LOS ANGELES — When choosing the right dining table and chairs, there are no rigid rules. Think about mixing and matching pieces instead of plunking down money for a perfectly matched set, experts say.
“These days, we see people choosing opposite styles for the table and the chairs,” said Amy Panos, a Des Moines, Iowa-based deputy editor at Better Homes and Gardens magazine. “It makes the room interesting and gives it personality. Everybody wants a very personalized, ‘Oh I threw this together and it represents my style’ look.’ There are no ‘I have tos.’ There are only ‘I want tos.’ ”
So when my husband and I recently picked out a new dining table and chairs at a local furniture shop, we went for a rectangular walnut table with a built-in leaf, and then chose 1960s-style chairs with curving wooden backs and green upholstery. We wanted the table to fit in with our vintage and midcentury modern-style furniture, and the chairs to be chic and comfy.
Think about your style, budget, the size of your dining area, how you like to entertain, and how you’re going to use the table and chairs — are they just for eating, or also for homework, kids’ projects, work?