Sitting pretty…

Chairs in a kitchen – a design decision

Today I’ve been thinking about sitting. Eating and sitting – two things most people enjoy very much. Assuming we’re not talking about balancing a plate on our knees in front of the TV but eating at a proper table, I want you to have a think about what you’re sitting on. Chairs often become a last minute thought, or almost an accident when bought as part of a table and chairs set, but to my mind you’re missing a trick if you have dull and boring chairs.

Many people have a place to sit, eat, work, or read in the kitchen – be it at a generous table that seats a whole crowd, or a tiny area to perch on a stool and have a cuppa. Style wise there are lots to choose from and getting new chairs is a great way to give your home a lift.

All things bright and beautiful… An injection of colour into a neutral room changes its identity immediately. Chairs are now available in an array of fabulous colours and they’re cheap enough so you needn’t worry about making a decision that has to last a lifetime.

Colour: Matching chairs to your décor gives a sleek, uncluttered look. White kitchen, black worktops, white chairs is a clean and uncomplicated combination. If you go for this look, try finding a chair with an unusual shape to be the interesting element. Smooth curves, funky legs or a textured seat.

Alternatively… and I must admit I rather favour this option… go for a blast of colour. Doesn’t have to be as bold as red – consider aubergine, lime green or teal. A pair of chairs can cost as little as £75 and many simple designs are an easy to live with shape, surprisingly comfortable and wipe clean. These are available in a range of colours on the high street and pack a punch in a monochrome room

Check these red ones out on the Ideal Homes website.

Or these from Next

A shot of bright colour makes a dramatic statement – this room would lose impact if the chairs matched the walls…

If you have a pale kitchen, take a look at how colour can transform the space. Imagine these lipstick pink chairs in a white room – fabulous!!

Orange – warms up white, grey, black or walnut perfectly.

If you have an all wood kitchen, I’d go for something other than wood for chairs – it can be a bit overwhelming to have timber everywhere. The colour you choose for the chair can be picked up in accessories elsewhere for a co-ordinated look.

Comfort: Padded or upholstered chairs give more comfort for long lengthy meals and can be any style you like.

Traditional meets modern   |  What a lovely shape  |  Nice stitched detail for a sumptuous look

Goes with anything…: A talking point for all guests and a bit of iconic style for you…

Orla Kiely – many people’s current favourite and these would look fabulous in a traditional, retro or ultra contemporary style home

Shabby chic – this is a style that’s synonymous with interior trends like Cath Kidston or Laura Ashley. The look is aged, loved and beautifully worn even if the furniture is new. This makes it ideal for use in a home where there are children running about where a beautifully smooth coloured chair stands little chance of remaining that way for more than five minutes. The basic style is a painted chair (any colour you like) that is “distressed” with the paint removed in areas that would remove wear and tear to reveal the wood underneath. The paintwork often looks old too so won’t show any bumps or scrapes – these add to the charm. This is a really easy revamp you can do on chairs picked up for a couple of pounds in a junk shop. My only tip is buy solid wood items that are comfy – don’t be scared to sit on them and wobble around to check they’ll withstand lots of use.

How do I do this? Clean if necessary to remove any grime. Rub the wood down to remove any lumps and bumps then wipe clean. Paint a layer of primer/undercoat (there are lots of good all-in-one products in your local DIY store) then two layers of top coat (I’d use eggshell as it has a nice low sheen) allowing each to dry before applying the next. Once fully dry, use sandpaper to rub the edges and corners until you see the wood underneath coming through. You can use a coloured wood wax applied with fine wire wool if you want to dull the colour paint and distress further.

Mix and match: I love this style and think it makes an eye-catching change to have modern funky chairs at a traditional style table or vice versa. These old wood chairs look inviting and soften the harsh lines of the contemporary units.

Finally…bar stools

No idea if these are comfy but they’re an amazing design

I just love these retro American diner style ones… Anyone for a milkshake?

Becky

This is a series of blog posts from Becky Clarke a contributing writing on Your Home magazine. Your Home magazine have featured our wall stickers on a few occasions and we loved Becky's approach to real life projects so we commissioned her to write about her interior design influences, trends and thoughts.

(Some of the images in this collage of styles and products are linked from Ideal Home magazine please make sure you have a browse around their site as they have tons more ideas for in your home).