Choose a Chair

Get the entire family involved in decorating a room. You may be surprised at the gorgeous results.

Wiy are dining chairs sold in sets? While convenient, it's a practice that's completely unnecessary. That's how the Cadieux family of Tulsa, Oklahoma, felt when redecorating their dining room. Each member got to pick out his or her own chair. The look is unique and speaks volumes of their personalities. Tulsa designer Sallie Hughes selected several options for chair styles as well as fabric samples prior to meeting with the family. see how they pulled it all together.

What's Your Favorite?

Keil and husband Chris both selected cozy chairs with fresh fabric. The bold yellow stripe features a whimsical floral print, adding a playful element to the room. The chairs, placed at either end of the table, sport a deep fringe in yellow, brown, and red shades. Before choosing a fully upbolstered chair like this, be sure to measure carefully. The chair's arms need to fit comfortably under the table.

It didn't take long for daughters Piper and Peyton to join in on the fun. Peyton selected a sleek, upholstered chair, much smaller in scale than her parents' chairs but still comfortable. She chose the green fabric simply because she liked the color.

Younger sister Piper took a more princess-like approach. The roundback chair with exposed wooden legs and trim has a graceful look. Complementing her passion for pink, the plaid's buttery yellow and rosy red hues fill the bill perfectly.

Simple Style Tips

Here are a few things to keep in mind to successfully re-create this look.

* Think about scale. A dainty chair next to a big upholstered one will look funny. Make sure the overall dimensions of each chair are similar. However, this rule doesn't apply to the host and hostess chairs (the ones at the end of the dining table). It's perfectly okay to choose larger styles to anchor the table.

* Mix your fabrics. Use a plaid with a stripe or a solid with a floral print. Options are endless; just make sure the colors coordinate. Try the squint test. Look at all fabrics together while squinting; if one pattern jumps out at you, choose something less bold.

* Repeat chair styles. You'll avoid the hodgepodge look if you use two or four of one style. In this case, there are two round-back chairs and four green upholstered versions.

JULIE FEAGIN SANDNER

Copyright Southern Progress Corporation Nov 2005
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