November 29, 2011 | Posted In Kitchen

Style Editor: Farm to Table

If you’ve been reading our blog since its onset, it should come as no surprise that we have a soft spot for rustic, farmhouse tables. They can be surrounded by traditionally upholstered chairs, or encircled with more unexpected seating, like in the case of this dining room. The galvanized steel tolix chairs (for sale here) are a classic, and when paired with the natural wooden piece, their industrial, cool edge gets absorbed by the warmth and richness of the organic table, resulting in a perfectly eclectic union. Plus, with the right accessories, the look is totally malleable, and works with just about every décor scheme.

Try this at home:

  1. Go for bold. Though the traditional French café chair is an unfinished, raw metal look, new offspring of the classic piece are popping up in every color of the rainbow! Opt for a sun drop yellow or a punchy red for a funky, retro vibe, or lacquered white, black or a pastel for an elegant, glam approach.
  2. Choose the right accessories. Adding a glitzy chandelier overhead, crystal candlesticks, a silk runner and a damask-patterned rug underfoot has a completely different effect to grounding the space with a graphic, geometric carpet, adding vibrant tableware and a space-age light fixture. Luckily, a solid wooden table and metal chairs are not only a great foundation, but they are also style chameleons, so play around with accessories that echo your existing décor.
  3. Mind the finishes. We love the scalloping of the table in the above photo—it’s so feminine and has a certain homey-ness to it that you can’t find in a straight-edged version. If you dig a streamlined, industrial vibe though, a wood-topped table with a metal base would be a great option.
  4. Switch up the seating. Don’t be afraid to change around your chair choices. Adding a wooden bench, or even an upholstered wingback settee will cut down on the “cold” of the metal chairs and pick up on the wooden warmth of the table.