apartment therapy changing the world, one room at a time

Most definitely! But not the green ones!

Why should you care what your coworkers think? It's your place.

I think you need new offline friends (j/k). Those shell chairs are gorgeous, comfortable, and would work beautifully in that space. I'd stick to four, though. That way, your table doesn't look so crowded and you don't have to spend as much time and money trying to find a set of six shell chairs. It's easier to find vintage sets of four. If you have company and need an extra two chairs, mix it up with a couple chairs of another style that you love that you can keep elsewhere in the home as extra seating.

For that matter, why should you care what we think?

But since you asked, yes they go with your place, but not your table. If they're out of your price range, you might want to consider trolling craiglist or vintage shops/markets until you find cheaper versions. They're out there, I've seen 'em.

I wouldn't get the chrome. I'd go for wood bases.
As for color...hmmm...that's a hard decision. I'm not sure green is right for your space. What about moss or white?

I would not give a lick what my co-workers thought would be best for me. Go check them out, sit in them and see what you think.

I think the fiberglass chairs are overdone myself. I also think your space is a little too traditional/transitional style to pull them off well.

I like those chairs in a more casual 'breakfast nook' setting with a smaller bistro table and only 2 chairs.

Unfortunately I'm at a loss for suggestions for your situation.

Since you are asking, I think that style of chair looks fine in laundromats and classrooms everywhere.

I love the unexpected in design and I think these chairs are fun in almost any scenario.

I think pairing these with a sleek white laquer table would be very fun, or even putting it with a distressed old table would look great.

I stopped caring what my friends think of my own home because I buy things that make me happy and continually entertain me.

Thank God there's people like you that leave Pottery barn behind and leave ordinary for the rest.

Buy 'em!

-Kiel

well, i love the look of shell chairs, but i agree that i'm not entirely sure they go with the rest of your place. i can see you changing out your current table for a parsons/rustic-type, and putting in white shell chairs.

for what it's worth i've been trolling chicago CL for a looong time for shell chairs and no dice. you might have to dig through backalley garbage or just buy them brand new.

go for what you want. you're the one who has to live with it.

if you want vintage, try Broadway Antique Market. They used to have decent prices on good vintage items, but mid-century is the look of the moment and they may have increased prices to match demand.

it looks like it would be a bit crowded with 6 shell chairs. how about a banquette along the wall, or even have it turn a corner and run along the room divider for a bit. then add shell chairs as you find them.

I"m glad you showed us what the other half of the room looks like... I'd take the leap, obviously you love the idea. If you're still feeling unsure buy one or two of them from somewhere with a return policy and then you'll know for sure.

Of all the things the Eameses visited on the world in the name of modernism, the fiberglass chair is probably my least favorite. I think they're ugly as sin, personally. (Though the more massive wooden legs make the design less fugly than the original wire cage leg design.)

But that's my taste, not yours. On the other hand, this current trend for mid-century modernism isn't likely to last very much longer, and then those chairs will look desperately dated. Do you want to spend that kind of money on something that will look out of style in 5 years? Moreover, do you want to spend that kind of money on a style that will hard to change, cover, or sell if you want an update in 5 years?

I think they fit the style you seem to like judging from the living area but if you do get them you are going to have to remodel that room and change the colours in the room. I would opt for a different colour than green unless you are going to design the room around those chairs which may be a great idea.

The chairs are not something I personally like but the most important part of decorating your own home is to get thing yu truly love. I have a chair that was big investment and other people find it too modern but every time I see it I smile and love sitting in it.

Thanks for all the comments! Since I sent the email, I've promised chairs table to my brother. They're moving out in another week or so.

Just to clarify - I definitely wasn't talking to co-workers! Both friends and family (those who know me & my space very well, which is why I shared the idea with them) have responded with various versions of "ugh no!" and things similar to the "classrooms & laundromats" posted up there. I've heard it all!

I still love the chairs. :) I have no idea what table I want or chairs if not these. Current favorite tables include 1. steel parsons base white marble top 2. Ivory Blu Dot Strut Table 3. Railroad Tie table (http://tinyurl.com/yrpc3p)

The plan is to just leave the room empty until I find something I love. Rushed buying is what got me into this situation in the first place.

-stefanie

Ulrika, MCM has been fashionable for decades, in fact Eames products never really went out of style. I've had my Eames chairs in my apartment ever since I took them from my parents' house in 1989. I don't think great design and practical economy of space will ever go out of style.

It may also depend on how you plan to use them.

I would consider them for a table that I didn't sit at for long periods at a time.

For lounging at the table a lot, or for long dinner parties, I'd look for something more comfortable -- or, I'd find a vintage set of the padded version... Herman Miller made the original Eames shell chair in a padded version (but watch out for small tears at the seam where the padding meets the fiberglass).

That said, I do prefer the iconic MCM look of the naked shell, and with all due respect to the original Eames, I really like the wooden Modernica legs a lot. The warmth of the wood and the graceful mid-century "Danish" curve balances the colder fiberglass shell very nicely.

I don't like those chairs either, but it's your house not mine. Don't listen to me or anyone else. Do whatever you want. At least they'd be easy to keep clean.

Besides, once people see the chairs in your home they may have a different opinion. It's hard to visualize how they'll look in your home until they're actually there.

If you do take the plunge and then hate it, it sounds like there are some ATers who would be happy to help you out :)

if you truly love the style, and are not simply jumping on current trends, stick with your guts and make the changes . People may disagree with you, but then you'd likely disagree with their decor as well.

I personally love these and think there are timeless and should be looked upon as an investment, unlike most to the furniture that you find around these days.

Also, I'm fine with the green, it complements that blue in you living room nicely.

Your idea to leave the space empty for awhile is a good one, since your 3 options are wildly different. Imagining your life with the various tables/chairs sounds cheesy but can help you pinpoint which style would make you happiest. And absolutely buy them discounted, although don't feel the pressure to jump at what seems like a good CL find until you're sure those are the chairs you want. Trust me.

BTW - a friend has that Parsons table with the marble top and it's torture to eat at her house. The table is gorgeous but apparently the white marble stains like no one's business and she is paranoid to let anyone sit without various placemats and coasters. Just make sure you're well equipped before opening a bottle of red wine near that one...

I think the Ant chairs or whatever version of them you can afford are more interesting, and way more comfortable. The shell chairs aren't remotely cozy.

I think Hans Wegner wishbone chairs would look lovely in your house. I'm leery of the Eames chairs with your decor.

always get what you love and it will work. i would definitely let your brother have the current chairs. you can always get those kind of chairs again if you need to feel "safe". but go for what you love..you will be thankful at every meal.

ps not crazy about your table...

I was going to comment, but as I read down, Debbie said it best - "always get what you love." I personally love all shell chairs have had way too many in my house at different times... Also, I'd be anxious to see how adding them to your house leads you to make other interesting changes. All part of the fun with a new furniture addition. Best of luck!

sigh, i agree that the chairs don't work perfectly with the table. but i would get them anyway and eventually get a new table. if you painted the legs white and used a different runner (green?), it would prolly work in the interim.

it does look like you're transitioning into a time where your style expresses yourself more, and i'd say that's a great idea and that you should totally follow your heart and get the chairs in JUST the color you want (don't be talked down by practicality). they are design classics, and there's no way that anyone who thinks they're "ugly" is right. (some things actually are ugly, but when it comes to well-designed things, it's all matter of taste.)

Table AND chairs are leaving, not just the chairs!

debbieeastbay - I agree on getting stuff that you love. I bought the house and moved in after my parents found out they were moving to China. It was essentially, "Well, we're selling the house. Move out!" I filled it with discountfurniturewarehouse stuff because I had to get something

MattPDX - I actually just made a furniture change. This http://tinyurl.com/32y54w moved in last weekend. And I don't care what ANYONE says about this piece. I adore it. This room is in intentional disarray - its the future home to my office http://tinyurl.com/2vcq8w

Firecracker - Thanks for the table note. I buy my stuff to use it. I never want to own something I'm afraid of.

I love the look of these chairs, but I would strongly encourage you to try one out before you purchase! I was tempted to buy four of these myself, and I brought one home from the Modernica showroom to try.

The listed height on the chairs is somewhat deceiving because the bottom of the chair seat is a bit concave - your body rests a bit lower in a chair like this. Also, the angle of the chair promotes a body position that is not really conducive to dining at a table. In order to be comfortable, one has to lean back into the chair, and that puts you a little further from the table.

I love the design, but found it impractical and uncomfortable as a dining chair. Perhaps other manufacturers' fiberglass chairs are different, but this was my experience with the Modernica chairs.

Good Luck!

Hi,
The fiberglass chairs are lovely, but they're for people who are interested in home design, who aren't super safe. The people I work with would never like them, but their places are all beige and look like bad model homes. So phooey to your coworkers.

If you want those chairs to work, I'd eventually switch out the table and the light fixture, (sorry, the last thing you want to hear!) The shell chairs are very light feeling, and the table and color of the room is fairly heavy. If you love the chairs, go for it! But I think to make them really sing I'd use a lighter color on the walls, more fun light fixture, and maybe a distressed wood table. Could you do a round table? The table you have now, is it a piece of granite? Honestly I don't see that table with those chairs. If you stick with the table, only use four chairs because now it looks very crowded. Put two extra chairs somewhere else. I also think that mixing the chairs with two more wire chairs will weaken the effect of the shell chairs. You want them to make a statement, not be diluted.

But hell, start with the chairs if you love them. They're such an investment get the color you like best and tailor the room around that color. Your livingroom is absolutely perfect for the feel of the shell chairs! I'd move the dining room in that direction too.

Nothing else has to cost what the chairs do. But I think you're looking at a redesign to make them work.

oh, sorry. Didn't read enough. You are switching the table too. Terrific! It'll look great. Change out the light fixture too, and lighten up the walls. That's my two cents.
madeleine

me again, sorry. I don't see marble with colored chairs at all. If you go marble, do white chairs with wood bases.

The worst design decisions made are the ones that result in not followinig your gut, buying what you love and listening to "everyone else". Your home is a reflection of you, not that of the average taste catalog shoppers of America.

I would get them!!! These chairs are the most polarizing when it comes to design (kinda like Hillary). You either really LOVE them........or you really HATE them. Personally, I can't get enough of them. As other people have said, these chairs will have a higher resell value as they get older - so its a WIN WIN situation if you get them or not. For the table, I would like to suggest something round...........

..........forgot to add. Whatever addition you just added (storage unit with white pigs, vases etc...) and that planter all lean towards mid-century design aesthetics......... so as you develop that style, these chairs would fit perfectly.

Before you know it, you'll be getting a knoll sofa with a Nelson bench :-)

My rules for buying anything (especially furniture pieces) are: 1 - buy what you love
2 - take your time (and leave the space empty if need be)
3 - always put quality first - you get what you pay for.

We just purchased an Eames molded plywood coffee table and molded plastic side chair w/eiffel base. We love them both. We also inherited original tulip chairs that we love. These classic pieces are mixed with some hand-made furniture as well as newer purchased pieces and it all goes together beautifully.
Also a tip - designers and architects can often get trade discounts on this furniture - so if you know any, see if they can help you out.

Don't listen to them.
I'd probably replace the table and maybe the pendant lamp with a Nelson bubble lamp(saucer or criss cross).

Not sure what color chairs I would get, but I've seen them mixed nicely. Also consider the molded plastic version(they have them at DWR).

I second the recommendation to sit before you buy. Go into a DWR store to try one out. I adore these chairs and am looking for dining chairs, but decided against them after sitting in one. As someone else already said, they dip down towards the back of the seat. I think they are 18" at the front, and 16 1/2" at the lowest point. My dh is tall, so they would have been uncomfortable for him. Also, you'll have to think about the height of the table you will buy; you don't want to feel like a little kid at the big table.

The other thing is, measure the width of the seat and of the legs at the widest point. You might find that they are too wide for your space - you don't want people tripping as they sit down, or leave the table.

If the chairs pass these tests - get them! Have what you love in your home, don't worry about what others think.

jcinla above is absolutely right! I've been trying, for a couple of years, to find a set like the above (even new) for my kitchen table. I love my kitchen table which is standard height. But most mid-C chairs are too low for it. The seat height I desire is at least 18" for my table. Most of these max out at 17" with the dip in the middle making you sit at an even lower level. We spend a lot of time at our kitchen table so the additional inch or two is important to me.

My suggestion is to try the chair with the table choices you have lined up. DWR allowed me to take chairs home for a night which let me try a lot of them out only to face the same seat-height problem.

That said - love the chairs! Also like the idea stated above - buying a couple for a kitchen nook may be a good compromise. It doesn't have to be all or nothing.

Again, THANK YOU for all the feedback.

I'm in Michigan.. we don't have DWR here. After the comments I've definitely decided that I'll order ONE and try it out. Maybe it'll just sit in the middle of the empty dining room for awhile so I can stare at it and appreciate it. Even if these don't turn out to be a good dining chair for me, I know I love them and would welcome one into another area of my home.

As for the round table comments - I'm always drawn to round tables but the room is a bit narrow so it would be impossible to center the table directly under the light. I feel like this is more obvious with a round table.

I don't quite get the whole fiberglass shell chair thing either...but I think it will look lovely in your home especially the green with that turquoise...gorgeous color combo! The one thing I definitely "get" is that new dish cabinet (?) that you got. It's absolutely stunning!

Just an FYI. The chairs at DWR are Herman Miller ones _but_ they're plastic now. Only Modernica makes the fiberglass ones now (which aren't "authentic"). I think they're about the same price too, which baffles me (i couldn't confirm because it looks as if dwr's website doesn't have 'em right now). I personally think that the use of fiberglass makes those chairs, the slight translucency with the fibers adds a whole lot to the look - the plastic ones look just that, plastic.

I wanted to use them, but I was veto'd at my house by the wife. Of course, she veto'd me on the fake grass on the accent wall idea too. oh well.

Harmony - I found it on craigslist! It was listed as a "room divider." My current place is too small to use it as such, but I fell in love and knew I had to have it. For now the bottom storage is nice.

337 - I agree. Fiberglass is the way to go. I care about the material more than the name.

I think you're making an excellent call on ordering just one to start and seeing if you want to commit to a set. If you already know you'll love it somewhere in your house, you can't go wrong.

However, I also want to second the recommendations to go with the Modernica fiberglass chairs if you're going with new. They look more authentic to me, and I think fiberglass is what makes the colours of the chairs really special.

For whatever it's worth, I've had a set of four vintage orange shell chairs in my kitchen for years (around an old round dark oak table, which I also adore). I've never gotten tired of them and can't imagine wanting to change them any time soon -- possibly never. You love what you love. To hell with trends. And with other people's opinions, too, for that matter.

BTW I don't know if you already know this but I *think* your room divider might be part of the Broyhill Brasilia line? Just in case you feel like looking for more bits... ;)