Home HOMES Decorating

How to get the mismatched dining chair trend right

Going for an eclectic vibe at home? This is the story for you.

There’s nothing quite so stylish as a home filled with mismatched furniture that seems to look effortlessly chic. Most often seen in French apartments and Scandinavian homes, the eclectic yet timeless trend looks fresh and adds personality to any home.

However, there is a knack to getting the mismatched trend right, and simply throwing a few antique or thrift-store pieces randomly together won’t quite do the trick.This is how to get the mismatched dining chair look right. 

1. Pick chairs of similar heights

Although we’re going for a mismatched vibe, there needs to be some type of unity that runs through your selection of chairs. Make sure they are all of similar height.

2. If you want an assortment of styles and designs…

Keen to try styling an assortment of chairs in different styles or designs? Then ensure you selected chairs that are the same height, and of similar colouring. For example, you might aim for six different moulded chairs, all in muted hues of blue.

3. If you want multiple chairs of different colours…

If you want an assortment of chairs in different colours, we advise you to choose chairs that are all similar in height, design and style – just different colours – for a cohesive appearance.

4. Stick to one era

To execute this styling technique correctly, try to choose different chairs in design styles all from the same era. For example, if you’re aiming for a mid-century modern chair look – you would want to steer clear of contemporary designs.

5. Mix old with new

Don’t be afraid to mix antique pieces with newer pieces of furniture. Try to pick chairs that all echo each other in some way though, such as looking for chairs all with tall backs, or all with rounded frames.

10 of the most iconic chair designs

  • Eames lounge chair
  • Eames hair
  • Arne Jacobson Egg chair
  • Hans J. Wegner Wishbone chair
  • Philippe Starck Ghost chair
  • Marcel Breuer Wassily chair
  • Verner Panton Stacking chair
  • Ludwig Mies van der Rohe Barcelona chair
  • Michael Thonet “209” armchair
  • Eero Saarinen Tulip chair

Need a little more help with dining chair selection? Watch the video guide below!

Loading the player...

Related stories