Looking for chairs to go with a right chunky table.

[LowLevelWhingeing]

As the title says, we need chairs to go with a rather chunky dining table like this. we chose this style particularly because there are no legs at the corner and so we could cram more people round if necessary for special occasions .

However, now it has arrived, it just seems so, er, enormous that I fear any chairs are going to look lost next to it.

Our criteria were:

-they need a back for extended sitting periods.
-ditto a padded seat.
-not too posh, which we think translates as not really tall (?)

We had thought about having mismatched old chairs and given that we need 10 of them (yikes) the cheaper the better as the ££ soon adds up.

So I would appreciate any opinions from the stylish and savvy among you please.

Any thoughts?

House is 1908 with Art Nouveau type features, tall ceilings etc.

Ba da bump for the day time shoppers among you

I really like the bench - could you have a bench or pew on one side and chairs at the ends and the other side

I agree that the bench does look fab, but when we have folk round for dinner, we could be sat there for 5 or six hours, and so comfort becomes an issue!

I like your idea of mismatched chairs. You could do a 'harlequin' set where they're different styles but all the same colour (paint or sand them). It would look good and save you pots of dosh.

What a great table, I love it. I see your problem though!

Could you ask them to make the bench with a back rest? (Looks like they are open to customisation requests). However, you wouldn't get padding.

How about this one from Dwell?

or there are these - not padded, but quite chunky/rustic looking.

Thanks minipie, I like both of those. I wonder how comfy the rattan ones would be?

I've just got these today for doing up (can you see this page?). I really like them but DP thinks they're a bit small.

I was also looking at these, thinking, chunky, utilitarian might be good, after a bit of a clean up.

And I've already strayed from my own criteria...

Do you really like it? I think it's dreadful and would return it.

mismatched chairs round it --- even more carnage. Noooo.

buy an old church pew and make your own long cushion for the seat.

(and bench on the other side, obv.)

madwomanintheattic has just given me a brilliant idea now. Anyway I found this:

www.churchantiques.com/category/pews/

Not sure if any good.

haha nakedandangry! I blummin LOVE it! It's a lovely solid piece of oak perfect for cramming as many friends and family around as possible

Not sure about church furniture, isn't it made to be uncomfortable so the congregation stay awake?

I think an old pew (with a lot of cushioning!!) is a brilliant idea if one side of the table will be near a wall so the pew can go against the wall. I like the first one in Gonzo's list - doesn't look uncomfortable! You want one that's not too narrow.

LowLevel I like the arts and crafts chairs, though I don't know how well they would go with the table as the table is more rustic and unfinished and the chairs are more finished with a bit of detailing? In some ways the old school chairs go better but eeek they remind me of Double Maths!

I agree with naked on the mismatched chairs tbh, though obviously not on the table!!

lol whinge, tis why i specified cushions

Would you consider French cafe style chairs. Tolix ones here www.espacio.co.uk/products/brand_list_all.asp?Brand=Tolix or I think made.com have some. They come in traditional silver metal or you can now get quite bright colours . You can always add a small round seat pad I've done this with two eames chairs.
I like the idea of a bench on one side (although i have backache thinking about it!)

I think the church pew idea is great. My son and DIL have a similar table and have benches, which I think are hard to use. You have to get agreement if you want to move closer to table, and it is hard (for us older people anyway) to get seated. I like the idea of mismatched old chairs. I bought two at thrift store, oak, lovely old chairs, $5 each, then DH refinished them. I recovered seats with leather look vinyl, dark red. I think he might have had to do some regluing/rebuilding too. I know he made new seat boards that I upholstered.