Making the case for mismatched dining chairs (and ten ideas to copy)
Leaf through a copy of House & Garden, or scroll through one of our dining room ideas galleries, and you'll find a variety of design styles, room sizes, paint colours and materials. In one example you might see the pairing of a stainless steel countertop with an unvarnished butcher's block. In another you might discover how cleverly someone has placed cork alongside concrete. This mixing of styles is nothing new. In fact, it's the very thing that has always pushed design forward: incremental changes and shifts that add up to an entire movement. Why then, might I ask, do we so rarely see the mixing of dining chairs anymore?
A decade or so ago, mismatched chairs were all the rage. As Ruth Sleightholme, House & Garden's decoration editor and resident design expert, says, ‘15 years ago this would have been a moot point.’ But we are here to encourage the return of the muddled and mixed. After all, a layered house, full of collected pieces is infinitely more charming than one full of out-the-box, fresh-from-the-factory, just-took-the-plastic-off pieces.
The idea of storytelling is so important in any space. Without it, a house simply isn't engaging. Of course, we're not declaring the use of matching dining chairs dull, it's just that there's so much more to say than one chair can. Rémy Mishon, House & Garden's assistant decoration editor, says, ‘there’s something that feels more "family-style" about clashing chairs. Too many of the same and your charming kitchen table can end up looking like a meeting room.'
Mismatched chairs can also help to tow the line when budgets are tight. Got your eye on Henning Kjaernulf chairs? Instead of blowing your entire renovation allocation on a set of six chairs, why not just buy one and place it at the head of the table? Sometimes things draw the eye more on their own than they do in a group. ‘You can always build your collection over time, swapping out your cheaper chairs for your vintage finds,’ adds Rémy.
Then there's the question of functionality. We each have specific requirements, ones which depend on factors like leg length, back length, weight and more. What is comfortable for one might not be comfortable for another–and why sacrifice individual comfort for a uniform look? The ultimate goal of a kitchen or dining table set up is one that encourages hours of conversation and togetherness. No one wants to spend all evening in an uncomfortable chair.
How to do it well
To create a sense of togetherness, there should be some kind of cohesion. Find your thread and ensure it runs through each and every chair choice you make. Perhaps each of the set has a rush seat, or perhaps they are all fine examples of bistro chairs. They could all be from, say, the 1960s, or they could all feature a rattan element. Ultimately, if you stick to your gut, you'll likely end up with a set of chairs that all fall under some sort of umbrella.
'There should absolutely be some kind of unifying thread - probably a material or colour - and then you can mix the styles from there. That doesn't necessarily mean you need to go for a single colour, but what you should do is ensure your chosen pieces fall into a colour “family” like brights, or bolds, or earthy tones. Woods can be played with too, but again, match the types. Natural woods should be grouped together, not partnered with stained woods and vice versa. Alternatively, why not consider making little seat cushions for each chair and pulling them together with a fabric?
Design ideas for mismatched chairs
Paul Massey1/10Carlos Garcia's Norfolk house is a treasure trove of antique finds. His kitchen table provides an opportunity to show off his savvy eye, with multiple styles in dark wood.
Paul Massey2/10In Rita Konig's Durham farmhouse, her kitchen chairs look the same on first glance. Look closer though, and you'll notice they're each subtly different.
Tom Griffiths3/10Melinda Stevens found her dining chairs in various odd locations. The orange ones were picked up on the side of the road in Shepherd's Bush, and the blue ones were discovered discarded in an office basement.
Rachel Whiting4/10As featured in our November issue, Ruth Sleightholme has gathered a variety of ‘Rey’ chairs for a playful, yet harmonious effect.
Andreas von Einsiedel5/10If anyone knows how to use colour, it's Farrow and Ball's colour curator, Joa Studholme. In her Somerset house, a dining table picked up on Portobello Road is surrounded by chairs painted in ‘Paean Black’ and ‘De Nimes’.
Owen Gale6/10Arbiter of taste, Lucinda Chambers has mismatched chairs in her eclectic, colour filled house. Throwing all the rules out the window and caution to the wind, she has chairs of all shapes, sizes and materials around her dining table.
Douglas Gibb7/10David and Tibi Weir's serene spot on the Fife coastline is a modern yet welcoming space. They've grouped a few different styles of chairs with contemporary effect.
Paul Massey8/10In this Georgian rectory by Lesley Cooke, each of these chairs was bought at auction. This more casual dining area contrasts the formal one elsewhere in the house.
Lucas Allen9/10In this open plan mews house by Caroline Riddell, an informal air has been created through the use of mix-and-match chairs.
