Black Spindle Back Windsor Chairs

Nicole

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.

SFDC

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).

Audrey

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. :)

Katie

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.

Nicole

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?

Nicole B.

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!

Ann

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!!

Jenny

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!

Helen

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.

Lori

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….

Lisa

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.

Kris Mays

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.

Janet Kenealy

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.

Cyndia

Have you considered painting the trim a charcoal gray instead of white? Then paint the back of the hutch an unexpected color, like turquoise or chartreuse. Then re-evaluate the chairs. I personally love those chairs more than any of the others you showed; the quality and style is better & more interesting than what you see in showrooms every day. Definately consider reupholstering the seats – find something that correlates to the wallpaper and that punch of color in the hutch to pull it down into the room. You’re not going safe anywhere else in the house; don’t do it in your dining room.

Margaret

I’m with the wait and see group. Once you paint you may have a different perspective.

Fiona

Maybe you could go for vintage spindle back chairs. They come up all the time in charity shops, excellent quality and really cheap. If they’re mismatched, all the better, especially if painted with a single distinctive unifying colour, like pink! And I’d say totally paint the trim.

abby

Oh no! Seeing your wood trim 3 years ago is what kept me from painting mine. I have literally showed a picture of your trim and floors to my floor guy.
I’m afraid if you paint, I’m going to have to paint too! Can’t wait to see how it turns out.

justme

I love the wallpaper, it will look wonderful and fresh with the white trim. I think I would paint the trim then try out the plywood chairs with the existing table and some punchy modern placemats ( like maybe square, lime green). Or keep the chairs and do the seats in something punchy and fun ( like marimekko?) Not a fan of the black spindle chairs myself. Can’t wait to see what you do:).

Kari S.

love chair number three!

Liz H. N.

Don’t sell the table and chairs….it is beautiful and classic!!

Heather

Paint first, your set will look more striking without all the other wood distraction. I have seen the mismatched table and chair look and it has its place but not when you already have this lovely set. Your dining table and chairs look like a place where people would want to lounge & linger over dinner & coffee. Go for form & function and know that your guests will much prefer these chairs, recovered or not, for many years to come.

sam

I love the family chairs, now I’m thinking, how much could I possibly get for my chairs that I have now. Hmm, probably not enough.

Esther

MOMA chairs = SUPER pretty. However, I think your old dining suite is gorgie-oso!! I reckon you are just bored of it – which I get but – gorgeous, solid, quality dining suites are HARD TO FIND! Sit on the decision till you have painted the trim and what about some chartreuse vinyl on the chairs??

Kylee

I haven’t read all the comments, so I might be re-stating here. I find spindle chairs to be incredibly uncomfortable. Also once the trim is white, I think you will really love the warmth that your beautiful dining set brings to the room. I would, however, totally recover the chairs and if you’re craving black, why not incorporate it in your fabric choice?

gina

I say keep them and re-evaluate after paint! Probably just feels heavy in wood now but i think you’ll be happy after the painting is done! :-)

Kristín

def wait until you’ve painted, it might freshen up the whole room, furniture included :)

Sage & Style

The black would look amazing with that wallpaper. I’m really into spindle chairs too … I love mixing them with other modern decor. Plus they’ll last a lifetime. My fave is #3.

Joannie

First time reading your blog, but you have the same opinions about painting wood as I do, if it makes you happy do it (plus I hate the grain of oak, when I painted my oak kitchen cabinets in my last house my dad warned me, “you know, people kill people like you for what you just did…” really…I’m still here. in fact my new kitchen has oak but stained very dark, and i wish everyday it were white like the last one. i know eventually i will paint and glaze it like the last one…) anyhow, as for your dining room, paint the trim *fab*, as for the dining room, i don’t think you will be happy with your set once that is complete, *sad* but you won’t. keep the table, put a nice white linen cover on it it’s beautiful, change the chair covers to some updated fabric, such as zebra stripes, scrolls, something traditional-modern, keep three in the house, use them as landing spots and chairs, by the front/back door, in front of your bed in lieu of a bench, by the stairs, etc) if it were me, I would stain them all a dark black and call it a day. I did that with an antique duncan fiffe (sp?) set I didn’t want to paint (because of the same issues). It is black but you can see all the variations of grain, best of both worlds and I changed the chair covers. It was more work, but worth the effect.

Brenda

I have had wooden chairs at my dining table. I like to linger and talk and have my table be a place to be comfortable and sit a while. Now I have comfy chairs, and that actually happens now. Wood chairs hurt people’s tushies and made them beat retreat from my dining table.
Something to consider… Function over form.

Lisa

I think the combination of the white trim (assume you will also paint the built-in curio), the heavy oak table and the spindly-new black MOMA chairs (the ONLY choice here!) would be so fresh. You could do four and then maybe find two different ones for the ends of the table…maybe white, or keep two of your current oak and paint them white? And wood chairs are so practial with kids…mine are fabric covered and I have messy little boys! Whatever you do, I know I will love it and can’t wait to see it. Change is good, and so much cheaper than moving.