6 Mix-and-Match Design Ideas for the Dining Room

These unexpected table-and-chair combinations prove that opposites really do attract.

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It may not always happen on a date, but opposites do get along well at the dinner table. I’m talking about tables and chairs that on paper don’t look like they’d work together, but when they meet in person, sparks fly. Many designers love the tension created by juxtapositions and it makes me wonder whom they’d fix up on blind dates—and what the results would be.The lumberjack falls for the architect. Perhaps she chops down the trees and he designs the house they build with them. The shapes and textures of the live-edge wood stand out in this all-white dining room. Iconic molded plastic Eames chairs add a classic mid-century modern touch without taking away from the stunner of a table.The Goth and the cheerleader go to the prom. It’s been the premise of many a successful teen rom-com, and it’s a success in this colourful room. Like heavy black eyeliner, the dark table anchors the look while cheerful pastels add enthusiastic frivolity.The introvert is the yin to the extrovert’s yang. There really isn’t much point in choosing a Rococo-inspired table with gorgeous scrolled legs if you’re going to cover them up. So pairing this table with clear Louis Ghost chairs keeps the view open. And introverts aren’t necessarily shy; they like to sit back and be thoughtful before jumping in. Because the chairs’ silhouette comes from a Louis XVI design, there’s a clever and subversive style relationship going on here as well.The Palm Beach socialite marries the mechanic from Pittsburgh. Industrial metal legs and a heavy wood top make for a no-nonsense table. But the curvy yellow chairs, with their colourful tropical cushions, have no problem taking a seat at it. Overhead, the chandelier is a great representation of both styles—delicate crystals hang from an unfussy bronze structure.The straight-laced Brit and the American hugger shack up. The clean-lined geometry of this octagonal table is softened by the curvy chairs that envelop the diners.The rough-and-tumble welder agrees to go out with the buttoned-up CEO. Think Jennifer Beals and Michael Nouri in Flashdance. This coupling of an industrial metal table and soft upholstered chairs strikes the right balance between textures. The neutral colour scheme allows the table to be the star, while a glass top keeps it clean.

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