I actually like the wood but how about a metallic like gold?

If you have to paint them, I'd go with black. It would make for a striking and elegant contrast.

High gloss white or black. Also - awesome chairs!!

I'd go with navy. I love navy and cream together.

Try cleaning them up & letting them live in your space before you totally decide. Maybe there's an accent color in your home you want to highlight? Maybe do dipped legs for a playful look? I do like the idea of a high gloss black for drama & contrast.

what about turquoise?

Why paint them? Refinish the beautiful wood and keep them classy looking.

you could go with powder grey...but definitely a pastel

high gloss burgundy / deep red.

Oooh, don't paint them. Unless there's something going on with the wood that's unsalvageable. I'd say reupholster and TUFT THEM. I loves me some tufted upholstery.

high gloss dark navy blue!

Are you planning on reupholstering them? If not, I like the dark blue suggestions, or glossy grey in the same colour range as the upholstery but darker.

My first thought was TEAL! Something bright and happy to contrast with the upholstery.

I'd actually sand and stain them a dark espresso color. I think the dark stain would look great against the silvery/gray fabric. But if you are totally set on painting them, id choose white out of the three options you are considering.

live with them for a while. Then decide.

What does the room where they are going look like?????????

(otherwise, it's like saying, "What color shoes should I wear?" without describing the outfit, event or your own personal style.)

The colors you suggested are too light. They will not provide enough a contrast with that fabric.

I like glossy white as opposed to green or blue. If they were mine I would probably do a deep iron gray. (Actually I would decide the wood looked good because I'm lazy like that.)

I think a Duck Egg blue would look great depending upon the colour scheme of the room you are putting them. When updating second hand furniture you have to be sensitive to the original design, so something too modern on these chairs may look a little odd.

Are these chairs really cream or are they more of a light gray? If they really are a true cream color the blues might look good, but if my monitor is showing true these would look better with gray or black. I'd stick with an eggshell vs high gloss finish.

It's such a shame when people paint wood - painted wood could be laminate or plastic or anything underneath. If you're lucky enough to find nice real wood, re-stain it sure, but it's sad to paint it.

I think the wood looks nice myself, but who knows. I like other commenters suggestions to live with them for a bit before you decide. I guess most of all it depends on your style, and their future surroundings. Another fun idea would be a really bright yellow, that has a subtle hint of celedon...looks great with neutral colors (the upholstery appears to be a gray color, but I could be wrong, but I think gray looks great with that bright yellow).

My first thought was bright yellow as well....But I also like the idea of high gloss black (or navy). Personally turquoise - any shade - is my favorite color and always makes me happy, so I would consider that as well! Just remember, IT'S ONLY PAINT!! you can do it over 10 times! :)

For Hollywood Regency, definitely a dark high-gloss paint or a subtle metallic. Pastels would evoke more of a Scandinavian feel; light wood is more mid-century modern; dark wood more late-20th century. Traditionally, the seating in a H'Reg room recedes into the background, while the crowd of glitterati and exotic accessories shine.
http://www.hgtv.com/decorating/hollywood-regency-style-get-the-look/index.html
http://poshsurfside.com/what-is-hollywood-regency-design

You are out of your mind to paint them. Refinish them with a darker stain if you must, but use some fantastically bright or wild upholstery to make the chairs sing. The frames have a fantastic shape -- let that stand on it's own.

Silver or pewter. Hollywood Regency is about glamor and glitz, so go for it! (Or gold, if the tone of the fabric looks better with that.)

Or you could REALLY amp things up with metallic leaf rather than paint.

Glossy black!

If they are high quality wood, consider not painting them. If they need sprucing up, maybe stain?

I agree with the others that the wood is good without painting. If you don't like the wood, the only color I'd personally consider is white. I feel that painting wood furniture bright colors has been done to death in recent years and usually looks sort of garish. Of course, if you want to do something daring and go for it, you can also always strip 'em and start over again. I'd also add to the chorus that those are some gorgeous chairs.

Addendum: I also sort of like the upholstery and it looks like it's in good shape and probably good quality. Which makes the chairs an even better score. As for painting a metallic, I wish I understood that whole faintly Liberace thing with Hollywood Regency but I just don't get it. Metallic seems like it would both look cheap and be hard to live with. That said, I'm sure it could be done well and I might be surprised how good it could look given the right context.

Black with gold dipped legs.

Do the legs really need to be painted? I think it looks great as is, but if the wood isn't in the best looking condition, I would go with a glossy black.

I'm with Sherrybinnh. Metallic leaf in whatever tone matches the upholstery. It's easy to do if you start with wood that's had the finish removed with a product like Homer Formby's.

a matte gold...if you're the patient diy'er a gold leaf but a matte gold maybe with bright gold flecks

I'd first see if the upholstery can be cleaned; might really freshen up the neutral color. Then clean the legs, live with it a while and then reupholster if you can afford it. The natural wood shape is beautiful and sometimes 'paint it' is the cheap, lazy way out.

I like the upholstery and think the chairs look pretty good the way they are. Lightly sand the wood with very fine sand paper and put some on some Howards Feed and Wax which cures many small ills. Then live with them a while and think about it some more.

Thanks for the comments everyone!! These are for the apartment I haven't moved into yet, but I am thinking of painting the walls a purplish grey. I like the idea of keeping them as is and staining the wood, or glossy black! Really liking the idea of gold dipped legs!