Whether you are hosting a lunch or late-night dinner party, it’s always good to have enough dining chairs to make your friends and guests feel comfortable.
But unless you have a separate dining room, keeping all the extra chairs around the dining table at all times is not such a good idea. Especially when you have a small immediate family and require no more than 4 seats a day.
So as seen in most homes, once the party is over, the extra lot of dining chairs are stacked away in a garage or storage closet, collecting dust and taking up plenty of space.
But not anymore!
We at Only Dining Chairs are a one stop shop for all your dining chair needs. Not only do we offer some of the best dining chairs in all of Australia, but we also offer the right advice when it comes to dining chairs.
So our design team at Only Dining Chairs sat together to list the most amazing and doable ways to put your extra dining chairs to good use.
So that you can say no to extra dining chairs sitting in the way or unnecessarily cluttering your garage. Make the right use of your dining chairs and make each dollar count!
But before we jump into the myriad of ways to put those extra dining chairs to use, let's address one major question that we often get about extra dining chairs.
"Why purchase the extra dining chairs when you don't need them in the first place?"
Well, for a family of two, with no family, friends or any sort of human contact whatsoever, we do not recommend more than a set of 2 or, at max, 4 dining chairs.
But anyone who has guests over often or hosts holiday dinners or brunches, we recommend getting a set of 6 dining chairs, at least.
- Having little to no seating space can make your house feel unwelcoming.
- Buying dining chairs together or in bulk is cheaper or cost-effective than buying individual dining chairs.
So at least buy a set of 6 dining chairs.
You can get up to as many as 8 to 12 dining chairs with your dining table. In case you have an even bigger family to cater to, we recommend up to 16 chairs.
As for what to do with them when they are not being used as dining chairs? We have over 10 ways to put them to the best use!
Not to forget, these dining chairs don't necessarily need to be the same size, shape, colour or even style.
For example, we at Only Dining Chairs love to pair contemporary dining chairs with velvet dining chairs. While a pair of leather dining chairs, such as our Sage walnut leather chairs look great with a set of wooden dining chairs.
Now that we have that covered Let's get straight to how to make the best use out of the spare dining chairs:
1. Entryway Seating
The best way to use additional dining chairs is to keep them side-by-side in your hallway or entryway.
This will add an extra splash of class and beauty to your space while putting those chairs to practical use.
You can use the chair for sitting while taking off or putting on your shoes or use it as a temporary place to set your bags or coats.
You can also choose to add just one dining chair to the entryway or foyer in case of limited space. Pair it with a slim console for putting essentials like a briefcase, keys, hat etc.
If a console sounds too much for the tiny space, just place a small planter on the side to give your entryway a complete look.
Whichever style you choose, a small seating area using the spare dining chairs will add tons to both your home's space and aesthetic.
2. Desk Chair
Whether you want to study or work from home, a comfy desk chair is a must.
If you have an extra upholstered or leather dining chair, couple it with a desk to achieve a comfortable study or working environment.
They offer a naturally ergonomic setup while providing you support and comfort for long hours.
The best part is that you don't necessarily need a separate room to set up this space.
Find a quiet corner, and you can easily set up your very own work desk using a spare dining chair.
This setup can also be doubled as a school station for children taking online classes due to COVID-19 or general home schooling.
3. Pair It With A Kitchen Bistro Table
Do you have a small eat-in kitchen table or a breakfast corner? If yes, add two extra chairs there.
This will offer a perfect spot for early morning breakfasts and is the best alternative to your formal dining room.
Doing so will create a small and cozy dine in setting for your family, within the kitchen, without having to buy an extra dining or seating arrangement for everyday use.
Also, avoiding the formal dining table for everyday use will keep it from the usual wear and tear.
Not to forget how easy it is to spread breakfast (in our case, even lunch and dinner) right over the counter as compared to laying it on the dining table.
Which makes morning routines easier, especially if you are rushing for work or have children to tend to.
Which means comfort and time saving, all in one!
4. Use It In A Guest Bedroom
If you have a small area next to the bed where something non-traditional would go well, place an extra dining chair and use it as a nightstand.
You can use this strategy in a small bedroom or guest bedroom to give the space a unique look.
Not sure if a dining chair can be put to any use in the bedroom? Think again!
Here are some benefits of having a chair in the bedroom:
- Offers an extra place for guests to sit and relax
- Complements your room decor
- Perfect seat for putting on socks and shoes
Just make sure to choose the right style of dining chair that goes with your room's feel.
For example, a wooden dining chair or a leather dining chair will pair up well with a cozy room as compared to a contemporary dining chair.
We have a blog post related to styles of dining chairs which may help.
5. Pair It Up With Your Dressing Table:
While a dining chair can not be used as a nightstand in your regular, day to day bedroom.
Because imagine, you want to put a glass of water nearby.
Do you put it on the chair and let it topple?
Or do you put it on your partner's side table?
Either way, it's a hassle.
Instead, you can use a spare dining chair in your bedroom, as a makeover chair, by pairing it with your dressing table.
Allow yourself to sit comfortably while dressing up instead of cramming up against the mirror.
In case you don't have a dressing table, place it against the mirror or in your closet. Basically, anywhere that you get ready and may require a seating arrangement for your ease.
6. Living Room Seat
Do you often fall short on seating space in your living area?
Put your extra dining chairs in your living room to create adequate space for everyone.
You could either keep it in an empty corner or pair it with a small accent table.
This works well, especially for a more substantial velvet dining chair, since it offers comfort and easily blends with your space.
Make sure to style it with accessories like a pillow or cushion to make it look like it really belongs to the area.
7. Pair It With A Game Table
When pairing the extra dining chairs with your living room furniture, make it cozier by adding a small game table to the mix.
You can also feel free to pair the spare dining chairs with larger game tables in the basement or game room.
8. Cozy Them Up Near A Fireplace
Another great idea is to pair the extra dining chair against a fireplace.
Add a small coffee table to the side, and voila, you have a warm sitting space right near the fire.
It is a perfect spot to spend time with your loved ones while sipping on hot cocoa on a chilly night.
9. Put To Use In The Study
By now you should know that chairs can come in handy everywhere.
Even in the study.
Place near the window, if there is any, for when you need a time out.
Or simply add to your desk when you have people over in your study.
10. Create A Reading Nook
Still, left with a chair or two?
Place against a bookshelf to enjoy a good read.
Do not have a bookshelf?
No worries. Use the dining chair as an impromptu reading corner. Find a nice and peaceful nook in your home.
Any place where one can enjoy some peace and quiet.
Preferably against a window, (I know, we are clearly obsessed with windows).
Place one dining chair and add a small caddy of books against it.
Don't have a caddy?
No problem. Put your favourite books right on top of the chair. And there you have it, a cozy and unique bookshelf.
11. Fill Up Extra Spaces With Extra Dining Chairs:
One final way that we at Only Dining Chairs love to use our extra dining chairs for is as accent chairs.
Accent chairs are basically a quick way to add space and class to a far fetched corner of the room. Accent chairs do not come in pairs and are often used to elevate the room's look and feel.
More often than not, they are used to add elements of style to the room, than space. We can say that an extra seat or space is an added benefit.
But when needed for seating, they can easily be dragged from the corner and included in any seating arrangement.
Some easy ideas of using dining chairs as accent chairs are:
- Use as a plant pot holder
- Use as a bookshelf
- Use to cover an empty corner
The key is to not be afraid when deciding to place an accent chair. Any place that looks or feels empty or too big can definitely use some edge to add an extra dining chair.
Just be sure to add a small element that matches the whole look of the room, e.g. a similar coloured pillow. Maybe use similarly styled upholstery as on the other furniture present in the room, etc.
However, always remember not to cram up a place with an extra chair. Always look for empty spaces to add your spare chairs too. If you cram the place up, it will lose its style.
Leave enough negative space for the chair to stand out without feeling too crowded.
In case there is no space in your house at all, it is better to leave the dining chairs at the dining table or store them inside the closet.
In the end...
Dining chairs are important furniture items that not only belong to a dining table but, as mentioned above, can be useful for plenty of other purposes.
So before you think to bury the spare dining chairs in the garage or closet for until the next holiday dinner, think of incorporating them in your living room, foyer or even bedroom.
Not only will the dining chairs be finally put to good use, but they will also add plenty to your decor and space.
Incorporate one or more of these ideas and send us a picture to win a chance to be featured on our blog.
Don’t have any dining chairs to spare?
Visit onlydiningchairs.com.au and browse our unique range of dining chairs.
We deal in all styles of dining chairs. Whether you need modern dining chairs or wooden dining chairs, we have it all!
You could even consider checking out our blog post on "The Top 10 Most Popular Dining Chair Styles".
What matters the most to our customers is the use of the best quality materials and state of the art finishing, which is what we are all about at Only Dining Chairs Australia!
If you need any help, we are only an email or phone call away!
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