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The unmatched dining set is one of the freshest trends in dining rooms right now, and one of our favourite takes on the trend is combining a natural wood table with sleek black chairs. Something about the look just works and after a few seasons in the spotlight, it’s proving to be a trend with real staying power.
The Unmatched Trend in Real Life
We recently had the opportunity to chat with style ambassador Ashley Trethart, one half of the Winnipeg blogging duo Bottles ‘n’ Blondes, about her recent dining room makeover. Ashley’s beautiful new dining room features—you guessed it—an unmatched dining set in natural and black.
Whether you are refreshing your dining space or starting from scratch, an unmatched dining set is an easy way to inject some personality into your space, but it’s not something to be nervous about getting right. As you’ll hear from Ashley, once she found a table she loved, choosing the perfect chairs was a snap.
After the Q&A with Ashley, you can shop her look, along with more great mix-and-matchable pieces from our dining room furniture collection. But first, check out this dramatic before and after:
Q & A with Ashley from Bottles ‘n’ Blondes
Why did you decide to make-over your dining room?
We’ve been slowly updating rooms in our home and the dining room seemed like the next best room to tackle. With an open concept home, there is nowhere to hide!
Tell us about how your room was being used before the makeover.
We used our dining room daily! Up until recently, we always pulled the high-chair up to the table for our son—now he sits in a chair which is helpful. Having a toddler and a baby, we were starting to need more space in the room.
What wasn’t working with the space?
The dining room table we had in this space was a beautiful piece we bought about 10 years ago, but it felt too big for the space and just didn’t make sense anymore. Imagine a toddler running laps around the table... it happens daily!
As you were starting this project, what was your vision for the room?
My vision for the room was sleek neutral tones with pops of black. I wanted something that was kid friendly where I wouldn’t be overly paranoid about spills and stains.
How did you approach choosing furniture/accessories for the space?
I started by looking for the table. Knowing this was the piece that would anchor the dining room together, it made the most sense to start there. I wanted to get away from a one dimensional table, and went I went to Dufresne to look for pieces, I found exactly what I wanted.
Do you have any tips to share with anyone thinking about a dining room makeover?
Start by knowing your budget, so you don’t fall in love with something outside your price range. Then, choose your focal point and start there. For me, it was the table, followed by the chairs. Once I found my wood table with black legs, I knew I wanted to choose black chairs.
Is your new dining room close to your original vision?
It’s spot on! The table is sexy (weird to say about a table, I know) and sleek and every time someone sees it, they fall in love like I did. The table’s organic, wavy edge is such a classy and edgy detail.
What do you love most about your new room?
As cheesy as it might sound, what I love most is knowing that we have a lifetime of memories to be created at that table.
Have you changed the way you use the room, now that your new furniture is in place?
I would say it’s been enhanced! Before this table, our dining room was only used for eating—I was too worried about getting scratches on the tabletop and stains on the chairs. The Jacob table is so kid friendly and, believe me, there have been spills galore and you would never know. From crayons to markers, spaghetti to orange juice, we’ve made messes. What’s nice is that we’re now living at the table, not just eating there.
That's a great point. Do you have any tips for creating a space that's stylish, but family-friendly?
Firstly, be realistic. White fabric chairs are beautiful, but the upkeep for me would be impossible. Decide what is most important to you and take it from there. Do you want style over function? Then go for it, but remember—spills happen! Do you want style AND function? Choose options that fit that choice, like tables with a durable, scratch-resistant surface and chairs that can easily be wiped clean.
Take it from me, it’s easy to create a family friendly space that is affordable, stylish, and functional!
Shop the Look
Before, Ashley’s open concept dining space was functioning well as a dining room but didn’t allow for much else. The matched dining set she had was a little too large and a little too precious for her active family, and the heavy dark wood no longer suited the bright, boho-inspired space.
To give the room more flexibility (and room for running—more about that later), Ashley swapped out her large dining table with the lighter and brighter Jacob table.
A popular pick from our dining collection, the Jacob table features a natural-finish, live edge acacia wood top and splayed, matte black metal legs. Although Ashley first fell in love with the table’s graceful live edge, it was its sleek legs which inspired her to add a set of black Centiar chairs.
Right at home in just about any setting, the midcentury modern-inspired Centiar chair has an easy-care, faux-leather bucket seat atop a sturdy metal frame. Not only is this style easy to pull in and out from the table, Ashley won’t have to worry about a heavy wooden chair falling during rambunctious play.
If rustic chic is more your speed, try pairing the Bennox trestle table with the Otaska side chair for a fresh take on farmhouse. The lightly distressed, wire-brushed finish of the table contrasts beautifully with the gloss black finish of the chairs.
And, there’s no reason you can’t do a dark table with light chairs. The plush grey upholstery of Napa Valley side chairs pick up the subtle grey undertones of the Oxford table’s live edge sheesham (rosewood) top for a stunning twist on the trend. We love how the curvy shape of the chairs helps to soften the industrial look of the table’s wood top and metal base.
We hope we’ve inspired you to try this fun trend in your own home. If you’re not quite there, consider switching out just the two end chairs of your dining set. If you have wood chairs, try a high-backed parson’s chair, like the Harvina (above). Or, if you already have upholstered chairs, consider a comfy armchair to give your table some real drama at each end.
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