Who doesn’t love a bargain? Perfection is living in a world where you name your price for the artful innovations and creations you select to complete your space. Unfortunately, that utopian concept doesn’t yet exist. Design, particularly good design, is usually delivered at a premium. However, a skilled designer knows when to splurge or save on specific design elements! This week, I discuss which to do when purchasing dining room chairs.
Dining Room Chairs
Your dining room chairs go through so much, the poor things. No matter how sturdy they are, they are dainty furnishings that wear much faster than other items in the home. Think about your kitchen cabinetry or beds; they pretty much last eight to ten years. Dining chairs? Not so much.
Dining room chairs tend to get beaten up quickly. And, they get more “love,” so to speak, because they’re meant to be sat in and frequently used. That frequency shifts exponentially if you have kids around the house. As such, I think it’s okay to purchase dining chairs knowing that their longevity isn’t going to be a lifetime. If they’re used for meals, homework, casual chats and work, yeah, they’re going to wear out.
So, should you splurge or save?
Save!
Listen to your always-helpful online interior designer, Breegan: don’t make a 10-year investment in your chairs. It’s not worth it financially or with respect to your peace of mind. I think it’s extremely unrealistic to think that kids won’t spill drinks on them, or grandma won’t spill a bit of wine on herself (and on your chair). If chairs get stained or worn, simply replace them. Heck, replace them every few years or so, anyway. Really good ones are not expensive. Plus, changing them out is a quick and easy way to give the dining room a new look and feel.
There are some really good dining room chairs in big box stores that are trendy and inexpensive. As an alternative to buying chairs, slipcovers also work great as a visual refresher for them. I personally prefer buying upholstered chairs. Sure, they’ll get a stain or two on them, but in three or four years, I know I’m going to replace them.
(Mis)match Them Up!
I also think mismatched dining room chairs work well for the same reason. It’s something I’ve done frequently in interior home designs. It’s a really funky way of brightening the tone of a dining space. Mismatched chairs create a visual cohesion by themselves. If done right, the intentionality can make a fun but polished statement.
Mismatched dining room chairs also will give you peace of mind if one gets ruined. You can simply switch that one out! That way, you can invest in your dining room chairs in much smaller increments versus buying an entire set. When one chair needs to be replaced, you don’t need to replace them all. I love that!
Using different dining chairs also alleviates visual awkwardness when entertaining extra guests for dinner. When you have a single set of dining room chairs, adding in extra chairs looks conspicuously different—and potentially a bit tacky. Not so with mismatched chairs! If you intentionally break up with scene with different chairs, adding others adds to the cohesive look and feel. #DesignHack!
Whether they’re worn out from everyday use or worn out from a lot of love, dining room chairs are central hubs for our bums. Don’t make the mistake of keeping them around forever. Switch them out as you need to, and use these tips to save yourself some cash for other interior design needs. Thank me later!
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