What about the Gothic Chairs by Moooi? http://www.moooi.com/producten/262-gothic-chair.html

I'm not really seeing anything modern going with it very well. It also bugs me that the leaf doesn't continue with the molding on the sides. You can get any chairs you want if you throw a table pad and cloth on it though! I'd do a simple table cloth as to not clash with the rug. Chairs aren't cheap if you're looking to buy new though, even at ikea for something decent you're looking at spending at least 30 a chair, so you wouldn't be spending less than 200. My suggestion would be too look on craigslist, you're bound to find something for way less.

@j. Jeannine How much are they?

beautiful table!!! two vintage chairs that go with the style of the table at the ends and 6 "tobias" chairs from ikea would bring a more modern look.http://www.ikea.com/us/en/catalog/products/20115038 buy one at a time to spare your wallet. or you could paint the table. a very light grey will modernize it as well as bring out the detailed woodwork. find 8 mis-matched, similarly scaled, vintage chairs and unify them with a coat of color...anything goes with grey. very au-current! cheers!

I would look for old chairs. They don't have to match, but it would be nice to have approximately the same color finish. Not matching could even make them more interesting.

You might find them cheaply on freecycle or in antique stores. You don't have to buy them all at once, since you already have chairs.

Unless you need the full length of the table on a frequent basis, I'd stash the leaf in a closet.

I might ditch the rug altogether.

I second Charlene's idea. Nice table.

On a completely unrelated note, does anyone know what happened to the Spring Cure this year? Clearly at this point it's not happening, but was there ever a post about it? I wrote in to the staff a couple times and never got a response. Anyone have news?

I would go for an older look as well - modern chairs would just look too mismatched. And you want something that will complement the moulding on the table (I agree, take out the leaf except for when you need it).

Idea 1) Non matching chairs of the approximate vintage of the table. I did this completely accidentally (because I could spend in the range of $0 to $5 a chair) and got huge numbers of compliments on how cool it looked. (I, nevertheless, bought matching chairs once I could afford it)

Idea 2) Same as above, bit all painted the same color. I've seen this at AT and thought it looked really nice.

here is a link to an old AT article about mismatched chairs:
http://www.apartmenttherapy.com/la/roundup/roundup-mismatched-dining-rooms-085862

Idea 3) Ikea wicker chairs - Sarah Richardson used Majby when she renovated the farmhouse and they looked awesome. http://www.ikea.com/us/en/catalog/products/80139606
or Harola, a cheaper, more modern wicker chair http://www.ikea.com/us/en/catalog/products/60124757

I would recommend buying padded chairs that don't match. I inexpensively purchased 6 chairs, and then recovered them in a modern/bright floral-printed fabric that I bought super cheap from IKEA. That way, they all work together, but have an ecclectic feel that I feel would work best with the table that you already have. Hope this helps!

Try the Sourav seating at World Market. Its not modern, but it has clean lines and I think it would be a great complement to your table. The bench would be a great way to expand your seating without having a bunch of random chairs floating around when not in use.

http://www.worldmarket.com/product/index.jsp?productId=3557670

http://www.worldmarket.com/product/index.jsp?productId=3557669

What it might look like altogether:
http://www.worldmarket.com/product/index.jsp?productId=3557673

And PLEASE don't paint the table!!

yeah, it's a lot of money ... but Kartell's Louis Ghost chairs would look awesome.

CB2's Vapor chair would also look nice.

OK, I'm going out on a limb and saying contemporary black and tubular like the 40/4 stacking chair in black.

I think I would stick with vintage chairs. You can probably find something if you hunt resale shops. I saw a few last week. I think at least four of the chairs should match and two at the ends could be different. Also ditch the rug and get a different one. And the leave should be removed and stored flat otherwise it will warp. I put mine under my bed in a flannel protective case.

How about a simple parsons chair?

since you asked ;-) i would keep 2 of your semi matching chairs, put them at the ends of the table. then on the sides place the light blue urban ikea chairs, that color lights up the room and really complements the dark wood of the table and 2 chairs. then add some light blue accesoires and maybe even a light blue carpet and/or table cloth. (on the dutch ikea-site you can search on color, that way you can see all the light blue stuff they have together, might save a trip or so ;-) maybe it's an idea to not use a table cloth, but buy a bunch of blue shaded/blue-ish and creamwhite coasters in different materials, and make a group of them in an a-symmetrical shape. for the rug, a light color like cream white or light blue would sure make the table stand out and at the same time add a modern touch, but for practical reasons, (stain-sensitive) maybe a plastic rug you can also use outside is an option, that way you also bring back the material of the urban chairs. sorry i talk so long, but all the best with your table-issue :-)

I have a very old belgium oak table that looks fantastic with Navy chairs in brushed aluminum. There are reproductions that look like the real thing at 1/3 of the cost. The shine against the deep wood has gotten a lot of compliments. Also, like your table, I have a deep curtain that runs the length around the table, which can make it difficult to put your legs under the table without touching the wood. Keep that in mind, try out before you commit to something.

I'd go with the Fair Haven Dining chairs from pompanoosuc. http://www.pompy.com/furniture/?category=21&product=B504&pid=1

My first thought was Louis Ghost Chairs - They would be a great way to add a dash of modern to the space...

...otherwise, a simple upholstered dining chair is always a safe bet

http://www.crateandbarrel.com/furniture/dining-chairs/miles-arm-chair/f33015

Mooi chairs would be really pricey, so maybe that was a joke? They'd be at least $150-200 each.

I'd consider checking out Henredon on Ebay. They often have sets of dining chairs for sale or auction, at a fraction of their original cost. The quality is the finest made in America with American wood.

I had my dining room chairs for 30 years. They were fully upholstered, so after 30 years, I was due for new chairs. I bought two sets of chairs at furniture stores, and had to return them both. They were crap.

I ended up buying vintage Henredon chairs on Ebay. I LOVE THEM. The workmanship is impressive, and the chairs are gorgeous and comfortable.

PS Don't be afraid to buy low and ship. Small piece shippers can be found, generally starting at about $200.

I agree with a lot of commenters that an acrylic chair would go really well with anything, so it would certainly work for this table. Louis ghost chairs are really expensive, though, so if you want a cheaper alternative go on overstock.com and search for "acrylic chair" or something like it. You'll find that if you wait for sales or promotions (especially if you join Club O for $19.95/yr) that you'll get tons of cash back. I got two acrylic arm chairs this way for only about $100 each, which are much better quality than the plastic Ikea ones that also cost this much.

That's still a lot for 8 chairs. I definitely suggest Craigslist for vintagey finds.

"Louis ghost chairs are really expensive, though, so if you want a cheaper alternative go on overstock.com and search for "acrylic chair" or something like it. "

The real Kartell chairs don't scratch - The cheap knockoffs do.

@SweetVirginia
Surprisingly, that's not the worst of it in this thread. XD

@bepsf
... the c&b ones are $400 each... ppl don't always mean mean the same thing when they think "economical", but I'm pretty sure that doesn't qualify. And re: knockoff ghost chairs, at the end of the day, even if it scratches you still have something to sit on and can still feed yourself.

I think some simple white chairs would look nice on the long ends of the table. Something inexpensive like: http://www.ikea.com/us/en/catalog/products/40115042
And upholstered chairs at the ends would be a great combo

Also World Market just released a pretty decent-ish knock-off of the Tolix Marais A56 armchair. http://www.worldmarket.com/product/index.jsp?productId=11108348

The originals look great everywhere.

I bought a table with a similar shape a few years ago on Craigslist and was at a complete loss for chairs. I ended up buying thrift store chairs that were mis-matched and then painting them all the same color of red. Two years later, I still get compliments every time people come over. I love that I bought sturdy chairs that were a bit ugly so I will never feel bad changing them out, etc. I don't love a specific chair style enough to spend the money to buy it new. You can see the chair re-do here: http://jenfromtheblock.blogspot.com/2009/11/before-after-dining-room-chairs.html

I'd say Thonet chairs. And I like the Henredon chairs that Village suggested, and also the Henredon chairs proposed by hellcat.

I like most things Moooi but the Gothic Chair doesn't really do it for me, and at $384 it isn't exactly a budget priced chair.

I have a very similar table and when it was being used in our dining room we had glossy black Panton chairs around it, not budget but beautiful. After moving to a larger space the table is in the family room with vintage Eames shell chairs in different colors around it, mostly because that's what we had, which also looks good.

Also, I'd try it without any rug underneath...

I never really liked the way the table looked with the leaves in so we only use them when needed and most of the time the table is square with 4 chairs around it. When we need to use the leaves we just pull in other non-matching chairs.

Here is a not very current photo of the table down one Eames chair and with a Ghost chair standing in temporarily.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/29500172@N08/5537015853/in/photostream

I'd go with an upholstered shield back chair done in a bold graphic print. Change out the rug for something a little bit simpler, brighter/lighter.