If you follow me on any social media, you probably already know that I am strongly opposed to buying matching furniture sets. Matching sets in the bedroom, living room and dining room was popular in the 90s and early 2000’s because it made furniture shopping easy. You pick one set and boom, you have all your furniture and you know it will go well together.

In interior design today, this has become a major faux pas. If you want your home to look more designer, more luxury and more curated, taking the extra time to hand-select items that coordinate but don’t match is SO worth the time and effort. This applies to pairs like beds + nightstands, coffee tables + side tables, and, the focus of today, dining tables + chairs.

But how do we know what goes together? How do we know what wood tones to mix or when to add black or what shapes or sizes?? Here are my go-to methods for mixing and matching furniture and some of my favorite dining room combinations.

black and wood tones

Think of black as a neutral. Black chairs will go with almost any dining table but pair especially well with wood. In this pairing, the black legs of the table are repeated in the black legs of the wishbone chair. When pairing with tables that have sharp lines or metal features, try to contrast that with chairs that have curves or texture, like this woven seat.

2. Neutral Upholstery

Ok this pairing, is one of my favorites. If you want a light, airy, but sophisticated look, shop for light oak tables and pair them with white or light grey upholstered chairs. Feel free to be creative and mix and match the host chairs with the ones on the side like we did here. I like to add contrast by having a large curved piece at the ends and something slimmer on the sides that’s easy to push in.

Host Chairs: HD Buttercup - Arm Chairs: CB2 - Table: Crate & Barrel

A bench can be a great addition if you have little kids or a smaller space - it will visually open up the front of the table. If you decide to go with wood, I suggest buying the matching bench. If not, you can opt for upholstered or a woven leather.

3. Black and cane

A black dining table adds a level of sophistication and modernism. Especially if you have a lot of white in your house, a black table is the perfect contrast to create a focal point. But rather than pairing it with black chairs, instead look for chair with a hint of black in the legs, frame or seat, but also has unique texture such as cane, boucle, or velvet. And if your table has a thick base, opt for chairs that are visually lighter, meaning they are thinner and take up less space.

Chairs: Burke Decor - Table: Rove Concepts

4. Mid-Century Modern

This style refers to furniture from the mid 1900’s that was characterized by clean lines, sleek wood tones, and splayed furniture legs. But rather than having everything in the same style, go for contrast: a MCM table with bohemian chairs. Or MCM chairs with a rustic table. Mixing styles creates a more interesting look.

Notice that we went with wood tones in both the table and chairs but they actually aren’t perfectly matched, on purpose! The table is acorn and the chairs are walnut but they pair well together.
Table and Chairs: West Elm

5. Mixing Wood Tones

Just like in the previous example, mixing wood tones isn’t something to be scared of, rather it’s something we should aim for. If you ty to match the wood from two different vendors perfectly, chances are even if they are both called “light oak,” they will be slightly different. So instead, save yourself the headache and choose completely different woods for a more unique look. In this example: Burlwood and Walnut.

6. Mixing curves and angles

You’re probably catching on by now that contrast is one of the guiding principles when it comes to combining furniture. If you’re dining room is better suited for a round table (round tables are also better for group conversation), then contrast the curved shape with chairs that are more angular or linear.

7. Mixed Materials

Lately I’ve been loving tables with stone or concrete tops. They may be heavy but they are super durable and bring an organic element into the space. In order to avoid a room that feels cold or uninviting (the last thing we want in a dining room!) pair this type of table with soft fabrics like velvet or boucle - or both!

Especially with extra long tables, anchor the ends with unique host chairs, and opt for something more sleek in the middle. This will save you space and $$.

How to create a designer dining room

black and wood tones