apartment therapy changing the world, one room at a time

i would ebonize chair frame and polish it up, to contrast with all the light wood in apartment; and perhaps a bold ikat fabric in earthy tones, dark brown/ grey - to the feeling of additional blocks of color

I'd pick a graphic print that pulls in the pinks and purples elsewhere.

Love the chair. If you want to stick with velvet and can splurge on the fabric, I'd go to your local Knoll showroom and ask to see their velvets. Beautiful, rich saturated colors (check out "ochre") ... you can also see them on their web site (http://www.knoll.com/products/textileproduct.jsp?prod_id=784&flag=cat&cat_id=86) but of course really better to go and snag actual swatches if only to test colors.

Personally I think the green looks great in your space! and it definitely looks great with the wood of the chair and the floor!

Those chairs are great find! I'm always attracted to oranges, and I see you have an orange ottoman, but it seems to be the only spot of orange, so I'm not sure if that's a direction you want to go. But I think a grey/orange pinstripe would be fantastic.

I think the green looks great with your room. Any kind of strip or graphic print would be too much and upset the balance you currently have. Maybe a graphic pillow for the chair or couch instead. But the rooms looks great as is.

I think the room needs some pattern. The color blocks are very dense and strong. And for that same reason I wouldnt use velvet. I would use something like a John Robshaw indian inspired fabric..rich but not heavy.

I agree that a pattern would be nice. And something that brings in the gray of your couch, which is actually the odd piece out in your room. The ikat suggestion was great. Maybe you could find one with gray, taupe and pink or purple. Or another pattern in those colors. The green does look nice, so if the pattern could also have some green in it.

Nice score on the chairs, by the way. They are lovely!

Love the chair; that you got them "for almost nothing" makes them even better. Well done!

I actually like the color. it's nice and calm (like the couch) in contrast to some of the other bright colors you have and that kind of green is pretty much a neutral. but since the fabric is worn... I could see a really great, nubby tweed in a neutral color (maybe a greenish? something cooler that coordinates with the couch but doesn't 'match' it). I would definitely avoid any kind of bold pattern or color-- it would be overwhelming in the room, plus it would distract from the great shape of the chairs. if you want a pop of pattern, get a pillow to throw on top of the chairs.

Eggplant purple in tweed or velvet would be cool!

It's a fantastic chair with great lines.
Don't overpower the lines with a busy color of fabric.

Your instincts are right.
Similar color, and something textual, nubby.

I think they look perfect! The color is great with your other colors and not overwhelming at all.

"i would ebonize chair frame and polish it up,"

OMG, If you ruined this particular chair by doing something foolish as the above suggestion I will send the furniture police to your house!!!!!! :D

Those are great chairs. I would leave the wood alone, its beautiful as it is and these might be a collectors item someday, so altering the wood is wrong.

I don't see a pattern, they tire soon. You can add pattern with cushions in the room, easy enough and when you get tired of them you can do something different but reupholstery a chair is expensive. If you reupholster these chairs in a classic timeless fabric you may never need to recover them again.

I see deep chocolate brown, in a mohair, or textured wool or nubby wool fabric.
Deep brown goes great with grey and you can bring in pops of color with the patterned cushions and your ottoman is already a fun color.

If you do orange I would go more sophisticated red-orange in the same textures wool-pile, mohair, nubby wool.

Here are some ideas-
http://www.sinapearson.com/spec/1009
http://www.sinapearson.com/spec/57
http://www.sinapearson.com/spec/493

Brick color-
http://www.knoll.com/products/textileproduct.jsp?prod_id=1054&flag=cat&cat_id=86

espresso-
http://www.knoll.com/products/textileproduct.jsp?prod_id=784&flag=cat&cat_id=86

Poppy or Carob-
http://www.knoll.com/products/textileproduct.jsp?prod_id=1207&flag=cat&cat_id=86

Also, Maharam has some nice simple textured fabrics.

Let us know what you end up doing.

Sorry I posted a velvet from Knoll, I only met it for color the espresso color. I do not see a velvet for these chairs not the right feel for them plus your sofa is already smooth.

Olive Green Mohair - Much more durable than a Velvet and won't show butt-prints.

Agreed with dewi: keep it simple, and don't overpower the design of the chair with a busy fabric. The green actually looks really good, but I can understand if the fabric isn't in good condition and needs replacing. Whatever hue you end up with, stick with a medium value similar to the current green and the surrounding gray.

And DON'T "ebonize" the wood! That would destroy the design!

Get the same color they are now. They look great in your room. And don't mess with the wood frames.

stay in the green family - it makes that lovely room look like a spring garden

Please don't ebonize! The existing wood is lovely - also - how about a sweet little pattern like #5 on this page? http://www.knoll.com/products/textileproduct.jsp?prod_id=1164&flag=cat&cat_id=85

Green or brown would be nice - or this :

http://warehousefabricsinc.com/Merchant2/merchant.mvc?Screen=PROD&Store_Code=WFI&Product_Code=AIAFRE&Category_Code=chair-fabric

http://warehousefabricsinc.com/Merchant2/merchant.mvc?Screen=PROD&Store_Code=WFI&Product_Code=CESTAH&Category_Code=chair-fabric
Of course then you'll have to do the other chair to bring it up to snuff:

http://warehousefabricsinc.com/Merchant2/merchant.mvc?Screen=PROD&Store_Code=WFI&Product_Code=AKASWL&Category_Code=chair-fabric

The wood is perfect. That color looks great. Other solid colors that would work are eggplant, olive, navy, dark taupe, and I also see them working best in a textured or nubby fabric, not velvet.

Thank you so much for all of your great comments!

No worries, no ebonizing! I went to look at some fabrics today and have found some great heavy linen type of fabric, as well as chenille (not as crazy about). I love the eggplant idea, and who knows, I may actually get around to a similar green.
Keep the ideas coming, I love it! I'll send a before/after when the'yre finally done.
Thanks again, When I first bought my place I spent hours and hours here for inspiration, love AT!!!

I think a very light gray with a great texture (heavy linen or nubby) would be perfect. Or like a pale gray stripe or ticking. I wouldn't get another piece of colored furniture. Add some funky pillows or something. I think velvet may be a little heavy...

If you don't think the green goes with the room, how do you figure eggplant will? I think they are a really good color, that it is green, but I see it as a neutral, without being gray or taupe or beige. What you have is not another big splash of color, it is warm and natural. If you still feel green doesn't go with your other furniture, you can switch out some of the pillows you have (probably the pink ones) or bring in something on one of those shelves.

the wood is great the way it is. i would do a gray with purple pattern or pinstripes or a purple with gray pattern. you don't need anymore orange or red in the room, stick with the cooler colours to ground the chairs. do not keep them that green which is not strong enough of a colour.