes so easy to customize. The table was about $1500 and the chairs less than $200 each on sale.
We actually got sand colored upholstered chairs which I was nervous about but we put a seat cover on DDs chair and so far so good!
Since our house we are under contract for is a closed concept I do want a dining room that is a little more formal in style.. nothing really fancy or stuffy though and something I can easily update the look of the room without replacing furniture. Most of the wooden chair/ wooden table combos do look too formal and stuffy to me. We will also have a large outdoor dining table for entertaining and then a casual breakfast nook in a closed kitchen. I'm open to ideas If anyone wants to PIP rooms they like. House is stone and traditional in style. Floors will be medium hardwood and most of the accents of house like lanterns, interior doors, shutters, front door will be black. Moldings will be white.
Keep in mind that you don't have to buy a formal wood set where everything matches either. I have a more traditional wood table, but my chairs are an off white metal. (I replaced the ugly ones). It is sort of a traditional/contemporary mix. It probably isn't timeless, but the chairs weren't that expensive. If I get tired of them in a few years, I won't feel bad about replacing them.
I think this is an unpopular opinion but I really don't like upholstered dining room chairs. I think they're too hard to keep clean.
If I could figure out how to post pictures, I could prove this too you. When the kids are older, I will re-do our chairs, and they are just the bottom cushion kind. People are messy, and I don't like to fuss about being tidy all the time, especially when we have guest. One spaghetti night, and those chairs are toast.
Take a look at Restoration hardware. We found some "affordable" (meaning on par with pottery barn/Ballard but all real wood), and got during their furniture sale after Christmas. Some tables come in like 5 sizes so easy to customize. The table was about $1500 and the chairs less than $200 each on sale.
We actually got sand colored upholstered chairs which I was nervous about but we put a seat cover on DDs chair and so far so good!
I will check it out! We have a RH couch which will be in the family room we are doing upstairs. I wrote RH off because the furniture is so big and I thought the scale wouldn't really work in this house! I'd have to get a good deal on a sale or at the outlet to make it worth it. Which style table and chairs did you go with? I really am leaning away from the distressed look but they might have something that will work. I want to spend some time this weekend looking. We can't buy now though because we are in the process of getting financing! It's too bad because the RH outlet usually does a labor day sale but thank you for the suggestion!
1930s French farmhouse table and French vintage square chairs. The legs on the table are huge so we ending up exchanging for a larger size (like I couldn't push in 2 chairs on each side for the 6 person table, so I exchanged for the 8 person). Then it has leaves to extend to be 12 seater. The customer service was amazing though. The table was backordered and they let us keep the 6 table for several months while we waited for the 8 person one to come in. No extra fees to exchange, just the difference in price. We also got two of the St James cabinets in the same finish (antiqued coffee). They do have a distressed finish. I love the color.
We also looked at World Market which supposedly has the same manufacturer for some of their items as RH. Like they have almost exact replica of the French chairs we got. I was nervous about the quality though, and we don't have a store nearby. I liked a few tables at Pottery Barn but our 5 yr old coffee table from there is chipping like crazy so I'm done with ordering anything that isn't solid wood.
I don't like the chairs for all the reasons mentioned above. The table is pretty timeless but NMS. I love the Chippendale chairs and I think you should do what you love if you truly plan to have this for a long time. Are the other modern options you like really modern, or are they from a certain time period that has made a comeback? What you consider modern might be more timeless and classic than you think. You could always change our upholstery in the future which is very easy of it's just a seat cushion vs. a whole chair.
I don't like the chairs for all the reasons mentioned above. The table is pretty timeless but NMS. I love the Chippendale chairs and I think you should do what you love if you truly plan to have this for a long time. Are the other modern options you like really modern, or are they from a certain time period that has made a comeback? What you consider modern might be more timeless and classic than you think. You could always change our upholstery in the future which is very easy of it's just a seat cushion vs. a whole chair.
I really like mid century modern or Jonathan Adler style! It just doesn't work in the house we are buying, which is a traditional stone house. It's also more expensive. I see knockoffs of this style and have even found a custom couch maker but overall it costs more to do that style right. I've seen the Chippendale chairs in more traditional houses so that's something that is a possibility. They are killing me at $380 a chair, although to be honest many other sets I liked are in this price range but after 8-10 chairs and a table.. and a long renovation list.. it's a lot! Who knows? Maybe I'm wrong and it's not that uncommon to spend that much on dining room furniture.
If I can get some really nice chairs on sale at RH or a comparative store for $200 each that I would be happy with, it seems like I have to do that. I've also been checking CL to see if anyone has any sets they are selling that would work or we could refinish to make it work.
I don't think that you need to keep things traditional just because the house is traditional. I wouldn't go super contemporary, but I think it is fine to mix in some more contemporary/mid century looks with more classic pieces. I like mixing things in together. I think it is more interesting than going with all one style. Have you been on houzz at all? I love using that site. I find things that I like and then I go hunting for similar pieces that are affordable.
The table is the only thing I like and would consider "timeless". The chairs look more like living room chairs to me, and I think those curtains look too heavy.
I think you'd be better off with wood chairs that match the table, and different window treatments.
Yes to this 100%. The chairs look like deep seating in a living room. The wing chair and couch are a big no.
I have Chippendale chairs! Check out Ballard Designs, they have them and they're pretty reasonable, plus you can always find a discount.
If you're looking for vintage, check out palmbeachregency.com.
Oooh, if you want, please share a pic! Do you have black or white or some other color? I'm so torn on colors! I found a company that custom makes them for a tiny bit cheaper than ballard. I might bite the bullet and get them. The benefit at least is there seems to be a really great resale market for chippendale chairs so I shouldn't have issues selling them if I do tire of the look. What color scheme is your dining room? What did you do for cushions? I think I would want a pattern.
I'll see if I can post a pic in another reply. My dining room chairs are black and my bar stools are a cream color. Right now I just have the standard beige cushions they came with. I need to get around to recovering them with something more fun.
My house is a mix of palm beach chic and tropical traditional I'd say. My walls are a glossy white and I have a pink dining room table. But my kitchen, which the dining area is open to, is more traditional with cherry cabinets and darker granite. I have light hardwood floors throughout. I really think the chairs work for any decor except maybe ultra modern.