Dining Chair Dilemma, Part 2: Fabric

Thank you for all of your emails and comments about our dining chair dilemma. I’ve bought chairs.

In your emails and comments, the ones we finally chose had a solid following, but they weren’t the winners.  Overall, your favorites were #4, the Finn Juhl chairs, and, on their own, they’re my favorites too.  If we already owned them, I would certainly use them, and happily.  In our space, though, we ultimately decided that the 70s Milo Baughman chairs were the better choice due to considerations that many of you identified in your messages and comments.

First, the relatively tall ceilings and large metal chandelier need a tall chair to stand up to them, and the high backs of these chairs will do that.  Their chromed steel frames will also echo the fabulous chrome and brass 70s chandelier, helping to unify the room.  Third, the room badly needs the color, warmth and softness of textiles, and these chairs –really just seat and back cushions held up by a minimal metal frame– will bring the most upholstery into the room. Finally, I love the simplicity and unpretentious elegance of these chairs, and I think we’ll like living with them for a long time.

Of course, finding the right fabric is the key to success.  This is what the set of these chairs I bought on ebay (at a very good price) look like now.

Actually, I really like the bold flame pattern, but the dated peach, mauve and baby blue color scheme isn’t right for us.  We need to find a fabric that conveys a sense of warmth, comfort and luxury and invites people to settle in for long evenings of good food and conversation.  And I’d love to hear your thoughts.

But first, some context.

Here is a current view of the living room, which is open to dining room.  A few accessories are yet to come, but this room is basically finished (for now).

Here’s another view of the living room, with the open kitchen to the right, from the dining table.

And here’s the dining room itself, with the current chairs.

We’ll need a carpet too.  Sadly, it won’t be this one:  it’s a one-of-a-kind vintage piece, and it’s far too small.  I’m looking for something like this –a simple, modern design with this warm, sunny color scheme.  If I don’t find one soon, I think we’ll make a custom rug inspired by this one, although the 6-month or so wait will be frustrating.

I went fabric shopping yesterday, and this is what I brought home.  I think several of these are promising, but, as always, your opinions are most welcome. (All are photographed at midday on the dining table.)

1.  Orange textures

Left to right, top to bottom:  orange herringbone; deep orange cotton velvet; saffron shiny cotton rib; dark orange texture; light orange and gray texture.

2.  Fine Wool flannels.

Left to right:  saffron, orange, rust, raisin, purple.  Maybe one color on the seat and another on the back?

3.  Some outliers.  These fabrics weren’t really what I was looking for, but they were so beautiful, I had to keep them in the mix.

Left to right:  azure silk velvet; gold silk velvet; chartreuse cotton velvet.

So which to you like?  And of course, if you think I’m on the wrong track altogether, I’d like to know that too.

Looking forward to hearing from you.