MIX AND MATCH DINING ROOM
I’ve been doing a little decorating and curating in my dining room. And it struck me… I have a mix and match dining room! A little bit of this and a tad of that and a smidge of the other. Gone are the days that everything is matchy-matchy. Now is the time to keep what you like and get rid of what does not work for you! Decorating is all about style… YOUR style!
It’s taken quite a few years and an evaluation of changes for my dining room to look like this. And really, this is me! I have been enjoying the decorating journey and I want to share how I pieced my dining room together.
Six years ago I had a very beautiful mahogany dining room table, chairs, and buffet. Six years ago it was well over two decades old. It was still in very good condition but I was so tired of it. So I made the decision, little by little, to replace and upcycle things my dining room.
And here we are years later and the look is totally different. Here’s what I mixed and matched!
The indoor/outdoor rug replaced a more traditional one. Every spill and stain and crumb comes right up! And this rug was quite a good price for the quality. I found it at Ballard Designs.
In the image above the curtains have stayed from the beginning of the transformation. I made and lined them. A big project!!!!
And the little black chair now lives in the dining room after replacing a rotating line up of other little accent chairs. Because the room is so neutral and light I like to have a bit of black to “ground” it.
The table was something I loved from the minute I saw it. It has a beautiful wooden base with traditional lines and a concrete top. I fretted about this purchase! After going over and over the pros and cons I bit the bullet, pulled the trigger and got it. And I’m so glad I did.
Yes, it’s a bit different but it really reflects my style. I love the high/low, rustic/refined juxtaposition. It is one of the mainstays of my personal style.
The color of the table works with the silver in the rug and the nailheads on the head chairs. I also am a huge fan of mixing metals. Are you old enough to remember when mixed metals was a no-no?
The head chairs were actually the first new thing I put in the dining room. Because all the soft furnishing are very neutral they all work together. The fabric on the chairs is a beige with a very slight heathered look.
The chair legs have a neutral/gold spatter effect. I like to show off the legs of this chair by cocking the chairs slightly outward.
One of the biggest tips I can give a home decorator about mixing furniture is to make sure the color palette is very very tight! And don’t match the wood colors but keep them in the same tones. The wood tones in this dining room are very light and washed out.
Now let’s move to the bench. This was such a find at World Market (sorry they don’t carry it anymore). It was a gray tufted bench with dark legs. I painted the legs white and antiqued them. Easy peasy! And covered the bench with a dropcloth! You can see the post for an easy dropcloth seat cover HERE.
The newest addition to the dining room are the trendy, yet not so trendy, bentwood strapping side chairs.
The overall style of these chairs is quite popular with the X back.
However, that is where the similarity stops. The apron of the chair has great carved and limed detailing and the legs are reminiscent of a Louis XVI Federal mashup!
I love the way the bentwood strapping curves to hug the seat.
The seat of the bentwood chairs is linen, the slipcover of the bench is a painter’s dropcloth, and the seat of the head chairs is a linen blend. They are all different but they work together. The key to mixing furniture is for the most prominent elements to play nicely together. I achieved this through color.
The outlier in this room is the buffet. This was a vintage oak buffet that I painted several years ago with chalk paint and a “striping” technique. I think it works because it is also a very soft color.
I had no idea or great plan when I started to curate my dining room piece by piece that it would look like it does today. But I trusted my instinct, collected great pieces, and kept true to my style. And staying true to what you love is the secret to a room that looks like YOU!
A mix and match room is such an interesting way to decorate and my favorite.
Do you have any tips for mix and match decorating? Please share!
You might like to follow me on Pinterest to see what I’m pinning every day HERE.
I’m soooooooo sad. I loved your dining room chairs that you painted and upholstered with the beautiful swirl fabric! ?I do like your new chairs, especially the french flair on the bottom. What will you do with your old chairs? The room is beautiful no matter what you do to it. You have impeccable taste!
Blessings,
❤Beth
I still have the 18th century chairs. I kept them for larger dinners. I LOVE the bentwood chairs. They really update the room!
I’ve kept mine too. They are in the basement ready for a big dinner party
Hi Yvonne! Such a beautiful room! You seamlessly mix neutrals with pattern! So awesome! I love the dining table and X back chairs! I’m doing room refreshes around my home also because we are putting it on the market! Hopefully, by the end of the year and then I can afford a new dining table and chairs! Yes, I know you usually aren’t able to afford things with a home sale, but we are going to a more affordable city than Miami so we should be able to get a great price for our home and be able to buy alot more for less! It is definitely a buyers market. Although, homes in our area are selling awesome even 4 bedroom 2 bath! Well, sorry to be verbose! Thanks for sharing!
You have done a lovely job of decorating and curating your dining room. With all the different but coordinating pieces, it has real character and soul. I love your dining room.
My tip for mixing and matching is to break up suites of matching furniture is move the pieces far apart (wink wink). I inherited my grandmother’s very formal Swiss Baroque 9-piece dining suite [which I love ?], and then we moved into a cottage. The china cabinet is now in the entry, and the credenza balances the fireplace on the opposite wall of the great room. The trestle table and chairs fit into the dining nook off the kitchen. Am currently taking lessons on chalk painting, so that I can update and lighten the 1928 dark finish
Just brilliant Marcy!
So smart, Marcy!
Your home is lovely and inviting. I am learning so much from your posts, most importantly that homes are our haven from the world as well as for hospitality and ministering to others. I can only guess that you do that with all the grace and elegance with which you decorate your home. Enjoy this summer-like day.
Yvonne,
Have been busy with my granddaughter still hospitalized but
She is making progress. Thanks for your prayers.
Been trying to find some distraction in garden which needs a while lot of work.Also find reading your blogs is very relaxing. Just got a new area rug for my family room
to add some warm weather decor. The taupe and blue pattern pick up the colors of a picture I have hanging over the mantle and go well with my sofa. Ordered some new pillows and changed up some accessories and the room is ready for spring and summer.
I have a suite of dining room furniture ( mahogany, Hepplewhite) from the 1920’s inherited from a great aunt. The China cabinet I’ll move to the entrance hall but the rest will remain as a suite. Just can’t quite think of painting any of it. I’ll just embrace the beautiful wood and all the memories of my family around the table at so many holiday and Sunday dinners.
I love your dining room, though, and so many of your decorative vignettes.
Yvonne,
I love how you have mixed and matched your dining room and the results are just beautiful. I think using a indoor/outdoor rug for a dining area is a great idea as they are much easier to keep clean when food or drink spill and they still look just as great.
Two years ago, I went in a whole different direction in my dining area and traded my farmhouse table/chairs for a mid-century 60’s Drexel faux bamboo table and chairs. I had the table and chairs lacquered in white and upholstered the seat cushions in a teal leopard print fabric. I have a similar faux bamboo credenza and really love how it brings a “Palm Beachy” look to the room. What I love most is that its unique and doesn’t look like everyone else dining room!
Your room sounds “yummy”! I’d love to see a picture.
All the neutrals work so well together.Loving the addition of the X back chairs.Lovely and inviting room.
What a lovely dining room! I especially love the table because it is unique! You do such a beautiful job decorating and curating your rooms! Awesome!
Lovely dining room! Thank you so much for the advice and hints for a mix and match room. It’s so liberating that we don’t ‘have’ to have matching sets any more. Moving into our new house next week! YAY! Then I can put some of your advice and hints into practice! So excited!
God bless you in your new home.
Love your dining room table and miss the swirl fabric chairs. I’m embaressed to admit I still have an oak dining room table and chairs. I need to update for sure! I am interested to see how many of you still have oak???
THe swirl fabric is under the bench’s slipcover. I love it too!
I have always Loved your dining room….my wish is to get mine looking similar!! Thank you for always inspiring me to work on mine!
I’ve followed you for years- way back to the days of your formal tablescapes in the brown dining room! I recall that a huge swan tureen used to grace your table. Curious to know if you kept it! I admire you for having the energy to be constantly fine-tuning your decor. Do you take vitameatavegamin? LOL
Hi Margie, Yes I still have the swan and I love it! I change things out because I am a decorator and a blogger. And it does take tons of energy! I need to get my hands on vitameatavegamin for sure!
Love the new chairs! Your dining room is amazing! Could you share where you purchased the new chairs? I have been following you for several months, and I have been inspired by your refreshing decorating style! Thanks for sharing all your wonderful ideas.
Hi Cheryl, The chairs are from Wayfair.
I love the new X back chairs, and have been looking for the right ones to go with a vintage table from my grandparents home. Where are these from, or do you know any places to buy similar ones? I love your curated decorating style : )
I’ll be doing a post with links for them soon. They are from Wayfair.
I couldn’t agree with you more about using an indoor/outdoor area rug under the dining room table! It only makes sense!
We purchased 18th century queen Ann cherry dining room suite in 1984. I’m still in love with it today! We downsized two years ago and built a cottage style house and I insisted that we bring the same “suite” with us. Our new home is open concept without a designated formal dining room. It still works for me. I’m not one to update what’s trendy or in style. My dining room suite is classic and suits me fine. My style is traditional cottage. It all works well together. I have had the chair seats reupholstered several times. Your dining room looks beautiful but I still like my suite.
Beverly, it’s all about creating a style YOU love. Seems like you found it!
How I love the story of how your exquisite dining room came together!!! Thank-you for this beautiful story! I love your style!
I just love your dining room!
Yvonne, did you know that Pottery Barn is coming back out with those punched ceramic lanterns? They’ll be available the end of August – first of September. I’ve pre-ordered mine! I’m so glad, I’ve admired yours for years.
I love your dining room! I love how everything isn’t the same color/texture/wood. It looks very inviting and comfortable. I’m getting ready to redo my dining room and I’m very excited to mix things up!
Your dining room is so lovely; I like the touch of black and the gold mirror. You can put a room together beautifully and over time it is fun to see the changes. I find myself saying “WWYD” when I start thinking about changing something in a room:). I have labored over choosing fabric for my Schumacher “Habitat” Bergere chairs and this post has given me the direction I need to make the selection. So my “WWYD” question has been answered with a neutral Crypton treated fabric in an off-white. I just love your style and how you have incorporated several textures with new and vintage.Thanks for all your valuable information about working with neutrals.
LOL!!!
I so love your style! I’m getting ready to paint a dresser for my bedroom and love how you painted the buffet. I’ve chalk painted many pieces, so I’ve go the basics down…just wondering how you did the striping technique. Did your dry brush it?
Cheers!
See this tutorial for creating a color wash: https://www.stonegableblog.com/creating-color-wash-effect/
I’m not sure I could love this dining room more even though I thought that before you made these changes to it. It’s just perfect in every way.
I love how you styled your dining room, especially your Bentwood dining room chairs. They have such great updated detail!
Thanks, Jan!
HAPPY SATURDAY!!
Love your blog regarding DR mix and match.
We have a centrally located DR in our home and love and use daily.
Our set is beautiful. After 42 yrs we still use it daily?
With home improvements over the years we have moved
our very large hutch To a new location not to far from the DR, replaced the large heavy chairs (4) with gorgeous
rattan high back chairs (6).from Ballards.
My husband works from home and has 2 yes 2 offices in
our home. One on the main level and one on the lower level. He loves using the DR table when he is at work?
We also have a nice eat in kitchen off of the DR. Wouldn’t dream of using our DR only a times a year
Your home sounds lovely Su!
I really like what you have done with your dining room. It is beautiful.
I also loved how you changed your past dining room by painting the table & chairs.
This is more in my budget and I would really like to see that post again, but I am
having a hard time finding it. Could you help me.
Hi!
I was wondering if you could direct me to a site for the lovely rug in your dining room. It is black, gold and cream. I’m in love with it!
Thank you!
Caryl
Hi Caryl, The rug in the StoneGable dining room came from Ballard Designs. However, it is no longer in stock! Sorry!
I just started an indoor herb garden. Very excited about this little project. Did you start your herb garden from seed?
Where do you store your extra furniture Yvonne?
No, seeds would take too long. I bought these little plants. They were very inexpensive.
I love the two white jars with handles on your Buffett table? Where can I find them???
Hi Diane, I found them almost a decade ago at the Pottery Barn.