How to match dining table and chairs?

Don't miss out on a great dining table just because it doesn't come with chairs, and vice versa. Your table and chairs don't have to be bought together. However, your chairs should be adapted to the scale and style of your table. Here's what you need to bear in mind when matching your dining table and chairs.

Avoid dining room table and chair sets

Years ago, the trend was to go straight for a dining room table and chair set, created so that buyers didn't have to worry about finding a matching table and chairs. The idea was to eliminate stress and indecision. But this approach to design is no longer the case.

The modern approach to decorating is to consider many other criteria before choosing dining room tables and chairs. Let's take a look at these criteria one by one in this article!

1. The dining table is your starting point

You should always start with the dining table, then select the chairs that best match it. To do this, you need to consider the style, size and material of the dining table, then think about the best chairs in terms of functionality, comfort and, of course, color and material.

2. Your table and chairs should be of different materials

As we said just above, you should avoid dining room sets, but you should also avoid choosing a table and chairs in the same material. For example, a wooden dining table with wooden chairs, or a metal dining table with metal chairs.

Avoid texture overload

If you match materials, your dining room ends up being obliterated by textures. You may feel that the decor is suffocating the whole space. On the contrary, to have a modern look in your home, your dining room needs to be as airy as possible. So, with your dining table and chairs, make sure that one is the centerpiece and the other takes a back seat. When table and chairs are made of the same material, neither looks as special as it should.

The exception to the "different materials" rule

The exception to the "different materials" rule is when you have a wooden table, for example, with fabric-covered wooden chairs. If you have a table and chairs made of the same material, then your chairs must have a specificity that allows them to stand out from the table.

3. They must be different colors

The color of a room is so important that it must be respected, and when you want to match a dining table and chairs, this color issue becomes crucial. You need to match materials, but you also need to match colors.

To do this, the color can be altered very slightly. A black table with anthracite chairs is a good example, or a dark brown oak table with beige chairs.

4. Your floor covering also comes into play

The color of your floor covering is another element to consider when matching dining room tables and chairs. The biggest mistake you can make here: the flooring, table and chairs are all very similar in color. To counter this effect, a rug is a great way to break up the monotony of your dining room.

Variation is the key

On a wooden floor, you should never install a wooden table of the same colour. color as the floor. Ideally, choose a different material (glass, metal or marble table), or a lighter or darker wood. Failing that (if you already have a dining table of a similar color to your floors), introduce chairs of a different color and softer texture. Keep in mind that variance is key. Variation in color, material, shape, etc.

5. Compare table size and chair height

If you're buying your dining room table and chairs separately, don't forget to measure the size so that they match correctly in this respect. Some dining chairs have backrests so low that they slide under the dining table. This doesn't look good. To remedy this, be sure to check the height of the chairs you're considering. Your chairs should be at least 10 cm higher than your dining table.

Also consider the width of the chairs

You need to make sure that the width of the chairs matches the size of your table too. If you divide the total length of your table by the width of the chair you're considering, you'll know how many chairs will fit on the sides of your table. Finally, don't forget to allow 10 to 20 cm between the chairs.

6. Consider style

In addition to choosing tables and chairs of a compatible size, the pieces must be well matched. Styles should also be compatible.

Choosing tables and chairs with a common element generally guarantees that they will go well together. This common element can be design, color shade or finish. It can even be a single element such as chair legs. That said, don't choose tables and chairs that share all the same elements, or you might as well buy a matching set.