apartment therapy changing the world, one room at a time

I hate to say "hopeless" about any design problem...but I'm tempted to say that about the chairs, because they are so bulky and hard to modernize. My advice is sell the set on Craigslist and use the money to re-purchase another set on Craigslist that is works slightly better in your space...I just found my friends a solid teak 60's dining set for $150, and see plenty of others for less.
If that's not an option, paint the table white and replace only the chairs via Craigslist...

I wouldn't worry about it, Linnea. I like to contrast wood furniture and floors. Just toss a few dark accessories around the space to create visual rhythm. I do think the style of your table and chairs would look good painted if you like that style.

If you can do this and have a budget for it, I'd paint the cabinets white or a cool color, add some hardware (can't tell from the small picture if there is any), keep the table and switch out the chairs to more modern silhouette. In lieu of switching the chairs out completely, maybe adding a colorful seat pillow, painting the chairs black, and definitely a different color of paint on the wall. The color there now seems a bit old-fashioned, too. Good luck!

I think if you paint the chairs white, they will somewhat "disapper" and leave the beautiful silhouette of your table. Bringing in some chocolate brown accents to your kitchen (pottery above the cabinets, large picture frames on the dining room wall, etc.) will tie it all together.

Paint the walls and the cabinets. And a rug on the floor would greatly help the situation.

A nice bright table cloth with similar colored accents elsewhere would help. So would artwork and a rug.

I agree with putting the set on craigslist and using the money to buy something new or different. Also, consignment is a great idea too. My mom had a similar set and she got around $300 on consignment for it.

I also think that painting the set white would be cute. you could made some cute, bright colored chair pads to modernize it too.

I had the same problem with my coffee table it matched my wood floors and the room felt dark. I changed it out for a lighter wood coffee table and violla! instant brightness :)

The quick fix for the chairs is a slipcover. For the table, you could hide some of the color with a table runner (a tablecloth is not modern enough). Painting the table is a good option; a white table would be cottage-y and a black table would give a modern vibe. You could also paint the table a color that is a little darker than your light wood, so it goes with it but doesn't look like you're trying to mimic it. Another thought: paint the chairs and table a vibrant color (kelly green? red?) that goes with other colors in your apartment.

I like the idea of a table cloth, personally. But if you wanted to do something more drastic, I would paint the cabinets and bar another color (maybe cream?), the walls a brighter shade of green and leave the table alone. I think what bothers me about the room is not the dark table and chairs, its that the cabinets look like the same color as the floor.

i have to agree with the poster who found the table and chairs hopeless in the context of a "modern" apartment and think trying to modernize the set with paint is going to be a waste of paint.

I would suggest giving up on modern and going just for "not clashing," which could be accomplished by a light-colored tablecloth. if you had the $ i would paint out the cabinets and the bottom of the island white, most of the walls white and maybe that long wall that's visible in the picture a nice, bright, fun accent like cherry red.

I like everyones idea about painting the kitchen cabinets. I also like that dining table very much. If anything, just replace the chairs via Craigslist and keep the table as is (looks like nice wood). If you can't decide on chairs that match, I also agree on the slipcovers.

The contrast works well. If the furniture matched the floors and cabinets, it would be overwhelmingly bland. What doesn't match is the white chairs at the counter. I would get rid of them. The place might look nice with a pop of tomato red to contrast with the woods and the pale green wall. You could try it in threes: In a picture over the table, a kitchen rug, and somewhere else, such as red painted wooden counter chairs or a red bowl.

I think an inexpensive sisal rug would be the easiest way to make the table/chairs work. They are clean, modern, and would provide some visual separation btw the furniture and the floor.

Also, think about removing chairs that you don't use. You could repurpose one as a coat-rack/landing strip by the door and other places in the apartment. They can always come back to the table when you have dinner parties!

You could also make chair cushions in the color of the light wood, to tie the dark and light woods together.

Oh, if you do go the rug-route...don't skimp on size. It looks like you have plenty of room for an 8x10. You don't want the furniture to look like it is stranded on a tiny island!

Maybe we're jumping to conclusions. They may not be shooting for a modern look. There's nothing else in the kitchen that would suggest they are.
I wouldn't paint anything. It will end up looking like you painted it (not in a good way). I'd go with the runner on the table and a rug that works with both the table/chairs and the rest of the room. I know you may frown upon putting carpet underneath where you eat but I really think its the only way.
now, if you are going for modern, craigslist is just a click away.

All I can see when I look at that picture is the counter stools. To me, that's the make or break.

If you love the stools, you love modern and that dining set will never feel like it matches. Ditch it and get a new one via Craigslist. You'll be way happier.

But let's assume that, like me, you're not in love with those stools and you want to make it work.

Get a tablecloth and seat cushions that pull in accent colors from nearby rooms--maybe red and tan, to pick up on the cabinets and the kitchen rug you've got. Stop thinking of the wood as having to match the other wood and treat it as a color that you have to accent so it harmonizes with the other colors, both wood and non-wood.

Paint is drastic and a huge pain in the butt, especially painting furniture that gets moved and used. Maybe I'm wrong, and stripping and sanding and painting and finishing cabinets and a table and six chairs sounds like jolly fun to you, but I get the sense this isn't a place or a dining set you're married to for life. And in any case, I'm not sure that painting is even going to accomplish much. I think it would look naff.

But... ditch the stools if you can bear to. Pick up a cheap set on Craiglist or go without since your table is only 3 feet away. They look totally weird and only detract from what could otherwise be a charming space.

I don't really see any decorating and design going on here. Just see cabinets and a table and chairs and wall paint (nothing about this place is modern so far btw). Seems nonsensical to paint the cabinets to coordinate with a dining room set that they don't love and is not fabulous. I would add a table cloth and add a large rug that has dark browns and light browns to mesh the two woods and spaces.

yes, absolutely mix wood colors... the result is not bad as is. I think a pop of a big red bowl on the table would do wonders.

wood is a neutral, mixed neutrals are always fine together.

I like mixing contrasting wood colors. But you have a LOT of light wood. I would leave the table as is, paint the chairs white or another bright color for some pop, and seriously think about painting your kitchen cabinets white as well. In fact I would do that before doing anything with the furniture.

you already answered your question. tie in the colors to make it work. add some dark brown to the kitchen, and take the light brown back to the table/chairs.
You may consider a mirror next to table on wall, trimmed in light brown or something, or a painting that has all colors going on there.
OR, notice the white microwave/range in the kitchen...bring that white back to the table area somehow...seatcovers, or even just a white vase...

You could have some fun playing up the browns, black, off-whites, whites. With a bit of an olive green.

Art:
http://www.artselect.com/perl/search?series=9972&frameWidth=24.12500&frameHeight=24.12500&t=F

Rug:
http://www.rugsusa.com/rugsusa/control/prod/~pid=14105010692-111072/~color=10400

Things that are rustic...yet angular and modern. If that makes sense. Using lots of natural colors. Colors of stones, for instance, could be an inspiration for that room:
http://www.ikea.com/us/en/catalog/products/40093766

Straw (actually banana fibers):
http://www.ikea.com/us/en/catalog/products/30107132

ONLY do this if you love the natural colors. Look for the shapes of modern things, that are made from natural materials, natural colored.

The animal print seat pads here are kind of neat:
http://www.llph.co.uk/seat_pads.htm

Browse various products. Over time, you may want to replace the chairs, and the table can stay. For instance, consider what any of these would do to change the appearance of that room:
http://www.ikea.com/us/en/catalog/products/20102390
http://www.ikea.com/us/en/catalog/products/00121827
http://www.ikea.com/us/en/catalog/products/S29805041

I agree that a rug would make a huge difference (although you've stated you can't buy anything new). The dark wood would be visually separated from the lighter floor at least.

I would bring some of the chocolate brown into the kitchen by painting the backsplash and above the cabinets a darker brown (maybe not as dark as the table). This would be MUCH easier than painting cabinets! I think I'd use light tan cushions for the chairs. Do you use all six chairs? If not I'd only place four around the table, it looks kind of tight (maybe it's just the angle the photo was taken). Also, I'd add a large art piece with both of the light and dark wood tones hung on the wall above the table. Are you married to the stools?

You know what? It doesn't seem that bad.

Maybe you can paint the table and chairs with the same color of your cabinets. Difference of the styles is not that important.

And, using a table cloth and mats at the same color with your cabinets will also work i think. White or light cream color of table cloth and mats will work too, but using too light colors in the kitchen is not useful. If you paint your walls all white, white mats can look nice.

Or decide on a color that goes nice with the color of the table and chairs and the color of the cabinets (dark red for example) and then paint the big wall which the table is in front into that color.

sandpaper and stain??

I don't think you have to get too drastic to get quite a bit closer to what you want. I'd remove two chairs from around the table (put them elsewhere when not in use) to show off the shape of the table better, and place a nice big shallow white bowl on the table. A piece of artwork with a huge white matte (or white background) hung above the table would help too. When you can manage it, add a rug under the table and replace the bar stools. I don't think there's ever going to be a way to marry those stools with that table, but something very simple and white, even if still modern in shape, could work. You could add a pop of color from the artwork to accessories in the bowl, as well as to accessories in the kitchen, to help pull it together.

Its a nice set of chairs, if you like it, keep it. THe sisal rug idea is a great one. i think if you start with a table runner and some chair cushions, it will put colour in. A nice piece of art on the wall, would do the same. Right now the only things in the space are the table, chairs and barstools. Put other things in the space, and they will fade into being one of the pieces in the space and not THE pieces in the space.
I'd agree with the folks who say the white chairs clash a bit, and heighten the contrast between the wood...

Tablecloth and slipcovers.

I think that TRUE BLUE hit upon something with the recommendation for the HALLSTA chair. Its wicker material brings together the various wood colors without being too fussy. Good luck.

I checked out the Lauren chair in leather yesterday at World Market ( http://www.worldmarket.com ) and it's pretty comfy.

The leather makes it easy to slide in and out of, rather than fabric.

It's not humongous, but it's not a delicate chair either, so it would go nicely with the table.

I don't suggest replacing ALL the chairs at this time, but perhaps replacing the two end chairs?

And perhaps putting the end chairs to use as part of a smaller table ensemble, like a game table?

Just tossing out ideas, as it can help with future plans.

personally, i think the mix of dark and light woods is fine. to my eye, the problem is more that the room looks unfinished, and that perhaps this table is the holdup?

you have so many options!!

if you want to change the finish of the table itself: are the table and chairs stained or painted? if they're painted, you can always sand them down and then repaint another color. or you can whitewash. if they're stained, you can still 'brighten' the color by sanding the wood down lightly and then staining with a warm yellow -- i did something similar to a front door once, taking it from a mahogany stain all the way to a natural cherry. i see from your arrangements that you like flowers, so put a runner down the center and an elegant vase to fill to overflowing with your favorite buds.

another way to make the table look purposefully mismatched is to replace the armchairs at the head and foot of the table. for example, you have white wire barstools; you could tie the room together with white iron upholstered dining chairs.

if that's all too much time and work: you can paint the wall along the dining table a slightly richer shade than the other walls of the kitchen (maybe a sage green) and then finish the wall with pictures and shelving.

i'm not a big fan of carpeting under dining tables (too difficult to clean after eating!), but if you are, a traditional floral rug in contemporary colors could look very nice

hope those are some helpful ideas :) best of luck