I’ve been hankering for a change in the dining room lately.
I’m going to paint the wood trim white (it’s on my 30 Before Thirty list), and I’d like to paint the ceiling too. The wallpaper is staying (I’m going to have to be very careful when painting the trim), and so is the rug. Now, while I do love my vintage dining set, I have been pining for new chairs.
I like Eames shell chairs (especially with the dowel legs), but doesn’t everyone? And I already have two Eames chairs elsewhere in the house. I still have eight stackable plywood chairs in the basement, though we should probably just go ahead and sell them on Craigslist. And I could just change out the pink fabric on the chair seats for something else (faux-leather?). Or there are always the cute oval back dining chairs that I’ve long admired. But do you know what I’m really into lately? Black spindle back chairs. Like these…
Family Chairs (available as a mixed set of four, or individually), MOMA
Salt Chair, DWR
Thatcher Side Chair, Room & Board
OLLE Chair, IKEA
I can sell my current dining room set on Craigslist, and then use the money toward new furniture. I know the OLLE chairs are affordable, but the other chairs all have more graceful lines. OK, or I could just see how my vintage set (which I do not want to alter other than seat fabric) looks in the room once the trim has gone white.
What would you do?
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'F' for Furniture, Dining Room • 105 Comments • August 31, 2010
I like chair 3. It’s somewhat traditional and would match your vintagey wallpaper, but there is something slightly different about it’s structure. I love it!
xoxo
Lila Ferraro
I would do all the painting first and see how you feel after that!
I agree with Heather; paint first then re-evaluate the chair sitch. You may find the itch to change has been scratched.
I agree with heather. Paint first (if you really must!) then consider the table and chairs.
I’ve had the exact same dilemma (wood table, wood chairs and wood buffet cabinet) – it is too much solid wood, as well as too dark.
I would actually suggest either an all fabric chair in a cream color with wooden legs(yeah I know, terrible for children – unless you could get slip covered ones!) or else something like this: http://www.crateandbarrel.com/furniture/dining-chairs/folio-oyster-leather-side-chair/f12354
I’m afraid that by doing a dark wood chair, you’ll be making the room appear smaller (this was my worry for my dining room).
I also agree that the trim need to be painted white – that will also help to brighten up the room a lot – and will go better with the wall paper.
Good luck!
i love the set of mismatched moma chairs. so cute!
but i agree, maybe paint the white trim first and see what you’re feeling then ?
I would wait until you paint and then decide as I think with white trim (gasp) the wood is going to look different.
I have a weakness for anything Room and Board, so of course I dig #3.
I was wondering though … would it be really weird to paint your existing chairs black and change the fabric? It would be a dramatic change to say the least and would save you some money. Hmmm, just thinking …
Painting the chairs would give me a similar look, but I don’t want to alter these. The wood on our dining set is beautiful, and it would be a shame to paint it. I’d rather sell the set to someone else and use that money toward new chairs.
I love your current set. I agree with everyone that said wait until you paint to decide. I would buy your chairs if you were local to me – should that be what you decide!
I would wait to see how your current table looks after you paint the trim white. Maybe change the cushions. A slate grey would probably look good.
White trim first, then reevaluate!
I agree you should wait and see how you feel with the white trim. It will really brighten up the room. The white trim and black chairs would be a much more graphic contrast — not sure if you want that with the already graphic wallpaper?
I do share your love for spindle-back chairs, though. I scored an amazing set of Paul McCobbs myself not too long ago (chair #3 is a good knock-off version).
Nicole, we would be VERY interested in buying the dining set. I had one very similar that I sold when we moved into our last house and I’ve always regretted it. Now, in the bigger new place, we have the space and I wish I had it back!
Please let me know if you do indeed decide to sell. As an aside, I may be able to get wholesale pricing on some black spindle back chairs for you through the shop.
-Alana
Thanks. I’ll let you know if we decide to sell. The set is gorgeous, and I want it to go to a good home! :)
The most important thing for me with the chairs would be comfort. Wouldn’t you want to sit on some before making a decision?
I would definitely wait. Once the trim is all white (which I cannot wait to see by the way!) the dining set might add some warmth to the room that might be missed with the black chairs.
I would wait too. But please let me know if you decide to sell your current set. I heart it!
I would wait…that’s a great dining set you already have. See how it looks once the trim is painted, and maybe just change out the chair cushions.
Your set looks very “solid”, and I think it would be hard to find a replacement equal to its quality.
That’s exactly what we’re worried about. We would want whatever we get to have the same substantial, quality feel.
I have the Salt chairs and while I love how they look, they are light as a feather — definitely not “forever” chairs. Good luck!
Don’t part with that vintage table! I would keep 4 of your chairs, reupholster with a modern fabric (I would go white) and make a statement with your head chairs.
Another cool option is use a cool bench on one side (great for the kids once they are out of high chairs) and keep the other chairs. Have fun deciding! ~Tracy
i think painting the trim is an excellent idea.
i also think you should keep your set – at least initially – and change the fabric. i’m not too fond of the pink fabric with the color of the wood. i like both separately but not together. how about something charcoal or oatmeal instead?
I’m with the paint the trim first and then decide group.
While I LOVE Ikea, I realy do, don’t get their chairs! Ikea is great but not so durable for things like everyday chairs that will be sat in, pulled in and out, maybe even stood on…you do have a little girl (wait, maybe 2 little girls!)to factor in. I worry that they would get wobbly quiickly, then you are just going to be back a square one. I love the lines of what you have already. You can really do a lot with painting and reupholstering. Design Sponge has a great tab with before and afters. Maybe you could get so inspiration there. Good luck and HAVE FUN!
I see your point, but I’m going to disagree–at least with the OLLE. I’ve put the OLLE chairs from IKEA (in white) through five years of everyday use. (Nicole, how did you find them? I thought they were discontinued!)I have two boys, and so far they are hanging strong. Dirty, but strong.
The only concern I have with the OLLE is size related. They are petite chairs, and I think a formal table should have chairs with a bit more heft.
I love the idea of the black spindle chairs! I think it would look amazing in your dining room, espeically with the white trim. The Room&Board chair is divine. :)
If you go with the spindle back make sure you sit on them first. I was so happy to get rid of mine—very hard and uncomfortable. That said, they are all beautiful, but I like the R&B the best.
Don’t paint the trim! The natural wood is so beautiful and once you paint it it’s so hard to ever get the natural back. It would really be a shame to lose that in your classic dining room.
I love #2!
I would go about this a bit differently because I think that the natural wood makes the room look more expensive than white painted wood. In the long-term, you’re house is worth more this way.
I would start by painting the ceiling a slightly metallic shade of the background color in your wallpaper. That is going to really change the room and that sort of glow might make you like the real wood tones more (I think you need to get that pink fabric out of the cabinet right away to get a better feel for the change). Then I would go for the Room and Board chairs for the side chairs and get something cushy for the two end chairs- it makes it look so much more designer to have mixed chair styles, I think. I would stick to craiglist and then upholster to match the room. To be really chic and go with the same vibe as your chandelier, how about a fabric with a bit of shimmer to match the ceiling?
I really agree with this comment. The natural wood trim is so fantastic and really adds to the value of the house. Painted wood trim, no matter how much you agonize over the color and paint it perfectly, is just never as special as the original wood. It’s really interesting to me that Nicole feels that the dining room set is too beautiful as natural wood to be painted, but doesn’t feel the same way about the delicious natural wood trim in the room. It’s way easier to replace a dining room set that you get tired of or feels dated – you are going to live with the repercussions of painted trim until you sell the house.
I would paint first and then see how you feel. I personally like your current chairs better than any of the options you listed…that said, if you sell them please think of me! :)
Personally-I think you should wait until you paint the trim. It is such an amazing thing how white trim makes you feel like you have a brand new house(I just finished “whitening” mine). I think it will make the table more of a focal point once you paint too. Right now, just from looking at the picture, it feels like the trim & the table kind of blend together since they are similarly toned. Plus, you save money that way! :D
Although it always pains me to pain woodwork, I love the idea of painting yours — it’s competing with the wallpaper. Would it be too dark to paint the ceiling one a different color? Perhaps the gray or the dark pink from the wallpaper? (Oh, somebody above mentioned metallic! Yes.) I agree with the suggestion to paint first then decide on furniture. I would strongly suggest recovering the chair pads in a pattern — a plaid or polka dots. (Bonus–covers stains by little and big children.)
Paint the trim, then decide. I’ve thought for sometime that there is wood overload in your dining room, but I think I’m just more sensitive to these things because I live in a country where you are inundated with pine EVERYTHING.
I would honestly paint the trim white, then see how you feel about furniture. I had a similar issue in my house. In the end, I kept my furniture because it ended up looking so lovely with my freshly-painted, white trim!
I love the first chair with the ‘X” on the back! The OLLE chairs might be affordable, but they don’t look very substantial. Like others have mentioned painting the trim white will definitely make your current set pop, and you may love it all over again!
Tough decision! I have 4 of DWR’s Salt chairs only after purchasing the Ikea Olle chairs and being so disappointed in their quality. They are very rickety, while the DWR (which we purchased on sale) have not disappointed. Solid and have a more finished look about them.
Good luck, though your current dining room is really cute as is!
We painted our wood trim white in our dining room and I LOVE it so much better. I love wood, but hate wood trim.
I like all the chairs you picked out, especially #4, but I’m not sure I like them in black.
I like #3 if you purchase new black chairs. The hard lines seem to match your existing set the best.
I love your current set, and especially with your bungalow/craftman house, it complements the house so wonderfully. Plus, black is in need of constant dusting.
I agree with the above: Wait until after you paint the trim, then decide. Really, I think everyone above is just saying “No! We love your current set!” but objecting in a polite way.
I love that wallpaper! I have ever since you put it up.
Oh, don’t paint that trim! It’s part of the charm of a craftsman home!
Are you planning to paint the hutch and the door frames and everything?
I was wondering the same thing.
If you paint the trim, you should paint the door frames, too, I think.
But maybe you should postpone painting untill the new baby is born and you have stopped breastfeeding, as there are many harmful things in paint.
Yes, painting everything. I might leave the beadboard at the back of the hutch the natural color, but I’ll have to see how that looks.
I agree with “paint the trim then see what you think!” :) I think you could achieve the same effect with recovering the seats in black. If you are afraid the kids might damage the set, why not create a custom chair cover out of washable fabrics for just two of the chairs. Then once they are a bit older you can lose them!
I like the ills chairs… I’m getting them in red!
I think black dining room chairs would look so crazy awesome in this room, but maybe that’s just me.
Through the first half of the comments, I was afraid I was the only one with reservations about painting the trim! It’s gorgeous and flows so beautifully into the hutch…
LOVE the MOMA chairs!!
I’m with Tracy…when you say painting “the trim,” do you also mean you’ll be including the wood door frame & built-in hutch? If so, that will transform the look of the room SO MUCH, you’ll need to see what color dining set will look best!
I went to the press event for the new IKEA catalog in Germany the other day, and they had put up dining tables and several different chairs to sit on. I didn’t sit on the Olle chair, but everyone who did said how uncomfortable they are! I think the round spindles in general have a tendency to be uncomfortable. I sat on the Norrnäs chairs the whole night and they were super comfy!
But I agree with a lot of the other commentors- paint the trim first and then see if you really want new ones!
I have to chime in about painting the trim too. I’m in the midst of spending many months stripping the woodwork in my new house. I grew up in a house where it was all painted white, so I sometimes miss that look and feel like all the wood “color” is a bit much. But it’s SO tedious to go back, and you lose so much of the detail in the carvings when it’s painted. I would kill to have your hutch in that condition.
I have to add this: Why not paint the trim of the doors/floor boards/frame of the hutch but NOT the “interior wood?” It would really brighten the room, but still leave a little sampling of the original wood “color” for progeny’s’ sake.
I would paint the trim & reevaluate – but I do love a good spindle chair. The salt and Thatcher are almost equally pretty, IMO.
The number 3 Thatcher Side chair from Room & Board looks a LOT like a Nakishima chair — elegantly simple, but the curves are proportioned nearly as wonderfully as the Nakishima….
I loooove spindle back chairs. My own absolute favourite is Ilmari Tapiovaaras Pirkka -chair. And I also adore his Mademoiselle loundge chair…Someday it will be mine, someday :-D
I wouldn’t paint that gorgeous natural wood trim. It looks beautiful the way it is and looks so nice with the built ins. It also matches your current dining set so well. It all just looks so perfect now. I get wanting to always change things but if it aint broke, don’t fix it. I can see painting the ceiling though if you feel the need. Change out the fabric on the chairs and it will give you a new look.
If I got new chairs, I would not get any with low “spreader” bars, for lack of a better word, unless they were really stout, because little kids like to use them as a step to climb up on your lap when you’re sitting in the chair. My son has broken two of ours in this manner. So I would go with either the first one in the top row or one of the first two in the lower row.
You are blessed to have a nice set already. As your kids get older, you might want the faux leather for sure. I think black faux leather on your current chairs would be nice.
I wouldn’t paint the trim, either. But I would def. paint the ceiling. There is so much you could do with that!
I would paint the trim and then see how it all looks. We purchased the IKEA Ollie chairs last year for our summer home in Wisconsin and found the quality lacking. (We had to return two even before assembling since the wood was split.) Hold out for quality rather than a quick design statement.