Ask the Expert Series: 5 Tips for pairing kitchen stools & dining chairs
Welcome design lovers, to our Ask the Expert series where we get insider advice from leading interior designers and architects on how to choose the right furniture to make the most of your spaces.
We get the inside track from Emma Rossiter, our in-house Interior designer at CA Design, who works on commercial and residential design projects.
We've asked Emma for her expert advice on pairing your kitchen stools & dining chairs. Emma shares her expertise on one of our most asked questions from clients, what works best when picking a set of kitchen counter stools & dining chairs - Should you match or should you not?
Have a read below to discover some of Emma's tips on how to make the perfect choice for your space.
1. Why is this a common question?
I feel it all comes down to mainstream Architecture and design. Today, spaces are designed to connect. More people are choosing to open up their homes through open plan living, which often leads to dining chairs and stools no longer being separated by rooms. Instead, dining chairs and stools are often in close proximity and within the one space.
2. What pairs well together?
While I usually avoid using the same set of stools and dining chairs in an open plan space, to help create a more layered look, we still want to create a sense of harmony. One way to achieve this, is by mixing the style but matching the colour or material. Another option, is to mix colour/ material, and match the overall shape. Getting the balance of finding the right mix of dining chairs and stools is much harder than you think! Here are some of my favourite combinations below varying the material, style, or wood.
Mix the style but keep the colour or wood type the same
It is important to note, that as wood is a natural material, it can vary in colour and tone even if they are both the same wood. Even if both stools or chairs are in oak for example, it doesn’t always mean they will go together. This is why it’s important to ask if certain pieces pair well together by specialists or by seeing them in person yourself. A nice combination of this ilk would be to pair the Ash Hans Wegner Style Wishbone Chairs with the Osso Stool in oak by Ethnicraft. These two pair quite nicely together as they are light in tone.
Mix material but match the style
Oftentimes what I recommend to clients is combining a certain shape, such as the Hans Wegner Style Elbow stools with the Kennedy Style Chairs. In terms of form, they share quite similar design elements so these pair quite nicely. Opt for a contrasting wood such as walnut or ash, or even vary the seating to another leather colour or a different fabric such as our natural papercord seating.
3. How do you know when to go for a light or dark option for kitchen stools?
Firstly, I would recommend looking at the colours in your kitchen. Ask yourself the following questions.
Lets look at your kitchen cabinets, are the cabinets painted off-white, blue or brown?
What are the colours of your dining table and island? Are these earthy tones?
What is the colour of your floor? Grey, brown, white?
With the information above in mind, Ask yourself, Do you want a kitchen or contrast or similar tones?
4. What is your favourite design hack?
I pull colours from the space's light fixtures. Often light fixtures can be matched to the style/material of the stool or dining chair. For example, if you have a black pendant light overhanging the dining table or the kitchen countertop, black chairs or chairs with black elements could fit well here. This can help create a sense of harmony in the space through touches of colour in different parts of the room.
5. Do you have any other tips?
Sometimes we (myself included) can be so focused on the look of choosing dining chairs and stools that complement each other, we forget about comfort and functionality. Stool back, seat size, footrest and fabric type are all important features to consider when trying to chose a stool or dining chair that functions well for you space. For example, if you have kids and want to have a more durable piece, a leather seat may work best for you as opposed to a fabric.