You invest a lot of loving effort in making holiday meals something to remember. So make sure your dining furniture is just as inviting. On the menu: Comfortable dining chairs that encourage guests to linger and laugh long after dessert…a table (or two) that holds everyone even if your dining room is not a palace…and at least one practical, ample storage and display piece that defines your style.
Sanctuary 54-inch round table & thin console
If you don’t have a matching dinner service for dozens, don’t fret; mix it up. It’s fine if serving bowls don’t match dinner plates, and it’s traditional to have salad plates, dessert plates and coffee sets contrast with your regular dinnerware. Try to keep the same items in the same style, but if you don’t have enough (most of us don’t), here’s the trick: just alternate styles from one place setting to the next so the pattern looks purposeful. (You can do the same with glassware and flatware.)
Same goes for your dining room furniture. Pieces can match or mix, and heirlooms can work with new pieces in the same mood. Popular options are a table from one suite paired with chairs from another; or host and hostess chairs that contrast a bit from guest chairs, as seen in the Sanctuary pedestal table and eclectic chair selection in the photo above. You can even mix in a show-stopping credenza or china cabinet in a different but compatible style, or a console in a different color finish. Buying everything from one group often offers the best value, and that’s fine, too. Here are some distinctive looks that will earn applause for your style as well as your cooking!
Glendale buffet & hutch
Painted furniture like the Glendale Manor buffet & hutch makes a uniquely artful statement in a roomful of traditional wood finishes. Unlike a table, a buffet/hutch combo has the strong vertical presence to be your room’s focal point.
Wakefield rectangle dining table
Pale furniture is visually less dominant so you can use bigger pieces without it looking crowded. Openwork pieces also have a lighter, airier effect. You can see the result in groups like Wakefield. Crafted of hardwood solids and cherry veneers, it features a chic taupe paint finish that lets the beauty of the wood peek through. The Wakefield X-backchair and unique metal hutch over a taupe buffet provide ample function with visual lightness.
Wakefield buffet & hutch
Dining chairs should always be comfy but it’s even better when they’re also distinctive room accents. Colorful upholstery or sophisticated leather is an easy way to make a visual statement but decorative wood is a sophisticated alternative. The Sheridan leather arm and side chair is crafted of mahogany solids and veneers and evokes the charm of an Old World chateau in a casual and unpretentious way. Chairs this beautiful would look just as great in the foyer, perhaps flanking an antique chest.
Sheridan leather dining chairs
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