Decorating & Design

October 3, 2014

Holiday-Ready Seating

When decorating for the holidays or hosting Thanksgiving dinner, it’s easy to look around and feel a bit bored by your dining room decor. Sure, seasonal table settings can go a long way to liven up the room, but it’s the furniture that provides the foundation of your look, and what better place to start than with your chairs? Whether you’re looking for a five-minute fix or a major overhaul, we’ve got you covered with three simple ways to change up the seating at your holiday table.

1. Choose unique end chairs. The heads of the table are usually reserved for people of honour, whether that means grandparents, special guests or the chef. For the quickest pick-me-up around, try swapping your two end seats with chairs from other rooms in the house — the grander, the better! They’ll add character to your dining room and make your guests feel extra special.

2. Add hardware for a bit of shine. Metallic details look chic year-round, but it’s hard to deny that a bit of sparkle adds festive charm as well. If you own upholstered chairs, add metal studs along the edges or to the backing and cushions, at intervals, for a classic, quilted look. A single weekend is all you need for this great trick.

3. Bite the bullet and reupholster. It’s a little more labour-intensive, but fresh upholstery can completely change the feel of your dining room. Go bold and choose fabrics in contrasting colours for the front and back of each chair; the idea may seem intimidating, but chairs with a colourful front and neutral back look surprisingly subtle, especially when in use, since seated guests hide some of the colour!

Author: Amelia Nezil
Photographer:

Andreas Von Einsiedel

Products:

Pendant lights, Catellani & Smith; photograph, Trevor Paglen; china, Herme?s.

Source:

House & Home October 2013 issue

Designer:

Sam Makepeace