http://www.ikea.com/us/en/catalog/products/30125923/#/30125923

Something like the IKEA INGOLF?

I would go for a metal cafe chair, like the Marais A side chair.
http://www.industrywest.com/shop/chairs/marias-a-side-chairs.html

Not sure what your version of "splurge" is so these may or may not be in your budget, but anything similar would be stunning. The metal + wood would be very industrial and edgy!

I think a bench such as this one from West Elm would look great for some seating http://www.westelm.com/products/emmerson-dining-bench-g502/?pkey=cbenches&cm_src=benches||NoFacet-_-NoFacet-_--_-

I personally like mismatched chairs. Some less rustic ones from IKEA may look perfect and not break the bank:

1) http://www.ikea.com/us/en/catalog/products/S99848706/
2) http://www.ikea.com/us/en/catalog/products/40213274/
3) http://www.ikea.com/us/en/catalog/products/10229605/
4) http://www.ikea.com/us/en/catalog/products/70102694/

Also, this stool from CB2 would be cool to add in the mix: http://www.cb2.com/ottomans-benches/furniture/contact-stool/s124896

Lastly, a few other CB2 chairs that I think would look cool (non-rustic, not as expensive):
1) http://www.cb2.com/fleet-hot-orange-chair/s363386
2) http://www.cb2.com/echo-white-chair/f6259
3) http://www.cb2.com/dining-chairs-barstools/furniture/vapor-chair/f4957

Hope this is helpful!

Ooh, I LOVE that idea! I was curious about what people had done and googled it; apparently you've hit on a trend! Check these out: http://bit.ly/RCtq6f

I really like the look of something that's a stark contrast to the wood: white, a bright color, or whatever fits your taste and space. I'm guessing it would be difficult to find any kind of wood chairs that would look right---unless made by the same person.

I love the modern meets rustic look. Try a clear lucite chair - the shape is really up to you.

https://www.google.com/search?q=lucite+chairs&hl=en&client=firefox-a&hs=JZ3&tbo=u&rls=org.mozilla:en-US:official&tbm=isch&source=univ&sa=X&ei=YMK_UL2YLoedqgGylIBo&ved=0CFoQsAQ&biw=1600&bih=770

These bent plywood chairs from Target are fun and cheap. Set of two for $80. A riff on an ant chair, I guess.

http://www.target.com/p/modern-stacking-chair-green-set-of-2/-/A-11240327

Mix and match on Craigslist, but paint them the same color?

I have a rustic dining table that I have matched with red leather modern dining room chairs...similar to these...check out the pictures which show these chairs in a room setting on this link http://www.potterybarn.com/products/grayson-chair/?pkey=cchairs-barstools&cm_src=chairs-barstools||NoFacet-_-NoFacet-_--_-

Bench is easiest.

The red leather chairs I bought locally for 1/2 the price of the PB ones.

I don't care for the bench idea. If you have people of different height and/or weight, one will want to sit close while the other won't be able too.

Budget or not, I really like Madam P's idea of mix/matched chairs painted in the same color from Craig's list.

What about a clean modern silhouette like these Target chairs:

http://www.target.com/p/avery-dining-chair-set-of-2-espresso/-/A-13267798#prodSlot=large_1_13

Still rustic enough, since they are covered in dark leather, to match the table and they don't break the bank!

Don't get metal/aluminum chairs. They suck the body heat right out of you and you will end up getting a seat cushion. I speak from experience.

I have a table just like that! I've been keeping an eye on craigslist for the past month or two, and have picked up some great mismatched chairs as singles or pairs.

I would probably go with something white - either painted wood or something like the CB2 echo chair somebody suggested (Ikea has a very similar one). Crate and Barrel has a nice imitation Thonet chair in white.
I like the idea of mismatched chairs too.

White white white!

180 for 4 = 45 bucks each! You can buy 8, or even 12 and sell the extra 2 on craigslist.

http://www.overstock.com/Home-Garden/White-Tabouret-Stacking-Chairs-Set-of-4/5095636/product.html

I agree with no metal and no benches. Though the bench idea would be easy...hard for some to get up and out of.

There was a rustic table with red chairs that looked really nice in the inspiration search AMChicago mentioned. I think you would be hard pressed to have a modern feel with mismatched unless you went with all one color in a high gloss finish.

Target has some fabulous Blu Dot chairs in grey or green . . . very cool.

http://www.target.com/OpenZoomLayer?template=scene7-image&image=Target/14193217_is&&omniZoomPartNumber=14193217&swCellSpacing=10,10&swHighlightThickness=1&swBorderThickness=0&itemTitle=TOO+by+Blu+Dot+Hipper+Dining+Chair+Guacamole+-+Set+of+2&omniImageCount=2

I would choose a stakable chair as you will have 10 and use 6 most of the time.

Tolix Chair in the colour of you preference is great! It also has ones with arms so you may get 2 with arms!

Gorgeous table! Heather, what's the name of the etsy shop that's making this for you? I'm looking for something similar...

I bought a gorgeous table last year - it's fairly rustic looking with a pear wood top and oak legs that have been stained black. My existing chairs look super (I think) with it. 4 of the chairs are quite traditional looking. They were made by a company here in Canada that went out of business in the early 50s, and I bought them at a consignment store. The other 2 chairs are Italian black lacquer and I bought them from DeBoers, a Toronto furniture store that closed a couple of years ago, on the last day before they closed. The chairs are not at all what I thought I would get, but we saw them and knew they'd be right.

So I guess my advice is to look at different alternatives, chairs that you might not think will work.

I love the idea of a solid Lucite chair, too! It's a pretty table with interesting joinery. Wouldn't you want to see it as much as possible?

Then again, I don't know how comfortable Lucite chairs are. Ultimately you need to be comfortable at the table, in a nice chair that invites you to linger for hours over a delicious four course home-cooked meal!

Kartell Masters chair in white.

We have a farmhouse table that I made. We have four ikea tobias chairs (one on each end, two on one side) and a rustic bench on the other side. It looks great!

I'd say find a bunch of orphaned chairs... free, thrift or hand me downs and paint them in bright colors... or something like this may be fun from ikea... http://www.ikea.com/us/en/catalog/products/40217795/
They're actually incredibly comfortable, even though they're folding chairs and the aqua is cute! But a mix and match group of thrift chairs in bright colors with fun upholstery i think could also be great.
I had this in mind with the mix and match, although perhaps also more colors http://inhabitat.com/nyc/street-seats-abandoned-chairs-given-a-taxicab-yellow-facelift-for-the-armory-show/

Hi there! Im actually in the process of updating our dining room furniture as well. I, too, am going for a rustic meets modern look. Im planning to pair our rustic table with Eames style chairs from Overstock. Here are some of my top pics of modern affordable chairs. You may like some of these options. Good luck and happy hunting!

http://www.overstock.com/Home-Garden/Ronnie-Wire-Base-White-Chairs-Set-of-2/3351572/product.html

http://www.overstock.com/Home-Garden/Overlea-White-Plastic-Modern-Dining-Chairs-Set-of-2/6008424/product.html

http://www.overstock.com/Home-Garden/Avery-Mid-Century-Wire-Chair-with-Black-Cushion-Set-of-2/6502052/product.html

http://www.overstock.com/Home-Garden/Nadia-Stacking-Chairs-Set-of-4/7180286/product.html

http://www.overstock.com/Home-Garden/Black-Tabouret-Stacking-Chairs-Set-of-4/5095639/product.html

I love Philippe Starck's Victoria Ghost chairs. In Belgium you can buy them discount. These are chairs that were used for rentals, and will have light scratches from use. Knowing that if you pay the full price and use them, within a year you'll have scratched chairs too, this is a very good deal. Anyway, I think these chairs contrast with rustic furniture, antique furniture, ... and make any style of table look good in a modern home.

I really like that table.

Two suggestions on styles:

http://pinterest.com/pin/124482377172034469/ http://pinterest.com/pin/124482377170195224/

http://pinterest.com/pin/124482377170023809/

Wow - thanks so much for all of your ideas! I can see I've got some good shopping ahead of me. Thanks also for the advice on your experience with things to avoid. I don't want to do a bench because I, personally, find dining without a back on the chair uncomfortable. I hand't thought about the challenges of a metal chair though.

The Etsy shop for this table is Timeless Journey but there were quite a few wonderful options out there. After shopping the big stores and even some of the design stores, I was really pleasantly surprised by the options on Etsy! I've bought Etsy before but more on the craft/jewelry side. I hadn't thought of it for furniture.

Those vapor chairs would be great to showcase the table!

I like my Jake chairs from Room and Board.

http://www.roomandboard.com/rnb/product/detail.do?productGroup=6391

Ghost chairs