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New Parsons Chairs for the Dining Room {Getting The Vibe}

by | Apr 8, 2016 | Decorating Inspiration, Gather, My Dining Room, My Seattle House

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New Parsons Chairs for the Dining Room {Getting The Vibe}
Studio McGee

I am pleased to say that I absolutely love my dining room layout and vision now! So, I am moving forward with a plan to make this room come together. This post will offer you some inspiration for dining chairs in similar styles to new chairs I ordered, which I will talk about in a minute.

New Parsons Chairs for the Dining Room {Getting The Vibe}BHG

I am SO glad we pulled our furniture around and set it up this way so we could live with it for awhile. I think the buffet cabinet on the wall really helped solidify the arrangement, too. The “breakfast room vibe” is definitely a winner! We already feel so drawn to this space already and can’t help but want to sit at the table to soak in some vitamin D.

In case you are wondering about what we decided for the doorway, at this point I’m planning to leave the walls where they are but still open up this room a bit more to the kitchen with a slightly wider but arched doorway. More updates and details to come soon on the kitchen plans…

New Parsons Chairs for the Dining Room {Getting The Vibe}Lauren Liess

My plan is to use three chairs around the round table and then have a longer bench under the window. We would keep the table pulled up to the bench so it could act as the fourth seat (although the bench would actually hold two or three people for when we add the leaves to make the table oval.)

Happily, I discovered we already have a bench that is likely to work, at least for the time being, so it looks like I just saved myself from having to buy a new one or building one in by shopping in my own garage (but you can see my round up of banquettes here). :) Sometimes it pays to hold onto things, right? Someday we may do something different but it is SO nice to not have to spend more money than necessary right off the bat.

New Parsons Chairs for the Dining Room {Getting The Vibe}Atlanta Homes

We will also be using our same old table (the one we have had forever) for now. It still works for us so we can save some money there as well.

We are just about to get the living and dining rooms painted so we can have a refreshed backdrop. The existing paint on the walls is too creamy, like vanilla ice cream (yum!), and the ceiling paint is kind of blush pink (swine rosé?). We tried several new samples just in case we might get inspired by a different hue, but in the end we decided to paint the ceilings and walls the same fresh Swan White of our entry. New paint will make the entire space feel clean and fresh and with such great light streaming in the windows, we want to keep the backdrop pretty simple to keep the focus on the view.

New Parsons Chairs for the Dining Room {Getting The Vibe}Residence in Wainscott by Sawyer Berson

But now, back to the chairs! :)

We still really like our metal cafe chairs (we got ours at World Market) but this room is a pass through and not very big so those chairs take up too much room since we can’t push them under the table. Also, since we will be spending a lot of time in this room beyond just breakfast and dinner time, we thought it would be fun to get some extra comfy chairs. We will save the metal chairs stacked elsewhere for extra seating when we expand the table. We will use our two wicker chairs elsewhere as well.

I knew I wanted really simple, matching understated classic chairs in this room. Modern chairs can really update a look, but I really didn’t want three trendy chairs. We already have a lot of wicker and bamboo in our house so I ruled those options out as well. No chairs seemed just right until I thought about Parsons chairs with tailored but casual linen slipcovers. I think they kind of throw a relaxed but still modern French country vibe into the mix, which I love. Plus they will soften the room!

New Parsons Chairs for the Dining Room {Getting The Vibe}

Restoration Hardware Parsons Chair (not sponsored)

I scoured stores and online for just the right look. So many of the slipcover styles were just not right or even felt a little too dated for the look I was going for. I didn’t want a overly cottagey vibe or too much of a pleated slip. I wanted the linen to be the right color and good quality and the slip to be relaxed but tailored. Picky much? Yes. After scrutinizing every Parsons chair and all the slipcovers I could find, the Restoration Hudson Slipcovered Side Chairs in Belgian Linen Sand won me over.

New Parsons Chairs for the Dining Room {Getting The Vibe}

There are so many great options for Parsons chairs out there. To test a couple out, I actually went to the store and sat in my top two choices, the RH and the Crate and Barrel versions. Both were great, but RH won because I loved the look, weight and quality of their slipcovers as well as the comfort of their chairs (the backs of the RH chairs have a gentle slope which felt very comfortable on my back and the seat height was even comfortable for my short legs!). But I liked the look of both, as well as several others I found online. I really loved the style with the sloped arms, too, but we needed them to easily slide under our table so didn’t think those were ideal for us.

New Parsons Chairs for the Dining Room {Getting The Vibe}HGTV Dream Home 2015

Below are several parsons chair options! Many of these come in different fabric options as well! You can click the thumbnails below for more information about each chair.

New Parsons Chairs for the Dining Room {Getting The Vibe}

One other fun update will bring the whole look of the dining room together. I also ordered a new light fixture that has so much personality but will set the same understated, classy but casual look I’m going for. I am head over heels in love with it and can’t wait to show you, but you’ll have to wait to see it once we install it in the room :).

Now we just have to get these rooms painted, order our blinds (details to come) and await our new chairs and light fixture! We’ve been saying we are just on the PRECIPICE now of having our living and dining rooms finally pulled together to where we feel really happy with them, it won’t be long now!

20 Comments

  1. Jann from Newton Custom Interiors

    Melissa, I love your choice of the Restoration Hardware chair! Very smart to be thinking about being able to push the chairs all the way under the table to give you more room. Can’t wait to see the final reveal!

  2. Gail W.

    Ha ! Yes, in our ( never-ending) reno I arched all 3 entries to our family room ( from kitchen, foyer and hallway) and people regularly comnent on them. I love arched doorways and it seems to be a common, if not universal, feeling ! Good choice ! :)

  3. Sarah Linden

    We recently purchased a few chairs from RH in sand Belgian linen for our formal dining. The weave and colors in that fabric are to die for! It’s the perfect soft oatmeal color/texture that none of the other chair options seemed to offer. This post is also reminding me that I need to spray a fabric protector on them–any recommendations?

    Looking forward to seeing the new chairs in your home! Side note, love those blue-gray vases with the low branches in the Wainscott Residence photo.

    • Melissa @ The Inspired Room

      I agree, once I looked at the fabric I was sold (not as easy to tell online so I was glad I went in!). Good idea to use a fabric protector, too. :)

  4. Janet Woodman

    Hi Melissa, I highly recommend the Restoration Parsons chair but I recommend getting them on casters. I own two of them and they are my favorite chairs at the dining table because they move so easily. I can’t wait to see your Choices! ?
    Best, Janet

  5. Christie

    Lovely chairs! I can’t wait to see the room with its new paint, blinds, and light fixture. The vibe is right on — looks like a really inviting dining space.

  6. Patti

    Great choice for the Parsons Chairs.

  7. Debbie

    This is so funny. I went through the same chair selection process for my antique table. It took months! I chose the Restoration Hardware velvet chairs. The fabric is wonderful. Neither red wine nor kitty claws can damage them. And both have tried.

    • Melissa @ The Inspired Room

      Excellent, that’s wonderful. They definitely get high marks for fabric! Love it. And love that I can get different slipcovers if I want a new look! :)

  8. Sharon

    I have the same RH parsons chairs in Belgian linen and love the look and comfort was a must since in our new home I chose not to have a breakfast room but to only have a large farmhouse table and an island with seating. I love your look and read your blog every time it comes into my inbox. Looking forward to your finished rooms.

  9. Martha Parnell

    I am so enjoying reading about the entire process of your upcoming reno – from thinking through all of the various options to making final decisions (but being open to those decisions changing along the way too). If you ever do add built ins on the sides of the DR Windows, you could add a window seat in the middle! It would be great bench seating for mealtime and a cozy spot all the rest of the time!

  10. sharon / theprincipledtype.blogspot.com

    Can’t help it. I always like to pick out my favorite picture! Studio McGee wins this time. (Besides, having a classy black piano in the shot ain’t bad either!)
    Happy for you and your new purchase. Most important are the fam and friend bums that get to sit in them:)

  11. Bren

    I love these RH parsons chairs. I have the 60 inch flatiron RH table. 4 of the Parsons chairs are too big to fit so I’m thinking 2 parsons and 2 of the white aeon chairs with the wooden legs in the first picture……would this work?

 

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