Thursday, June 3, 2010

Choose A Dining Chair

Dining room chairs can make or break a dinner party.


Dining room chairs might be a more important buying decision than you think. Uncomfortable chairs can discourage lingering at the table after you've enjoyed a lovingly prepared meal. Unaesthetic chairs can diminish your appetite for a festive dinner. Choose new chairs for your dining room table with care. Consider the wood, as well as the colors before making your decision.


Instructions


1. Look for solid wood, rather than plywood, when you're shopping for dining room chairs to match your existing table. If you know the type of wood your table is made of, then match the chairs to that wood. Otherwise, focus on finding wooden chairs that match the color of your table.


2. Test the chair's construction. Make sure it doesn't wobble. Pick up the chair. A heavy chair indicates a solid, dense wood. Check the joints of the chair and make sure they line up. Any glue or wood filler that shows can be an indication of poor construction.








3. Consider metal and plastic dining chairs if you want to create a more casual dining environment or even a retro look. Of course, your existing table will have to go with it in some way. A chrome table, for example, would go with some plastic chairs.


4. Pay attention to any upholstery on the dining chair. The upholstery needs to match the style and colors already in your dining room. For example, an elegant, formal dining room would not look right with flowery upholstery with ruffled edges. Look for upholstery in a cotton-polyester blend for easy care.


5. Measure the height of your table if you choose to have dining chairs with arms. Make sure the arms of the chairs can be pushed underneath the table so your dinner guests can slide all the way in if they want to.


6. Try out the chairs. Before you choose dining chairs, sit on them yourself. Testing the chairs will give you an idea of how comfortable they will be after an hour or two of sitting. If you feel any lumps or uncomfortable hard spots, consider a different style chair.

Tags: dining chairs, dining room, room chairs, your table, chairs that