7 Unstuffy Ways With a Formal Dining Set
You can play the match game with your table and chairs yet still have an inspired, multidimensional dining room
Houzz Contributor. Fresh out of journalism school, I fell into decorating media and immediately discovered a new passion. An Atlanta native, I spent several years as an editor for Atlanta Homes & Lifestyles magazine before making the leap to national publications and websites such as Houzz, Better Homes and Gardens and Southern Accents. I live in Birmingham, Alabama, with my husband and son, who’ve gotten used to coming home and finding the furniture rearranged. When I'm not dragging case goods across the floor, I enjoy good food and wine, college football, music of all kinds, and traveling.
Houzz Contributor. Fresh out of journalism school, I fell into decorating... More »
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Whatever happened to formal dining sets? A generation or two ago, it seemed, no well-outfitted home was complete without a table and chair suite and a coordinating china hutch or sideboard. Then came the rise of shabby chic and cottage style, as well as a new appreciation for the collected approach to decor. Suddenly, dining sets got an undeserved rap as stuffy and uninspired, a relic of a less enlightened design era.
While I've seen many an eclectic dining room that stuns me with its style chops, I'm not ready to dismiss classic furniture sets yet — in fact, I have one in my own dining room. With a variety of textiles, found treasures, casual art and unexpected accents, I've managed to alleviate the one-dimensional look that can result when all the furniture in a room matches.
Check out these seven spaces to get a glimpse of just how versatile dining sets can be. And let us know in the Comments how you've updated your own!
While I've seen many an eclectic dining room that stuns me with its style chops, I'm not ready to dismiss classic furniture sets yet — in fact, I have one in my own dining room. With a variety of textiles, found treasures, casual art and unexpected accents, I've managed to alleviate the one-dimensional look that can result when all the furniture in a room matches.
Check out these seven spaces to get a glimpse of just how versatile dining sets can be. And let us know in the Comments how you've updated your own!
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Clean. The black Chinese Chippendale-style chairs and dining table are so crisp that they appear etched into this neutral space. Simple, layered millwork, a duo of abstract paintings and an unobtrusive sisal rug enhance the linear feel of the room, balanced by the gentle curves of the table and chandelier.
by Cindy Rinfret
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Glamorous. This dining room whispers of luxury, from the velvet chair upholstery to the intricately patterned wallpaper. Yet look closely and you'll see contemporary touches: the subtle geometric-pattern rug, the simple Roman shades at the windows, the stripped-down take on a traditional crystal chandelier. The effect: quiet opulence with an updated edge.
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| Cozy. This space has all the trappings of traditional decor: a blue and white palette, a stately dining set, handsome moldings and trim. Yet it feels as relaxed and welcoming as a summer cottage. Is it the patchwork houndstooth rug or the splashy toile curtains? Or perhaps the unfussy porcelain and drum-style chandelier? |
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by Kim Armstrong
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| Vibrant. A riot of color and pattern spices up what could have been a very traditional dining area. Orange walls, sizzling pink and white chair seats, beribboned armchairs at either end of the table and preppy plaid curtains combine with such confidence that they cooperate rather than clash. Even so, the room has enough formal architecture and fixtures that the Chippendale dining set doesn't feel out of place. |
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| Folksy. A pale painted finish and gingham seat cushions make this Gustavian table and chairs feel humble and homey. Classic Swedish accents, from the clock on the buffet to the star at the window, reinforce the air of country chic. |
Refined. Everything about this setting feels graceful and mannerly, right down to the pineapple finials on the curtain rods. There are no design surprises here, and yet the look is anything but stale or stodgy. Like a well-cut navy blazer or a pristine strand of pearls, well-chosen furnishings and accents are always in style and good taste.
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Breezy. Despite the dressy furniture, this coastal space feels buttoned down enough for beach living. Cheery apple green, casual stripes and a mod chandelier set an informal tone that suits the natural surroundings.
Ideabook published on Nov. 18, 2012.
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I reckon the current fad for an overblown and ornate kitchen, resplendent in its acres of white marble, rococo-esque cabinetry, and pseudo pro appliances, is the new dining room, in that it has become the showpiece of the house: elegant, but seldom used with any great enthusiasm.
Ironic, when we have a general loss of culinary skills, yet a national and chronic obesity issue.
Instead of taking the time to MAKE what Jamie et al demonstrate on numerous cooking shows, we'd rather fill our time blogging and tweeting about our time-consuming lifestyles.
Not all of us, just some of us. ;)
good luck.
How about replacing just the end chairs with something similar or complimentary but in a more modern color or pattern? Is your china cabinet a hutch where you can remove the top but keep just the bottom? I have seen that done on TV shows and it does make a difference. If you have any glass fronts for display can you update your look with some updated pieces or some editing? Change your window treatments? Just change one thing and live with it for awhile. It doesn’t have to be a major redo to get the look you want. Whatever you do, don’t get rid of the pieces you remove. A few years from now you may wish they were back and you never know….they might be back in style and/or valuable or a family member may covert them!