apartment therapy changing the world, one room at a time

My advice is - Spend the money for the matching chairs! Think about the long term, not just the money you'll spend today.

That is an AWESOME table in my opinion. It's a purchase you'll only have to do once, and it will be a family heirloom set. Don't cheap out after buying such an awesome table. It'll only be painful for a while. 20 years from now that is a set you will be very proud to have sacrificed for in my opinion. Those will probably one day be antiques that will be very prized.

Don't forget to get a nice rug. My vote would be for either an Afghan Chobi or a Turkish Oushak. Both have have hand-spun wool, natural (vegetal, *not* "vegetable" dyes), and most importantly, subtle colors with limited palettes that will enhance, not detract from, that gorgeous dark wood. Be prepared to pay 3-4000 or more for a large Oushak or Chobi but it will also outlast you. No cheap Ikea rugs allowed with that table. LOL

You can save some money by going with an Indian made rug. Agra, Jaipur, Varanasi are all good (Varanasi rugs are by far the better choice of the three if you like thick plush rugs).

You can save more by buying a pre-owned "semi-antique" rug. It's not uncommon to find 30 year old rugs in mint condition. Shop around. Check Craigslist, you never know.

Avoid E-Bay. You need to see a rug in person first and you need a money-back grantee in case the colors aren't exactly right when you get it home and actually set the table on it (the vast majority of E-Bay rugs are moth eaten, damaged, repaired, cut & refringed, low pile, and have dye-runs if you look very closely).

It's been done a lot lately (especially in magazines) but I think with that table it would look great to group different chairs all stained the same (and same as the table) and upholstered the same. It's cohesive without being matchy, quirky without looking cheap or thrift-store.

Maybe like a Windsor with a high back or Chippendale with elaborate woodwork

Sarah,
I vote for painted white or upholstered chairs. I'd avoid anything matching. You might want to check out designer Windsor Smith's dining room for inspiration. She paired white painted chairs with dark leather seats and an upholstered bench with her large dark table. There's a pic on her site at -- http://www.windsorsmithhome.com/Portfolio/88 -- and you can see a video of her home (and dining room) on the domino Web site here -- http://www.dominomag.com/howtos/advice/video/2007/07/windsorsmith -- She does a good job of mixing a glam feel with other elements. Good luck, it's a lovely table!

Gorgeous table!

I did a little research, you might want to check into these:

A post on D*S from about a year ago: http://www.designspongeonline.com/2007/02/viva-glam.html

Chair ideas:

Maybe: http://www.potterybarn.com/products/p10657/index.cfm?pkey=cfurdinchr

http://www.potterybarn.com/products/p3631/index.cfm?pkey=cfurdinchr

http://www.crateandbarrel.com/family.aspx?c=891&f=14858

http://www.crateandbarrel.com/family.aspx?c=891&f=26597

I love the idea of mis-matched chairs in the same stain as the table.

Another thought - though perhaps TOO much of a contrast - is the Philip Stark Ghost Chair.

http://www.thisnext.com/item/59228119/Phillipe-Stark-Louis-Ghost

I've been looking at chairs for about an hour. No wonder you are stuck. There are too many styles!

Prices vary a lot. some of the items end up being antiques and already sold, which is annoying, but OK considering some things are also very expensive.

What do you think about this chair?
http://www.restorationhardware.com/rh/catalog/product/product.jsp?productId=prod1154275&navCount=1

Or this chair:
http://www.jaysonhomeandgarden.com/product.php?productid=3032

I looked for things that were about half the price of the chairs that were on Drexel:
http://www.drexelheritage.com/collections/postobello_couture/items/5154/index.html

Any other details you want to share? Like color preferences? Price range? Besides price, what didn't you like about the ones at Drexel?

I think the matching cahairs can be used without looking "matchy-matchy".

Just don't use matching coffee tables, end tabes etc.

Use lighter wood for your other wood furniture (it's good to mix wood types for contrast anyway, they say).

Mix styles.

Etc.

I'd never choose chairs that match the table - Sets of furniture are for people who lack imagination...

For the Hollywood Regency look that the OP is going for, I'd suggest a set of Chinese Chippendale chairs similar to these: http://www.1stdibs.com/furniture_item_detail.php?id=65142 but painted in Red Lacquer with upholstered seats in a Greek Key/Geometric motif. Jonathan Adler has similar chairs in a Lime Green, which could also be very cool: http://www.jonathanadler.com/shop/product.php?productid=17087&cat=361&page=1, tho I'd prefer some with arms.

You could even choose a pair of Chippendale Wing chairs upholstered in a flamboyant Asian-motif Cotton/Linen as the "host" chairs at the ends of the table.

http://www.haqure.com/furniture/antique_repro/accent_chair/directoire-upholstered-armchair.html

Wow - such great ideas...I was surprisingly intrigued by the Pottery Barn Lela chairs. Except that I think black might be too harsh against the table (which technicaly is ebony, but appears black except in bright-bright sunlight) and white looks too informal. And the Starck Ghost chair is magnificent - albiet it might be a little too "modern" for my husband's taste, he tends to revel in all things wood...

Funny enough, this weekend, husband and I moved a rectangular Indian antique rug from our den into the dining room and it looks fantastic - it definitely was a good move to break up the monotony of the table/dark floors and it added another layer of texture into the space.

I LOVE the idea of mismatched chairs in the same stain...but that is a time consuming venture, for sure. Finding individual chairs we love and staining each of them (I am hoping for 6 total now - to acquire up to 10 or 12 over time - I'm not Rockafeller, after all!) would probably take a while.

Love all the ideas - keep 'em coming!!

bepsf - I believe you owe me an apology.

I have tons of imagination as anyone who has seen my place will attest to.

Using chairs *designed* to go with that table may not be your thing, but don't insult people who think they would look good together.

Purchase 2 of the chairs that go with the table and then do a mix of styles for the rest. It will help anchor the table w/o being too matchy matchy and the other chair styles can add the diversity.

It takes imagination to make furniture, matched set or not, to look good.

What about getting a few chairs you like and then a long bench with a thick cushion on top?

I think the Pottery Barn Lela chairs in red or yellow would be great with the table and your blue walls. Or something equally light/airy to balance out the weight of the table (which is beautiful). Didn't Maxwell do an email recently with all sorts of woven cafe chairs, high and low?

A few more ideas:

http://www.crateandbarrel.com/family.aspx?c=891&f=26556

http://www.crateandbarrel.com/family.aspx?c=891&f=13742

If you do a search on ebay for Hollywood regency dining chair, you will see many promising options. I especially liked these: http://cgi.ebay.com/6-VINTAGE-HOLLYWOOD-REGENCY-DINING-CHAIRS-mont-era_W0QQitemZ370057081289QQihZ024QQcategoryZ156311QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem. They would look great reupholstered.

Hmm...for some reason my link didn't work, but if you search for "vintage hollywood regency dining chairs" on ebay only a few items come up. The chairs I thought would go had high backs and were upholstered in a green fabric.

Slipper chairs would be pretty along the sides of the table. Something more substantial, with arms, (such as a wing chair) would be good for the head(s) of the table.

I love the AT community for all these helpful hints, btw...so fabulous. I fancy myself a decorating diva but for some reason I have been having a brain fart with this table - but a lot of these crate and barrel options (AND those fab H. Regency chairs on ebay) are silhouettes I never would have looked twice at and are all now really intriguing me!!

I have a similar table and I paired it with the Louis Ghost chair on each end, then I have two long barcelona benches flanking the sides. I am not sure if this is the style/look that you are going for, but I love the juxtoposition of modern and baroque-esque traditional furniture.

Kartel clear chairs . I like the Louis Ghost on either end and other clear in middle. They will show off the table more. Don't match the table with the chairs.

I think your table is so beautiful and it would be a crime to use chairs that aren't conducive to long leisurely dinner parties. If you want an old Hollywood feel, skip the all uncomfortable wooden / plastic chairs and go for upholstered chairs in velvet or some other glamorous fabric. The Sasha chair from Crate & Barrel has a curved back that picks up the curved pedestals and comes in eggplant or magenta velvet

http://www.crateandbarrel.com/family.aspx?c=891&f=26139