Nine dining areas styled with artfully mismatched chairs

In our latest lookbook, we highlight eight homely dining areas layered with characterful pick-and-mix chairs in place of a perfectly matched set.

Mismatched chairs are a long-standing trend in residential interiors, often used by designers to add charm, personality and a homely informality to dining rooms.

Mix-and-matched seating can also be useful for homeowners on a budget and those who simply want to showcase the different furniture pieces they've collected over the years.

The eclectic examples below exemplify different methods, whether combining chairs in pairs, mixing in benches and stools, or choosing a subtle yet unifying theme for a visually pleasing blend.

This is the latest in our lookbooks series, which provides curated inspiration from Dezeen's archive. For more inspiration, see previous lookbooks featuring feline-friendly interiors, butter-yellow homes and light-filled London basement homes.

Sofie, Belgium, by Madam Architectuur

This cluster of mix-and-match seating includes a mid-century Cesca Chair by Marcel Breuer and a sextet of Arne Jacobsen's Series 7 chairs in different colours.

They help enliven the dining area of Sofie, a Belgian home recently extended by local studio Madam Architectuur to provide its owners with a space to dine while overlooking the nearby fields.

Find out more about Sofie ›

Hatley House, Canada, by Pelletier de Fontenay and François Abbot

A series of antique wooden chairs in different styles and colours animate the dining table of Hatley House in Quebec, designed by Canadian architects Pelletier de Fontenay and François Abbot.

The mismatched look adds a homely touch to the otherwise clean-cut and polished interior, which is defined by concrete, white walls and plywood surfaces.

Find out more about Hatley House ›

Apartment in Lapa, Portugal, by Filipe Fonseca da Costa

For Apartment in Lapa, architect Filipe Fonseca da Costa chose to combine chairs in pairs around the home's main dark-wood dining table.

This includes rustic bent-wood and rattan chairs, alongside a duo of minimalist oak Visu Chairs created by Finnish designer Mika Tolvanen for Muuto. They add warmth and personality to the open-plan kitchen-dining area, which is lined with pared-back white cabinets.

Find out more about Apartment in Lapa ›

VitraHaus loft, Germany, by Sabine Marcelis

In this staged apartment at the VitraHaus loft, Sabine Marcelis offered a masterclass in artfully mixing and matching chairs around a dining table.

Among the seats are a bright orange Panton chair and a pair of Eames Wire Chairs with matching orange seat cushions, visually softened by one of the brand's wooden Standard chairs.

Find out more about the VitraHaus loft ›

Haus Kaltschmieden, Austria, by Bernardo Bader Architekten

Not one chair is the same around the dining table at Haus Kalschmieden, a barn-like house in rural Austria by local studio Bernardo Bader Architekten.

Though they are all different, the muddled cluster of seats is unified by wooden frames that inject a rustic charm into the otherwise modernist, pared-back interior.

Find out more about Haus Kaltschmieden ›

Casa Verde, Mexico, by Chloé Mason Gray

Mexico City-based interior designer Chloé Mason Gray opted for a combination of sculptural, statement seating around this custom table, formed from green quartzite and black-stained oak.

To ensure a symmetrical look, twin wooden stools with splayed legs are placed at the ends of the table, while four matching 1950s chairs by Finnish designer Olavi Hanninen line the sides.

Find out more about Casa Verde ›

BA Apartment, Portugal, by Atelier Data

Three contrasting pairs of dining chairs take centre stage in this dining room, adding interesting pops of colour, texture and shape to the white-walled space.

They include wire-back wooden chairs and bright orange Gliss chairs by Pedrali, which tie in with the tones of two maximalist Mademoiselle armchairs by Philippe Starck for Kartell.

Find out more about BA Apartment ›

Riverside Tower apartment, Belgium, by Studio Okami Architecten

Studio Okami Architecten founder Bram Van Cauter mixed up the seating in his dining area by combining regular dining chairs with a long grey bench.

For visual unity, he opted for a trio of chairs with a similar grey finish, allowing the statement red-and-green dining table to pop against the home's brutalist backdrop.

Find out more about the Riverside Tower apartment ›

Red House, Portugal, by Extrastudio

Portuguese firm Extrastudio achieved a relaxed look for this bright, airy dining area by combining a homespun collection of wooden furniture.

A trio of folding wood and canvas seats are teamed with a single vintage dining chair around an antique drop-leaf table, illuminated by a delicate paper-like pendant light.

Find out more about Red House ›

This is the latest in our lookbooks series, which provides visual inspiration from Dezeen's archive. For more inspiration, see previous lookbooks featuring feline-friendly interiors, butter-yellow home interiors and light-filled London basement homes. 

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