Mixing Dining Chairs And Stools: Our Tips

Choosing stools and dining chairs… 

are already two of the most important decisions when furnishing a home, but what if your kitchen and dining space are connected? 

Before mainstream architecture and design started leaning towards open concept homes, the stool and the dining chair were often separated by rooms. Today, more and more people are opening up their homes, knocking down their walls, and designing to create a welcoming and social space, and we’re all about it. But what does it mean for stools and dining chairs? 

While we avoid using the same set of stools and dining chairs in an open-concept space for a more layered, curated look, we still want to make sure everything flows.  

Finding the balance between mixing and matching is harder than it sounds, but when you get it right, it’s like magic! In our opinion, it works best when you mix some elements and match others.  

Here are some of our favorite ways to mix dining chairs and stools in an open-concept space: 

Mix tone + match material  

When mixing two different wood tones on barstools and counter stools, we like to stick with drastically different tones so they contrast without clashing.  

In our Sunset House, we chose a cool-toned grey wood stool, and a black-stained wood dining chair to let the warm elements of this space shine through while still maintaining balance.  

In our Pine Brook Home, we chose a light oak stool and a black stained wood dining chair for contrast and cohesion. This look could work just as well with a light oak wood tone and a dark brown wood tone. 

Mix color + match shape & texture 

Another great way to get a mixed but cohesive look is to match textures and shapes for both the stool and chair while mixing up the tones or colors. 

In this project from Dream Home Makeover, the counter stool and dining chair are different shades, but they feel cohesive because they share two similar elements of a rounded shape and woven texture. 

In our Cove Remodel dining and kitchen space, the larger chairs on the ends pull more of the color elements from the stool, but it’s still different enough to bring contrast.  

Mix style + match color 

We love mixing styles, and one of the easiest ways to do this is to keep one or two elements consistent to make sure everything still flows well together.  

In our Red Ledges Project, we mixed styles with the stool and dining chair, but because there is a black element in each, it works. The stool leans a little bit more modern, and the dining chairs are inspired by traditional designs, but the black iron legs on the stool match the black finish of the chair, creating harmony. 

Mix texture + match style 

When doing a bold texture on one set of seating, mixing it up and going with something more muted in a similar style can give you a softer look.  

In our Northridge Remodel, this dining and stool combination works because both have modern style elements, but the textures bring enough contrast to keep things interesting. 

Still looking for inspiration? Keep scrolling for a few more stool and dining chair combinations:  

This post has been updated from its original version.