I may have made a mistake. It happens from time to time.
I went to the Jayson Home Warehouse Sale over the weekend, being sure to line up about an hour before doors opened. It was 32 degrees out, and there were 30 people in front of me. Hundreds were in line by the time the sale started.
I had gone specifically in hopes of finding a pair of chairs to place opposite the teal sofa. When the doors opened at 10, people were running and perching on their finds, claiming them immediately. I spotted three Penelope chairs in last season’s green, and I bought two of them with only 30 seconds’ thought. I got a pair of really nice chairs, plus two pillows and a few assorted vases and decorative items for less than the cost of one chair at full price.
Brandon and I had set aside some money when we bought this house to furnish it, instead of sinking it all into the down payment (just as we had at the first house, which was where the budget came from for that kitchen remodel). Even with some money specifically earmarked for furniture though, I can’t buy pieces willy-nilly and I worry that these chairs may have been a mistake. I do share my progress with you honestly here, so you’re seeing the good and the bad. The sure and the not-so-sure.
This is the chair in its currently available color, a deeper green with more blue in it. Full price, of course.
Here’s mine, a more olive green.
The scroll arms mimic those of our antique kids’ rocker. Cute.
The chairs look fine in the room. They look great actually, and they work well in a Victorian house, but I’m not sure that they’ll fit with my overall vision for the space. I should probably put some ideas together to share so you can see, but think black (or nearly so) walls, the blue of the sofa and hits of pink tempered by neutrals, a variety of textures, warm metals, and unpainted wood. You can kind of suss it out from my “Feeling at Home” Pinterest board. Now I have two feminine green chairs with scroll arms whereas in the fantasy version of this room, I’d have a pair of Crate & Barrel’s Milo Baughman reissued brass and leather chairs. More masculine, to balance out the cuteness elsewhere.
I’m not usually one to make a big purchase without a lot of research and certainty, and it hit me with a bit of buyer’s remorse. I had the same feeling of hesitation with that rug I bought on sale to try in the front parlor, and now it’s perfect up in the bedroom. Maybe I’ll be more into the chairs as we live with them, but if not, I could I try to sell them, break even, and move on. What do you think?
Catherine
November 13, 2013 at 11:23 amI’ll jump in! I love the chairs and I think you might be able to make them work with the couch and the color scheme. I’ve been spending a lot of time on Houzz lately, and I’ve seen quite a few living rooms with green and blue as the main colors together. I think it works with your new house because of the warm wood details, especially if you add other colors into the mix, too. You could always sell the chairs on Craigslist and buy the newer colorway, but I think the blue and green are interesting, and not so matchy-matchy.
I’m awaiting my new furniture from Crate & Barrel, and have had some buyer’s remorse about the fabric color I chose. Maybe that’s normal with such a big purchase?
Making it Lovely
November 13, 2013 at 12:44 pmI think it’s fairly common reaction! I hope you love your furniture when it arrives.
I’m not wishing I had the other color for the chairs — it would compete more with the sofa — but I worry more about the lines of them. Too many curves, not enough hard lines?
Catherine
November 13, 2013 at 8:18 pmGotcha! I still think the chairs work great, and you’ve got plenty of hard lines in the wood on the room’s edges. These chairs look more your style than the C & B chairs, in my opinion.
So we ordered the Axis sofa and loveseat for our family room, and I chose the Indigo. I’m afraid it’s going to be too blue, but there’s no going back now! I found the pictures of Sofia Coppola’s blue couches on your blog, so those are inspiring me. :)
kristi
November 13, 2013 at 11:33 amHmmm I happen to quite like the chairs for several reasons. I love the color with the blue sofa. I love the uniqueness of them. I don’t think they look overly feminine because I think the color, casters, and nailheads give it a tougher look. I think they look comfortable. I also think they can work with pink if you originally planned on working that in. I would give them a try for now.
Making it Lovely
November 13, 2013 at 12:45 pmThe nailhead detail is fantastic, and they are comfortable, yes.
Nathalie
November 13, 2013 at 11:36 amI saw this pin on your board:
http://www.pinterest.com/pin/7670261839092826/
which seems to have all the colors you’re thinking about for the living room no? I think the chairs will be beautiful in there, and I would paint and finish up the room a little more before making a decision. You can always change you mind down the road or even re-upholster. I think the Crate and Barrel chairs Would look a little too dark/drab in there with black walls, but we haven’t seen a mood board for the room yet ( I think it would be a great post if you did one!).
Like Catherine, I’m getting two chairs delivered from Room and Board this week, and I’m not suite sure I chose the right fabrics. It’s tough to be so sure with big purchases!
Making it Lovely
November 13, 2013 at 12:49 pmThat room is so inspiring. It does kind of have the same colors going on, but in different proportions. It’s working though! It’s giving me hope. ;)
And like Catherine, I hope you like your furniture when it arrives too.
Nathalie
November 13, 2013 at 3:22 pmThe chandelier is everything!
Nicole
November 13, 2013 at 11:36 amI certainly understand getting caught up in the rush to pick something!
Do you LOVE the chairs? Not how they work in the room but just them alone? If so, you’ll find a place for them in your home where they look great. If not, sell them and break even. Don’t try to build a room around them to make yourself like them.
Making it Lovely
November 13, 2013 at 12:52 pmI like the chairs, but maybe I need to get to know them a little better before I fall in love? We’re dating.
riley
November 13, 2013 at 11:37 amblack walls???? cant wait to see that
Kathryn
November 13, 2013 at 11:44 amI see what you’re saying about not enough style contrast (which would be the case even in the new color, yes?). I think you can manage that with accessories though, maybe taking those in a different direction to bring in the mod. And the light you choose will have a big impact on creating that tailored eclectic look.
Natalie
November 13, 2013 at 11:52 amThat is exactly what I was thinking. I think those chairs can work with the right accessories. It will mean accessorizing a bit more masculine than is your general style, though.
That said, I also agree with Nicole a few comments up. If you don’t love them, in general, don’t bother trying to make them work. They’re great chairs, and I’m sure someone else would be happy to have them in their home. Give them the chance to be loved ;)
Making it Lovely
November 13, 2013 at 1:04 pmYeah, the green of the chairs is OK. Not what I was planning to introduce, but not bad. The shape works with the house and looks good, but again, not what I was planning on. Accessories (and a killer light) might go a long way here.
Beverley
November 13, 2013 at 11:46 amI love chairs too and would like to see if you’re up to the challenge of making them work in your space (or another space in your home..)
Most of us can’t afford to buy different furniture and are stuck with what we have or what we can find at auctions or thrift stores.
I can’t wait to see what you do with them!!!! :)
Heidi S.
November 13, 2013 at 11:47 amThey are super cool (Victorian/retro without being dowdy)! I would have totally snapped them up too, but I totally get what you are saying. I have been spending quite a bit of time playing with my mood boards for third floor recently, because I will get excited about a piece of furniture or fabric and I find that I need to step back and see if it really works in the big picture.
What about putting them in your front parlor? I would try them around the house for a bit and if you decide against them I would think that you could sell them and break even.
Tena
November 13, 2013 at 11:48 amI love the new chairs. But I do think they are a big departure from the Crate & Barrel chairs in your vision. Will you always look at them and wish they were something else? If so, try them else where for a short time and then decide to keep or sell.
My niece painted her dining room walls black and I was a total naysayer. SHAME ON ME, because it was gorgeous. Can’t wait to see your dark walls.
Jessica
November 13, 2013 at 11:49 amPersonally, I think the chairs are fantastic. I understand your hesitation with their current location, but they are brand new in your living space.They aren’t something that you have been coveting forever and mentally preparing to put in your living space.
I would also keep in mind that you have a lot of space in your new home to fill. Maybe they don’t work across from the beautiful sofa, but they could be just perfect in your library or office.
Don’t try to force yourself to like them, but don’t get rid of them until you’ve tried them in other places.
Making it Lovely
November 13, 2013 at 1:06 pm“They aren’t something that you have been coveting forever and mentally preparing to put in your living space.”
That’s it, exactly.
Elaissa
November 13, 2013 at 11:51 amI like the chairs and love love the couch!! 7th House on the Left featured this pillow in their guest room from Anthropologie which I think would help tie the chairs and couch together.
http://www.anthropologie.com/anthro/product/home-pillows-large/76301.jsp?cm_sp=Fluid-_-76301-_-Regular_67
Making it Lovely
November 13, 2013 at 1:08 pmCute pillow! I think I like it better in their guest bedroom than I would in my house though, especially once the walls are painted.
Marcee ... ILLINOIS
November 13, 2013 at 2:12 pmOh my gosh …. Elaissa, (w/your link above) ….. adore the round pillow from Anthropology. Colorful and fun. It is pricey, but pillows keep knockin around for years!
With photo #3 ….. totally in love w/that blue sofa!! Color (blue family once again!) is amazing. Look at the structure and overall design. Very unique detailing. Couldn’t find the product picture. Most likely not available to purchase. Desperately need a new sofa. Mine is 18+ yo. No joke.
P.S. Nicole, new chairs are lovely. Takes time to grow on you.
Laurie
November 13, 2013 at 11:54 amI love ’em. A great chair is going to be handy anywhere in the house if you end up not loving them where you have them. Although, I really like where you have them.
Live with them for a while and then I think you’ll know what you need to do with them. If it means changing the color or moving them to a room, it will hit you. But a good pair of good looking chairs like those won’t ever be a mistake.
It’s like a good occassional table. There are a million places for them in the house.
Making it Lovely
November 13, 2013 at 1:08 pmTrue.
Lisa
November 13, 2013 at 11:57 amI love the chairs…ON THEIR OWN…but in the grand scheme of the design you are describing (and displaying over on Pinterest) I think they’re a bit out of place and would compete too much with that gorg sofa!
The chairs would work as the focus of a separate room (those old Victorians are great for having lots of rooms with which to work!) just like your current sofa works paired with (future) black walls and, perhaps, a more muted, modern chair (such as your C&B example).
I am confident that you’ll make the best choice and that you’ll make the most of your purchase – which was a super score, just not for that particular room.
Megan Smith
November 13, 2013 at 11:57 amNicole, I think I’m with you. The chairs are nice, but I think a little too frou frou for what you have described as your vision. What about something like this? https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=528433917252651&set=a.349106315185413.80561.342604265835618&type=1&theater
The brass boxy armchairs are great too, but I think a slingy leather chair would really create the masculine feel without being too stringent. Good luck!
Making it Lovely
November 13, 2013 at 12:38 pmTwo of those chairs would be amazing! I wonder how much they’ll go for. On Facebook, the seller said “I know quality when I see it” (meaning these are probably going to be pricey).
kathryn
November 13, 2013 at 1:15 pmOMG get those chairs! (you’re cool with me just spending your $, right?)
Making it Lovely
November 13, 2013 at 1:16 pmOf course.
Marcee ... ILLINOIS
November 13, 2013 at 2:16 pmWow. Gorgeous chairs. They do look huge. Would not fit into my decor. We can still love them regardless! Haaha.
Jessika
November 13, 2013 at 11:57 amI LOVE them. The blue chairs just add too much blue and overwhelm the room, I think. The colors are all of the same tone– not too fluorescent, not too pastel– same overall feel. I think they compliment the neutral floors and fireplace with a nice (but not too chaotic) pop of warm color. Very nice.
Sarah
November 13, 2013 at 12:03 pmI hate to say it, but I don’t think they work. When i saw the first image of them in teal, I gasped in delight, but
I’m just not feeling the green. You usually do such a great mix of modern and vintage. I feel like the chairs push the scale too far in the direction of vintage, and i question whether the green would go if you paint the walls dark.
Kerry / Super Swoon
November 13, 2013 at 12:07 pmYeah, to be honest I do not love that green color. It would be great to see those chairs in a color like red or mustard… to pick up the beautiful colors in that painting on your mantel. Or those C&B chairs are GORGEOUS. Can’t wait to see your home come together :)
Making it Lovely
November 13, 2013 at 12:39 pmI would prefer mustard to olive. I like the color on its own, but not in the larger scheme.
Jennifer
November 13, 2013 at 12:13 pmWe need more pictures to decide. Maybe one right down the middle of the two so we can see how they look in the same shot…At first thought the colors do seem to not go well together. But you are good at that – putting odd colors together and making them work. I would go for a more neutral color especially when competing with that beautiful teal sofa.
Brittany
November 13, 2013 at 12:14 pmI really like them! The shape may be feminine, but the colour isn’t really. And I think there’s enough brown/wood tones in the rest of the space that the green chairs really work. Mind you, this is just based on photos and sometimes things feel wayyy different in reality. Sometimes happy accidents turn out the best?
Tanya
November 13, 2013 at 12:17 pmLove the colour, and it looks stunning, so not a mistake…a more contemporary rug could pull it together for you?
Jess
November 13, 2013 at 12:25 pmloving the mod-victorian lines, but the sage green color reads a little too country for me…just not a fan of grayish green. can’t wait to see how the space continues to come together!
Martha
November 13, 2013 at 12:25 pmI like them…I think that they will work with the sofa and dark walls as well as with pops of pink and gold…having said that…I look forward to seeing what you end up doing with them!
Haley J.
November 13, 2013 at 12:27 pmThe chairs are beautiful, but I’m not feeling them in that room with the blue sofa and pink accents. That shade will look great with pink accents in another room, but I’m not feeling it where it is. Maybe in the second parlor or one of the other rooms? I agree with your initial vision that something more masculine will help balance the more feminine and whimsical design elements and the ornate Victorian elements in the room. Plus, why have such gorgeous chairs compete for attention with that amazing sofa? I say move them where they can be the focal point of a room.
Making it Lovely
November 13, 2013 at 1:10 pmYeah, blue and pink would work. Green and pink would work. But blue and pink and green? I don’t know.
Marissa
November 13, 2013 at 7:52 pmHere’s a lovely example of teal, olive, and pink working pretty nicely-I know it’s not exactly the same as the sofa is a different color, but similar feel with the wall color and rug?- found in your Pinterest board!
http://www.pinterest.com/pin/7670261838415459/
Bethann
November 13, 2013 at 12:29 pmNicole,
I love the chairs and color! I agree with the previous comments that the right rug, pillow and accessories will tie in the look. I look forward how you “engineer” the design for this room!
Melissa
November 13, 2013 at 12:46 pmI honestly love those two chairs and I think they look great with the couch and would look great with the dark moody walls.
Tory
November 13, 2013 at 12:58 pmSell them! I’m not loving them and these chairs seem to be in a completely different direction to what you’re describing for your vision of the room. Brass, leather, masculine is what I’d look for!
Stefanie
November 13, 2013 at 1:13 pmHow would they look with the striped settee? I love black and green together.
Nicole S.
November 13, 2013 at 1:34 pmI actually think the chairs are super lovely. Maybe a change-up in coffee and side tables to something metallic, geometric and masculine is what it needs.
Laura
November 13, 2013 at 1:39 pmI hate to say anything against pink to you, but what if you tried out a deep coral, persimmon, with the green and blue for pop? Like this https://www.etsy.com/listing/164097431/ikat-pillow-cushion-cotton-16×16?ref=related-6 or this https://www.etsy.com/listing/160428740/coral-pillow-charcoal-grey-pillow?ref=sr_gallery_10&ga_search_query=coral&ga_order=most_relevant&ga_view_type=gallery&ga_ship_to=US&ga_page=3&ga_search_type=handmade&ga_facet=handmade%2Fhousewares%2Fpillowcoral or this https://www.etsy.com/listing/118192402/coral-silky-velvet-lumbar-pillow-cover?ref=sr_gallery_37&ga_search_query=coral&ga_order=most_relevant&ga_view_type=gallery&ga_ship_to=US&ga_page=3&ga_search_type=handmade&ga_facet=handmade%2Fhousewares%2Fpillowcoral? With the stripes and gold accents, of course.
Dierdre
November 13, 2013 at 7:54 pmThanks Laura for mentioning one of my pillows! Glad you like it! I think coral would work great here too. And it’s the perfect size! https://www.etsy.com/ca/listing/160428740/coral-pillow-charcoal-grey-pillow
Lynell
November 13, 2013 at 1:55 pmBecause of the nail heads and the fabric, I think these chairs can still read as having masculine characteristics. I always have an overall vision for a room, but I always make room for what I love. If you love it, it will fit into the space. At least that’s what I tell myself… That’s why there’s still a purple chair in my mostly orange and steely blue living room. But you know what? It works.
Michelle
November 13, 2013 at 2:02 pmThese chairs are gorgeous. I love all the detail. Especially the nail head trim.
Nicole M
November 13, 2013 at 2:23 pmI love the scrolling details on the chairs, but not 100% sold on paring them with the teal sofa. I agree a more masculine chair…or even a plaid fabric would balance the feminine pieces better. I wonder what the chairs would look like paired with the striped sofa you bought from cherish…that is a more masculine piece with the stripes (and black, white and green with brass and wood details could look really nice)…maybe you could put them in the library you are proposing upstairs??? You have so much space to work with, so I am sure you will find a place, if not, sell them :)
Marcee ... ILLINOIS
November 13, 2013 at 2:26 pmCoral velvet lumbar pillow is really nice. Difficult to find such a pretty color shade though.
Wanted to mention Nicole …. your Blythe (assorted poppy florals) chair w/look ok w/olive green chairs. Providing they were all in a huge room. Maybe in a conversation group …. by fireplace.
We love Jason’s. Would always go at holiday time. So fun. I have a huge collection of “saying” rocks collected over the years. Love em.
Anna
November 13, 2013 at 2:35 pmI agree with some of the other posts that the chairs are very beautiful, but maybe not what you were originally hoping for the room. You have such great design instincts, so I am sure ultimately you will make the right call.. but, I just wanted to tell you that I am absolutely obsessed with the idea of the Crate and Barrel leather chairs! I think they would be stunning and perfect in the room!! They would be the perfect mix of masculine in the room with the feminine sofa, but the leather material would be amazing with all of the rich character and color in the room!
lisa
November 13, 2013 at 2:35 pmYour couch is beautiful and makes a statement. The chairs are so-so in comparison. Sadly, they aren’t providing the contrast that the couch requires. A simple clean lined chair like the Milo (…drooling…) is what that couch needs in order to be seen as the centerpiece of the room.
Shift the chairs to another room, keep your chin up, and keep searching!
Danielle
November 13, 2013 at 2:51 pmI LOVE the chairs. It’s funny, though. I think they go great with the blue sofa, but I can also see them with the black and white stripe sofa.
Ingrid
November 13, 2013 at 2:54 pmI love the chairs. I think you need to add a pop of color on the chairs. Maybe some Chiang Mai dragon fabric with all those colors in it, the blue, green and pink to tie it all together. If you stil, don’t love them then I would move to plan b.
lisa
November 13, 2013 at 3:02 pmI like these chairs, and think they go really well in here. A modern/masculine rug should help temper the more feminine curves of the furniture, as would some more graphic, bold, and linear accessories. The only thing I might swap out right away, as you continue to mull things over, is anything in pale pink (the pillow on the green chair, the vase on the mantle, etc.). I think more than anything else, the pale pink fades away and doesn’t balance the blues and greens as much as it could. Maybe swap in some more poppy colors, like coral? But otherwise, I think this room looks truly fab!
Tina Slocum
November 13, 2013 at 3:33 pmFollow your instinct. If the chairs don’t “feel” right and they’ don’t fit into your vision for the room, you’ll never love the end result. This beautiful home is your new canvas and I say, follow your beautiful and talented heart in every piece you chose. After all, you are creating your forever home.
Tina
mary
November 13, 2013 at 3:55 pmYou can never go wrong with a well-built pair of classic chairs. Years ago, I purchased two traditional arm chairs at an antique store to put in front of my fireplace. When I moved to my single-girl, modern 50s house in Minneapolis, my tastes had changed and I sold them. At 45, my tastes have “leveled out” and I live in a more traditional home in Georgia. I realize you can mix everything together. I have thought about those chairs for the past 15 years and wished I would have kept them. There are other places in my house that I could use them. I would suggest using them until you get what you really want. At that point, you may want to move them to a bedroom. I like them but understand that they aren’t your perfect vision.
Jamie
November 13, 2013 at 4:19 pmI love the blue couch with the green chairs! And I think the green chairs look great with the fireplace bricks, wood, and brass. The pink from the tassels on the couch pillow really jump out with those colors too, I think. Maybe a chocolate brown on the walls as a dark alternative to black?
Michelle
November 13, 2013 at 4:55 pmThe green seems like a pretty neutral color. I’d try tossing a couple leather pillows on them and see if that mans them up a bit.
Sarah Jane
November 13, 2013 at 5:36 pmYour furnishings for the new house have been killing it- same for your Pinterest boards! The masculine edge is looking awesome in that house. As a follower, I must say I’m loving the change in style as a breathe of fresh air. So I vote sell them and try to keep the vibe of the C&B chairs. But more importantly, what is your hubby’s vote? Make him pretend he didn’t wait in the cold for these so it doesn’t cloud his vision!
Katy
November 13, 2013 at 6:03 pmI know that you might not think that these chairs balance well in the room but I think that they have a modern/vintage-mix vibe. They also have elements of feminine and masculine which I think look great in your house. I’m not sure of your future vision but, I love them!
laura
November 13, 2013 at 6:33 pmlooooooooooooove it!
Melissa
November 13, 2013 at 6:38 pmI love the chairs but not the color with your sofa. I totally agree with you that the style is too much the same as the sofa. Sell them and break even or use them elsewhere. Buyers remorse is an unavoidable fact of life. It’s what you do next that inspires all of us!
AnnW
November 13, 2013 at 6:46 pmWell, you asked! I don’t see anything on your Pinterest page that looks like it would go with a chair with covered arms. I was always told by my decorator friends that nail heads were not a good idea. Kind of in the same category as carved oriental rugs. I think the color is a problem also. You always seem to use true colors. This green is very muddy. So I don’t think the chairs mix nicely with the sofa. Sorry, but I’ve had a long history of buying furniture and decorating my own rooms and I think something more modern or more George Smith would look better. Sell them, or move them to another room. I’m probably in the minority here, I didn’t read all the comments yet. Ann
Justine Lemmon
November 13, 2013 at 6:54 pmThe pink, blue and all the orange wood with the green are throwing me off. I would get rid of the pink in this room.
Judy
November 13, 2013 at 6:56 pmI wonder if you used a masculine pillow on the green chairs -a long narrow leather in the shade of your floors /and or the woodwork? Of course the pillows that I see that are really unique are so pricey that you might as well have bought the more expensive chairs. Can’t wait to see your solution-
Amy J.
November 13, 2013 at 7:00 pmOkay, this might not come across well, but I mean it with the best intent. I think you’re trying too hard. I think you are rushing furnishing this space and are making some, well, odd choices. This is a beautiful house. It has so many wonderful characteristics. But, so far, I’m not too impressed with what you’ve chose for it. I’m okay with the couches, but they wouldn’t have been my first choice for this space, for sure. I like the chairs okay too.
Here’s the thing…you are trying to put modern into a Victorian. While I know that’s all in and stuff, I think it looks silly. I don’t think it meshes well with the house or plays up it’s beautiful bones. You must change the way you are viewing this house. YOu are looking at pieces of furniture and buying them according to what you like in that piece OR to fit a preconceived idea of what you want the house to be. In an older home like this you must let it guide you, not the other way around.
Now, with that said, you could make the sofa and chairs work together in this room…beautifully. Take the colors of the couch and chairs and THEN find a rug to merry the two together. Once you’ve done that, then you can use the colors in the rug to pull other colors into the room and add more neautrals. Right now, your room feels frantic and all over the place…nothing is cohesive. I’d keep the chairs. They’re beautiful and a good find for the price. I’d axe the rug and the coffee table and pillows. Let the couch and chairs live in that space together with bare floors and nothing else for a few days…few weeks. And then when you’re out shopping something will jump out at you that will tie the two of them together and really showcase that room. Right now, like I said, it just feels like you’re trying too hard.
Sarah Jane
November 18, 2013 at 7:59 pmIf everyone stuck to the era of their houses, we’d all get stuck living in the past. I absolutely love the idea of mixing styles and eras and Nicole is doing it exactly how it should be done. Gorgeous original detail, some mid century, and a touch of today. Fab!
Amy J.
November 25, 2013 at 7:42 pmWell, good for you Sarah Jane. I am as eclectic as anyone when it comes to decorating styles. But, sometimes mixing too many styles doesn’t come across as stylish as much as it does not cohesive. That was what I was talking about. It’s one thing to get in your mind what you want, in general, before you begin decorating, and quite another to force a vision into a space no matter if it works or not. So far, it sort of feels and looks as if Nicole is letting her taste for furniture etc. dictate first versus letting the space sort of inspire her.
Sort of akin to trying find an outfit for a certain fancy party, but only limiting yourself to one or two stores to find the exact thing you want, instead of going in and not having a preconceived notion and just letting what’s there guide you. I often find that when I have mind set on something in particular that a)I won’t be able to find it b)my vision wasn’t exactly what I thought it would be in the end, meaning it just didn’t work. Sometimes you spend alot of time and energy trying to force a square in a round hole! You need a jumping off point in decorating. It seems like Nicole is going backwards here. If the blue sofa is the jumping off point, she needs to build off that first and let that guide her…instead of buying furniture of trying to use stuff she already has that just don’t gel. For instance, I’d use the blue sofa and then go to a rug…she can go modern if she wants, but it needs to be something that at least ties that blue in or is completely neutral. Once she does that she’ll have a better idea about chairs…styles and colors. Then accent furniture and accessories. One thing leads to the next…not just jumping all over the place and then throwing things together to try and MAKE them work.
It’s not a criticism of her. I like her style alot. But wit such a big house, she’ll be running around like a chicken with her head cut off if she doesn’t take a step back. Not sure if the blog is making things more pressing or what. Heck with that! LOL I wouldn’t let my business dictate making my home! (Unless I was getting free or majorly discounting stuff…then I”d be trying to make it work, LOL)
Amy J.
November 13, 2013 at 7:08 pmNicole…just search for teal blue and olive green on Pinterest for inspiration to tie the couch and chairs together. You need a warm neutral to tie them in together with an accent of orange and cream!
http://www.pinterest.com/pin/8022105558425489/
Amy J.
November 13, 2013 at 7:13 pmThis is sold out, but something like this with a lighter covered large tufted ottoman to break it up would be gorgeous!
https://www.onekingslane.com/product/28753/1823410
Heather S
November 13, 2013 at 7:14 pmI’m kind of sad that you’ve gotten so many great ideas for using them in your space because I want you to sell the chairs to me! I just bought an old home (as in we closed Friday) and I think those would look amazing in our living room!
I wish I lived closer to Chicago and that you were definitely set on selling them because I would for sure consider it! (I live in Toledo so it’s not an impossible drive…just sayin’!)
Abigail
November 13, 2013 at 7:26 pmI think they look GORGEOUS! Sleep on it and see how you like it?
Valentina
November 13, 2013 at 8:35 pmWhat about trying them in another one of the rooms in your home? You have so many unique spaces, many of which will certainly need chairs! I don’t think you should give up on them just yet, they’re quite beautiful.
Lisa Coen
November 13, 2013 at 9:04 pmThey aren’t my favorite, but if anyone can make them work, you can!!
Emily
November 13, 2013 at 9:15 pmI think the chairs are masculine enough – the tweedy looking fabric, the color and the brass nailhead trim all equal masculine to me. I also love the scrolly arms.
Meredith K A
November 13, 2013 at 9:34 pmI see your hesitation: I generally don’t love that shade of green. BUT I actually really love a more muted green like this when paired with warm natural wood, so with your unpainted trim and especially the even bigger expanse of natural wood shutters, I think these chairs are completely perfect.
trixxie
November 13, 2013 at 9:36 pmI’m going to have to say no to the chairs if your planning on going with dark and moody walls. The overall style of the chairs is a little fussy for my taste, but I do have to admit those blue ones are very pretty…just not in your space. I think both the color and overall shape aren’t going to work. With the shape of your couch, I think you want something more streamlined…those C&B chairs would look smashing. I also like the idea of leather/metal mix to toughen the look up and add a little sparkle. I say sell them and move on.
Jo
November 13, 2013 at 9:44 pmDid you keep the stripe sofa? I can see the green chairs working with it in the other parlor.
I totally get what you mean. I do think something brassy & angular would look great in there w the blue sofa.
(The green chairs are pretty gorgeous though & they do look ok as you have it)
suzannelee
November 13, 2013 at 10:27 pmisn’t this what its all about… we’ve bought all our furniture from ethan allen wharehouse sales, crate and barrel outlet, cb2, ikea, and room and board… all at great prices/great deals. but pieces we still liked/admired/.. and making it work… and saving the $$ in the process, and not paying up the yingyang for some “designer” room.. or straight out of the catalog.. but making our own style.. not copying a magazine or pin board. but being happy with what you have and what you can live with.. (and it’s most likely better than everyone else, in my mind.. unless you compare yourself with the non- do-it-yourselves).. cause it’s all about self reliance.. and doing it yourself..its the hipster way.
Diane
November 13, 2013 at 10:35 pmI am not sure I would refer to those chairs as feminine, more as classic and stately even though there are curves. I think they work nicely with the rolled arms of your sofa and I like the color contrast. We all question ourselves sometimes but they are beautiful chairs. Enjoy
Alison
November 14, 2013 at 6:47 amI think the chairs look good, but it would be easier for me to evaluate with a wider, more objective pull-back of the room. For me, your (very pretty!) tighter shots are super flattering to the chairs and the teal-green-wood tones that you have going on.
Lindsay
November 14, 2013 at 7:30 amI think they look fab – your house has enough personality to absorb the different colours and styles. My advice would be to embrace the eclectic! x
Ali Burtt
November 14, 2013 at 8:20 amI’m with you here. I like these chairs, but I love the shot of masculine modern that the C&B ones would give. If you can’t afford to have both, moving the green ones elsewhere, sell the green at your cost and move on.
Erin
November 14, 2013 at 12:24 pmPersonally, I love them and would love to have them in my home. They ARE a totally different look from the leather chairs to which you linked, but I prefer the softer more organic green chair with its fiddlehead armrests to the angular black.
liz
November 14, 2013 at 5:28 pmI like the chairs in the room. The pink rug and pillows I’m not so sure about:)I’d like to see some black and white and maybe some houndstooth in the room- that would man it up!
elz
November 14, 2013 at 7:27 pmI love ’em. If you don’t love them as you live with them, it might be worth re-covering them. I love their funky arms and would buy them in a nanosecond and make the room work around them!
Barbara Shirkie
November 18, 2013 at 10:24 amConsider having some green in that black paint. I love the chairs. With some constructed cushions that contain all your choices in colours (reduce the amount of pink, but have varying intensities of it when you do use it), and pick up both the greens and blues in art and the matts around it in the frames. You are so talented I’m sure you can add some greeny gold lusters to pick up highlights on your frames and perhaps the edges of the matts where appropriate too.
Picking up a carpet with either a hint of blue as well as green, or the reverse is an obvious possibility, and some planters. Rooms evolve…that is the magic and the fun of it!
Love your blog! Love the house! I, too, have cranberry hall lamps!
Barbara
Tonja
January 19, 2014 at 11:34 amHi I just found your blog, love it. Noticed that you have the same Antique kids rocker that I have. Do you know anything about it. My dad thinks that mine is around 100 years old as it was given to my Grandmother as a child and before that belonged to her aunt. Just curious. Thanks! Tonja