A friend just emailed me with an urgent request. They recently moved to a new apartment and sold their old dining set. Here’s what their new place looks like:
They purchased their new table from Housing Works (a really great thrift store here in NYC). It is round and has cute spindle legs and will either get painted or refinished.
Here’s where the urgent request comes in. My friend is hosting Thanksgiving dinner and needs a set of dining chairs ASAP and doesn’t want to get something off Craigslist (which can be expensive and a pain without a car here).
I thought you guys would be interested in my suggestions for relatively inexpensive and readily available dining chairs that swing a little modern to go with a vintage table. So here’s the list, from most to least expensive. Nothing is over $200 per chair:
These Tolix chairs from Pottery Barn (available in gunmetal gray, red or white) come out to $179 each when you buy a set of four. Or they are $199 when purchased seperately.
Talk about a classic–and the ultimate in kid-proof!
This great orange velvet chair from Pier 1 is a great price at $170. I love that it’s modern but also pretty formal.
Ballard Parsons chair in off-white duck for $129. There are other less expensive Parsons-style chairs out there, but none have the traditional upholstered legs that I love.
Kmart is absolutely teaming with great chair knockoffs right now! At just over $95 per chair, this set of Eames syle chairs looks like a great deal!
There’s a similar set that comes in acrylic too! $145 each.
I absolutely LOVE this pair of chairs from Overstock ($265 for two). Doesn’t the brown and cream fabric look suzani-inspired?
World Market just came out with these awesome French bistro chairs ($260 for a set of two). I think these would be amazing painted a bright color or white or black. Really any version of these chairs is going to be great (other than the unfortunately current state).
As a side note, this $199 bench looks so cool. It’s upholstery in a woven kilim-like zebra pattern:
$100 at IKEA buys you a really cool chrome and acrylic chair.
I have an obssession with klismos chairs and I think these from West Elm are a really cool, modern spin on the classic style.
Just $79 per chair, available in many colors. I’m partial to the yellow and the red.
This $60 chair from IKEA is a great, basic buy, especially if your dining table is going to be colorful. Or if you use a colorful dining room rug.
If it’s blue and lacquered, what’s not to love? These chairs from Target are just $40 each!!
Do you have any favorites to share?
It is the PB moorish tile rug.
I got it on Ebay last spring. there were tons of them.
I think the orange velvet chairs from Pier 1 are the best option. Reason being, they're upholsterd and look comfortable enough to be pulled into the living space for additional seating. Also, they would tie in with the area rug perfectly! They have a very Sarah Richardson quality to them I think. They would look great with the table whether it be refinished with a stain or crisp white paint.
so, what they chose? nice blog by the way :)
Shameless plug for my brother-in-law.:) If you are looking for Tolix inspired chairs, his reproductions are great quality and really affordable.
http://www.industry-west.com/
Solid roundup of cool and affordable chairs. Kmart is really stepping up their game!
http://www.turnuptherad.blogspot.com
What about the "almost Philippe Starck" ghost chair from Stacking Chairs @$99….always a favorite! Pat
I was rooting for the Ballard & World Market chairs until I saw the West Elm Klismos chairs. Love those!
Great picks, I would perhaps go with the clear IKEA chair. Love that one….
I have that EXACT table (painted bright orangy red) and I had the SAME dining chair dilemma, and solved it here: http://madmim.com/furniture/trash-to-treasure-my-kitchen-chairs
I think the chairs were probably Ikea originally…
These are great! I love the KMART ones!
What great suggestions!
All the Dining Chair collections are very pretty, I am really impress of the west elm chairs. Thanks for sharing it.
You likely already have this information but both of these chairs have Overstock counterparts to chairs: 1,3, & 4.
1. http://www.overstock.com/Home-Garden/Black-Tabouret-Stacking-Chairs-Set-of-4/5095639/product.html
3. http://www.overstock.com/Home-Garden/Vince-Clear-Shell-Chairs-Set-of-2/3829166/product.html
4. http://www.overstock.com/Home-Garden/Wood-Leg-White-Accent-Chairs-Set-of-2/4429638/product.html?rcmndsrc=2
I spy Taylor's family room!! So excited my cousin knows the Little Green Notebook!!
I like the orange geometrical rug. Do you know where ist from?
I love the selection you have of chairs but I was wondering about the orange and white area rug. I am in love with it. Please post where she picked it up. Thanks. I love your blog!!
excellent selections to match the vintage table, but can any of these really be called 'inexpensive' alternatives to CL?!
OOOoohhhh! It's so cute. I vote for the Eames or Bertoias. They're my all time faves.
My heart is a flutter from finding your blog!!! I poured over your posts last night and feel positively energized to complete our house remodel (we're *almost* done with a family room & laundry room addition). And the cherry on the sundae, was finding that Kmart of all places (!) has some fabulous modern pieces….shocked doesn't even begin to describe it. :)
Thanks again!!
I love your blog! Do you have any idea where I could find the chandelier in the picture with the red west elm chairs? I've been hunting forever! TIA!
Jan – the chandelier is also from West Elm. :)