The post Weekday Dinners, Cocktail Hours—This California-Cool Dining Space Makes Room for It All appeared first on domino.

There are some things you can’t unsee once you’ve seen them. The boob light is one of those things. A landlord’s special, this mass-produced fixture gets its nickname for its dome silhouette and protruding tip, and is one of the top features we hear homeowners and renters complain about. But recently, interior designer Shannon McLaren, owner of Prairie Interiors, made a case for having a pointy-looking flush mount—and it’s something we don’t want to unsee. 

“I told myself I need to go minimal, cool, and anti-McMansion,” says McLaren, while recalling renovating the dining room in her 2000s–built Newport Beach, California, home. Previously, there was a gaudy chandelier hanging in the space that fit the vibe of the, as she put it, “bad Coto de Caza, Mediterranean” architecture; it wasn’t at all to her liking. After swathing the walls in a glistening, fishy Pierre Frey wallpaper, the designer had her electrician replace the old light with Hay’s Matin flush mount lamp, or “the new boob light,” as she so cleverly called it on her Instagram Stories. “It’s not this grand thing; it’s this simple hall light that I thought was cute and cheerful,” she explains. 

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Matin Flush Mount, Hay ($200)

The $200 find was originally created by French designer Inge Sempé and features a pleated cotton shade along with a painted steel bracket for mounting it on the ceiling or on the wall (yes, you can treat it like a sconce, too). The flat-packed fixture shields two bulbs, which give it that soft, ambient glow—and if you want to swap them out with LED dimmable versions, it’s totally compatible. While the piece is hardwired, it can be assembled easily by someone with electrical know-how. We never thought we’d see this day, but we’re not mad about it.

More Like It

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Chris Loves Julia Parasol Semi-Flush Mount, Pottery Barn Kids ($229)

Chris and Julia Marcum technically designed this scalloped piece with a nursery in mind, but we not-so-secretly want it for our adult bedrooms. 

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Santa Barbara Rattan Flush Mount, Serena & Lily ($498)

A hit of rattan ends much-needed texture to a flat white ceiling. 

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Model 26 Ceiling Light, Lightology (from $600)

This conical one is a splurge-worthy version of McLaren’s Hay piece. Designed in 1945 by Tage Klint, it stars his signature hand-folded pleating. 

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Utah-18 Ceiling Light by Gallery L7, 1stDibs ($1,800)

If it’s the boob light’s pointy tip that throws you off, opt for a disk silhouette, which looks more like a space shuttle than a body part. 

The post We Never Thought We’d Say It, But This Designer Has Us Rethinking Boob Lights appeared first on domino.

Reading up on Domino’s shopping guides is like having your own personal product concierge. We do the tedious part—deep-dive research, hands-on testing, and tapping experts for advice—so all you have to do is hit “add to cart.” That’s why we call them Simply the Best.

Dining chairs aren’t the typical first-apartment purchase. You wouldn’t live without a mattress (you need to sleep!) or a sofa (where else would you slurp instant ramen while watching The Bachelorette?), but dining room furniture never feels as essential. That is unless you want to host people for brunch—or just eat at an actual table every once in a while. Come to think of it, investing in dining chairs is crucial.

Now for the fun part: It’s time to play Goldilocks and choose the perfect set for you. While the best get-togethers start with a killer playlist and free-flowing wine, comfortable chairs that invite guests to linger long after dessert, when the plates are left with nothing but a few crumbs, are the unsung heroes of any dinner party. Aesthetics, of course, has its own role to play. If you’re ready to graduate from the sofa to the dinner table and buy a real set of the best dining chairs, read on for answers from designers and DIYers to that age-old question: How do you pick out the perfect seat? 

Our Favorites

• The smooth operator: Lulu and Georgia Joel Dining Chair
• The durable chameleon: Resto Chair Division 12
• The dinner party companion: RoveConcepts Angelo Chair 
• The old soul: Interior Define Hollis Chair
• The trendy one: Industry West Cane Armchair
• The statement silhouette: Menuspace Afteroom Dining Chair
• The casual slingback: Lulu and Georgia Vix Dining Chair

The Smooth Operator: Lulu and Georgia Joel Dining Chair

Joel Dining Chair, Lulu and Georgia ($599)

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Arms: Yes | Seat height: 18.5 inches | Material: Linen-and-polyester blend

When designer Abbie Naber was tasked with furnishing an entire SoCal home, the dining table chairs had to nail the trifecta of style, price, and sensibility. “We chose CB2’s Lisette because it hit the mark on many levels for us: comfortability—its fabric had a bit of cushion to it and arms were a requirement—and color—forgiving yet still light, like the palette of the space,” she offers. The best part, though, may be the unexpected silhouette, which Naber describes as modern but not too predictable. While this particular version is no longer in stock, we did find an alternative at Lulu and Georgia that nails Naber’s criteria.

Shop More Upholstered Dining Chairs

Abilene Upholstered Dining Chair, West Elm ($449)

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Velvet Hagan Dining Chair, Anthropologie ($398)

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The Durable Chameleon: Division 12 Resto Chair

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Arms: No | Seat height: 19 inches | Material: White oak, stained oak, or recycled HDPE

The biggest draw of Division 12’s Resto is the customization. “The brand offers an extensive list of options, and it was a fun way to add color in a place that sometimes is more muted,” recalls designer Regan Baker of a dining area she worked on in a San Francisco home. After playing with a bunch of looks, she landed on mint for the frame and a yellow plaid cushion fabric that could sustain wear and tear from kids. “In general, the Resto chairs are a great fit for somewhere where durability is key,” adds Baker, noting that the company is a commercial brand typically tapped for restaurants. 

Shop More Armless Dining Chairs

Betwixt Chair, Studioilse ($645)

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Clelia Upholstered Chair, Connubia ($506)

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The Dinner Party Companion: RoveConcepts Angelo Chair 

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Arms: No | Seat height: 19.5 inches | Material: Velvet upholstery on steel or brass

Designer Zoe Feldman knew her clients needed plush places to post up for long, boozy dinner gatherings. After considering multiple pieces, she settled on the Angelo chair by RoveConcepts for a few reasons. “We wanted a color that was not already represented but also didn’t feel like a complete departure,” explains Feldman, noting the moody paint shade and depth of the wallpaper. “Blush is a wonderful neutral that gives the space some welcome lightness, delicacy, and a quiet pop of color.” The curvy frame also gives it a soft touch of femininity that was not only an aesthetic win but, paired with the velvet upholstery pulled over a high-density foam seat, won points on comfortability, too. 

Shop More High-Back Dining Chairs

Tossberg Chair, IKEA ($180)

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Azalea Bouclé Chair, CB2 ($399)

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The Old Soul: Interior Define Hollis Chair

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Arms: Yes | Seat height: 19 inches | Material: Varies

In need of some Art Deco glamour, Joy Cho picked these golden darlings for their vintage appeal. “I love the mix of structure in the legs with the softness of the seat and back,” says the Oh Joy! founder and creative director, who went with two different colors for a blended look. It was the unique contours that sold her: She would usually favor armless dining chairs for a casual breakfast nook or formal dining arrangement, but Cho loved how the frame baked that construction into the crescent-shaped back. “There’s an option for a rest if you want it, without it being too large or interfering with the ability to push the chair close into the table when not in use,” she adds. 

Shop More Curved Dining Chairs

Mazz Dining Chair by Leanne Ford, Crate & Barrel ($499)

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Healey Retro Velvet Chairs, Target ($376)

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The Trendy One: Industry West Cane Armchair

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Arms: Yes | Seat height: 17.25 inches | Material: Ash and cane

DIYer Brit Arnesen of Britdotdesign always envisioned cane chairs when she began converting her garage into an open-concept living room, complete with a terrazzo fireplace and dining area. “I didn’t necessarily have any preferences in terms of shape or dimensions, because I planned to build a table to go with them,” she shares. Industry West’s cane armchair is even closer to her vision than she expected to find (and the $160 T.J. Maxx ones she landed on). Though the natural colorway is no longer available, the mid-century frame adds beautiful contrast in the black- and green-painted ash wood. If you can’t splurge on a set of classic Cesca chairs, why not give this contemporary twist a try?

Shop More Cane Dining Chairs

Emmy Windsor Back Arm Chair, Safavieh ($329 was $439)

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Fynn Wood And Cane Back Dining Armchair, World Market ($349)

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The Statement Silhouette: Menuspace Afteroom Dining Chair

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Arms: No | Seat height: 18 inches | Material: Walnut veneer or upholstered and steel

If you’re searching for something unexpected to wow guests, consider Menuspace’s Afteroom chairs. “We love that they feel like little elegant characters,” says Russell Whitehead of London-based firm 2LG Studio, who paired the steel-framed stunners with a sculptural table created in collaboration with jesmonite artist Olivia Aspinal in his and Jordan Cluroe’s own dining room–slash-workspace. “We needed dining chairs that could hold their own but have a lighter appearance to play against the solid shape of the table leg,” he adds. “Their slim, playful shape is the perfect complement, and the options on upholstery allowed a level of freedom to bring these in line with our color palette.” 

Shop More Minimalist Dining Chairs

Wyatt Dining Chair, Pottery Barn ($179 was $199)

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Set of Modern Rattan Round Dining Chairs , Overstock ($449)

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The Casual Slingback: Lulu and Georgia Vix Dining Chair

Vix Dining Chair (Set of 2), Lulu and Georgia ($1,298)

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Arms: No | Seat height: 18.25 inches | Material: Leather, Sungkai wood 

Why we chose it: For a laid-back yet luxe look that will only get better with time. 

While we have long admired the Strap dining chair—a bi-tonal leather and wood combo crafted by Thomas Hayes Studio—we, frankly, don’t have $3,000 to spare for one. (See them in Meredith Chin’s creative haven, designer Mat Sanders, and the countertop version in model and chef Sanne Vloet’s Los Angeles loft, as well as Maria Dueñas Jacobs’s Manhattan apartment.) For those of us tasked with furnishing a dining room on our own, a little more affordably, there are plenty of similar styles on the market that bring these two classic materials together in a woven format. Take Lulu and Georgia’s Vix chairs, for example. They feature a naturally tanned leather over a curved yet sturdy Sungkai wood–based frame. 

Shop More Leather Strap Dining Chairs 

Taj Brown Woven Leather Dining Chair, Crate & Barrel ($499)

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Perry Dining Chair, Burke Decor ($524 was $656)

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How We Chose These Products

Finding the perfect set of seats for your dining table, kitchen corner, or breakfast nook is no simple task—should you opt for a classic wood look or a comfier upholstered frame? Do you want something lush like velvet or a top-notch performance fabric that’s a breeze for wiping up pasta sauce and wine spills? So we found a few of our favorite dining table chairs and asked the designers who sourced them why they were the ideal fit for that space. 

Our Shopping Checklist

Size

Dining chairs come in all shapes and sizes, but determining the right dimensions for your room depends most on your existing dining table. Ergonomics is pretty important to eating—no one wants to feel like they’re in need of a booster when sitting down or bruise their knees every time they have to get up—so be sure to account for ample leg and lap room when taking measurements. For a standard table, the seat height these designers went with fell between 17 and nearly 20 inches. Though Baker also advises most guests won’t want to straddle the base of a table, so it’s equally important to think about where the legs of the chair and table meet (if at all—this is less of a concern with a pedestal or trestle table). 

Arms vs. Armless

It’s all about space allotment. Baker suggests asking yourself a few questions first: Where will the arms fall at the table? Will they prevent the chair from sliding underneath the table? “From here, it becomes a style choice,” she notes. “Arms can add a structural or architectural moment, which is why we like to use them, especially on the ends of tables where there is often more room.”  

Comfort

Chair arms are also tied up with comfort—sometimes it’s nice to have a place to rest your elbows, but if space is tight, you won’t want to feel like the sides are closing in. Material choices are also a factor. We get it; dining chairs should be visually stunning. But if you’re planning to sit on them regularly, you don’t want to feel sore or stiff in a half hour. “Sit tests are always important,” stresses Baker. And if you’re entertaining often, you might want to opt for a structure that’s easy to maintain. Naber suggests focusing on materials that are simple to clean and stain-resistant, such as a wood chair with a leather pad. 

Pro Tips for Styling the Best Dining Chairs 

• It’s important to think about how you’ll occupy a dining space. “Are you more into long dinner parties and therefore need pure comfort with your choice of chair, or is space a strong concern, so you need a streamlined chair?” poses Whitehead. 
• For a more casual dining environment, play with the height of your chair—a taller back lends itself to a traditional vibe, whereas a shorter frame can feel more modern. Or simply add in a bench or stool.
• Sometimes vintage is best. For a Washington, D.C., home, Feldman found Biedermeier chairs. “They offer a modern silhouette, while the curvature of the patterned wood creates tension against the stark lines of the wallpaper,” she says. “Sculptural occasional chairs have the ability to stand alone and be anchored to the space without a table.”
• Naber’s biggest tip: Avoid being too matchy-matchy. “I like combining materials and allowing contrast to happen,” she shares. “If you have a black dining table, try pairing it with a lighter wood or vice versa. Also think about other materials, not just wood.”

Cult Classics

Cesca Chair, Knoll ($905 was $1,065)

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Wishbone Chair, Carl Hansen & Søn ($735 was $865)

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Pair of Biedermeier Style Armchairs ($3,750)

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Pair of Fayann Slat Back Side Chairs, Joss and Main ($290)

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Ask Domino

Q: How much space should there be between dining chairs? 

Baker suggests leaving at least 4 inches between chairs to prevent guests from feeling like they’re on top of one another. A general rule of thumb, according to Naber, is 24 inches per chair: “If the chair itself is wider, then you’ll need to accommodate for more space.” You can fudge that calculation a bit more in high-traffic areas that call for space-saving measures. For example, consider backless stools—which are usually narrower than traditional dining chairs. More specifically, Baker will reserve about 4 inches between each chair to prevent people from feeling cramped. 

Q: How do I clean and properly maintain my dining chairs?

This depends on the material or upholstery you choose. For instance, cane can be brittle, making it susceptible to tears and fading, so try to keep it out of direct sunlight and moisturize it every now and then with a water-and-oil mixture (just be careful not to oversaturate it!). Wood and metal can always be easily wiped down after spills, but a cushion is more likely to stain, so stick to performance fabrics if you have kids or a penchant for hosting family and friends.  

Q: How many dining chairs should I have? 

The number of seats is largely dependent on the length or diameter of your table, whether it’s round or rectangular. “Generally someone selling a table will tell you how many chairs it can accommodate, but all chairs have different widths—many are in the range of about 20 to 26 inches,” points out Baker. In other words, 45 to 60 inches should allow you to sit anywhere from four to six people, designers reveal, but your chair count ultimately boils down to common sense: After all, you can fit more skinny, armless chairs than large armchairs in any space. 

The Last Word

Whether it’s a modern dining chair or cheap dining chair, aesthetics is usually priority number one, but designers note comfort is just as important. “Everyone has different thoughts on what is comfortable. Some people don’t like chairs with openings in the back or don’t like upholstered chairs because of food on the fabric,” shares Baker. “Some people want chairs to be wipeable, in which case a wood or plastic chair is more ideal, but it’s always an important conversation to have initially because it’s so subjective.” 

The post The 7 Best Dining Chairs, as Inspired by Our Favorite Spaces appeared first on domino.

We’ve seen hundreds of IKEA Besta hacks, and most people stick to using it as a traditional media cabinet. Kendra Joseph, the Bay Area–based designer and founder of Rise Up Home, had other plans for her two base units. Instead of a credenza, she turned them into a banquette. 

Since they wanted to comfortably host friends and extended family from back East, Joseph and her husband decided to convert their roughly 400-square-foot detached two-car garage into a guesthouse complete with a bathroom, bedroom, and kitchenette. Finding ways to incorporate storage without soaking up precious real estate was key. “The bench was ideal in allowing us to do that,” she shares. Measuring just under 16 inches deep, the pieces proved to be the perfect fit for seating guests and simultaneously hiding blankets, board games, and serving platters. 

In total, they spent between $250 and $300 on the whole thing (the pair saved money by using some materials they had on hand such as the lumber and screws, in addition to the tools). “The biggest costs were the IKEA materials and the wood for the waterfall top,” notes Joseph. Here’s how they made the basic white cupboards look a little less Besta-y and a little more benchlike. 

The Supplies

• 2 Besta drawer base units with soft closing drawers
• Impact drill
• Screwdriver
• Hammer
• Wood screws
• Pressure-treated or redwood 2-by-4 lumber
• Laser level
• Torpedo level
• Measuring tape
• Table saw and clamps
• Paint
• Paint sprayer
• Wood glue

Step 1: We Have Liftoff

After purchasing the Besta units from IKEA, Joseph and her husband assembled the products per the retailer’s directions. Then with an impact drill, they constructed a rectangular frame to fit perfectly underneath the boxes, adding cross beams for support, out of redwood 2-by-4s that they salvaged during the garage demo process. In between checking the evenness of the frames with a traditional torpedo laser, the pair also used a laser level to make sure the seating height on both sides was the same. 

Step 2: Safe and Sound

After connecting the two base frames to each other with wood screws, they screwed the entire structure to the wall with base plates. Filling the corner where the two benches meet with a support box (also constructed out of 2-by-4s) allows guests to sit comfortably there too. They swathed the entire thing in Benjamin Moore’s Midnight using a paint sprayer so it matched the kitchenette cabinets. 

Step 3: Bench Warmer

Joseph and her husband sourced the maple-wood boards for the top and sides of the banquette from their local lumberyard, Aura Hardwoods, and cut them according to the dimensions of the existing structure. The key to the perfect waterfall is a seamless mitre-edge joint, which comes down to preparation: The pair measured the planks several times before making any cuts with their table saw. “We watched a lot of tutorials on YouTube,” notes Joseph. “Lumber can be expensive, so it’s best to put in the time to ensure no errors, or you can hire a carpenter if you don’t feel comfortable.” After applying wood glue to the undersides, they nudged the boards into place with a hammer, making them as snug as possible. Once dry, it was entertaining ready. 

The post Build Yourself a $300 Custom Banquette With This Seating-Storage IKEA Hack appeared first on domino.

In Renovator’s Notebook, homeowners open up about the nitty-gritty of their remodels: How long it really took; how much it actually cost; what went horribly wrong; and what went wonderfully, serendipitously, it’s-all-worth-it-in-the-end right. For more tips to nail your next project, follow @reno_notebook.

Location: Las Vegas
Square footage: 114 
Year built: 1990
Top priority: A dining room that invites you to sit and soak in the verdant views. 

Having just put a down payment on her Las Vegas house, design blogger Angela Rose wasn’t in any position to swap out the dated windows and doors in the ’90s space (replacing just one of the latter can cost up to $1,500). But a $200 pane kit, a textured area rug from her just-launched Loloi collection, and a few glowy pendant shades were definitely within budget. “It’s a completely different home now when you walk in,” shares Rose. 

After all, the whole reason Rose landed on this property after touring dozens of places was the dreamy backyard, complete with a pool and basketball court—and the views of it from the dining room. The problem was, the big sliding glass doors leading from the space to the patio were clad in bulky interior shutters. “I knew they had to come off,” recalls Rose. In her own words, the seasoned renovator reveals how she perfected her vantage point.

Shake Well for Modern Trim

Nothing made me more excited than knowing that spray-painting the outer edges of the windows and doorframe could transform the entire view. To prep the space, I got it nice and clean (for aluminum, you just need to wipe down the trim; for vinyl, I’d scuff it up a bit with sandpaper). While it’s tempting to get full coverage the first time around, I kept moving as I sprayed the Rustoleum paint and did three light coats to avoid any drip marks.

Get Griddy With It 

This room is pretty large (the ceilings are 13 feet high!), and the light fixtures are 24 inches wide, so adding grids to the glass was a way to make the space feel more intimate. The PVC kit comes in white, so after I cut the joiner and trim parts to size with a handheld saw and connected them all, I once again pulled out my can of spray paint. But first, I covered the exterior-facing side with painter’s tape; that way it remains white and matches the rest of the home’s windows from the outside. Once the grids were dry, I attached them with clear foam double-sided tape. 

Walk This Way

Before we moved in, I swapped out the old wood-look tile for stoneform flooring with a 20-year warranty. The scale of the rug on top was important, given this space is so vast. I chose the natural/black striped design from my jute Colton Collection—one of three in my 20-piece Loloi collaboration. (Aubrey features gorgeous printed designs with a vintage twist; Blake reimagines traditional antique styles, power loomed in warm earth tones with a hint of fringe.) 

The beauty of this specific handwoven textured piece, made in India, is that it always looks clean even when crumbs inevitably fall to the floor. It’s available in seven sizes, but I opted for the 7’6”-by-9’6”; that way all the legs of the chairs can easily fit, making scooting in and out a breeze. 

Angela Rose x Loloi CON-01 AR Natural / Black Rug, Amazon

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Angela Rose x Loloi AUB-02 AR Aqua / Sand Rug, Amazon

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Angela Rose x Loloi BLA-03 AR Denim / Taupe Rug, Amazon

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Brush With Greatness

I decided to go with Portola’s Roman Clay for the skim-coated walls to give a sense of soul and earthiness—and it only cost me $400. I used different sizes of putty knives to apply the material at random to achieve a soft effect. The whole project took close to 24 hours, mostly because the corners were tricky. If I were to do it again, I would have painted them a matching paint color and then overlapped it with the Roman Clay so I didn’t have to be so precise. Owning a couple sets of scaffolding was a huge help—it’s one of the first things I purchased for this new house because I didn’t want to be limited by my height.

Age With Grace

Both the chain and the inside of the $400 pendant lamps I found were bright gold, but I felt like the space needed more black elements to tie in with my Loloi rug. Naturally, I whipped out the black spray paint again and covered the chains. The inside of the fixtures just needed some roughing up with $8 Rub ’n Buff to tone it down to a bronze shade. 

Beam Me Up

I crafted my own ceiling beams for $2,000 by mounting 2-by-6s to the joists with 3 ½-inch-long screws—they’re not going anywhere. Next, I fastened a series of three poplar planks (with mitered edges) together with tape and wood glue, forming U-shaped boxes for each joist. After everything dried, I hoisted the boxes up (with helping hands) and attached them to the 2-by-6s with 2-inch-long nails on both sides.

Once my mind starts reimagining a space, I can’t stop. Everywhere I look, I think, I could add this here or switch this out here. My dining room project lit a little spark in my heart, like: Hey, I can do this! It’s a good place to be.

The post A Loloi Rug and DIY Beams Brought My Dining Room Out of the ’90s appeared first on domino.

Six years after moving into their Phoenix home, Sarahli Wilcox and her husband still hadn’t figured out how to make the most of the 15-foot-high ceilings in their dining room. “Everything looked too small,” she says. The foot stretch of wall to the side of their table originally had a sideboard for storage, but the much too small piece looked more like it was awaiting its permanent home rather than a part of the rest of the room’s design (plus it couldn’t hold all of Wilcox’s serveware). To more intentionally outfit (and properly fill) the space, the couple needed to think big—a bar cart/credenza/buffet table all-in-one big. 

Opt for Odd Numbers

Because of the uneven measurement of that long wall (it’s just under 9 feet), Wilcox was faced with an awkward width for her cabinetry. “I didn’t want it to come too far out,” she says. So to avoid the cabinetry peaking out into the hallway, Wilcox measured out one 36-inch-wide, one 24-inch-wide, and two 13-inch-wide cabinet boxes from IKEA (the Sektion line). Tambour wood door fronts (purposefully different from the kitchen’s Shaker style) in a custom cherry oak stain make the separate parts appear to be one long built-in. For the counters, she chose a custom quartz slab that almost exactly matches the white painted walls for a seamless look.

For Supersleek Storage, Nix the Brackets

As she is always scouring thrift stores and online marketplaces for vintage finds, Wilcox has amassed quite the vase collection. She needed a place to display her treasures and keep cocktail glasses within easy reach, so she had a pair of 6-foot floating shelves built over the cabinetry. “I needed to use the height and the length of that wall or else the cabinets looked too random,” she explains. Custom shelves were super-expensive, so building allowed Wilcox to both save money and match the exact stain to the cabinet doors. For a cleaner line, she opted out of any sort of brackets underneath, which also allowed for thicker planks and higher weight allowances. (The ledges are supported by anchors drilled into the back of the beams.)

Hack Your Way to an Affordable Kitchen Rail

Wilcox was desperate to find a way to incorporate a brass pot rail in the dining room—she has always loved the traditional English kitchen look. But everything online was more expensive than the entire renovation combined. Luckily she had an advantage: The rail didn’t need to be able to hold cookware—just the occasional mug or dried floral arrangement—so she could improvise. “I found hollow brass tubing on Amazon, along with the hooks, and it gave the exact right look,” she explains. Not to mention the installation—the rods are held up by brass rings (another Amazon find)—was a 30-minute breeze. Now Wilcox’s serving boards and napkins have a home all their own.

The post Thanks to This DIY Serving Station, the Dining Room’s 15-Foot Ceilings No Longer Loom appeared first on domino.

A great restaurant offers more than just exceptional food. Beyond effortlessly arranged watermelon radish salads, perfectly grilled arctic char, and crisp Grüner Veltliner, there are multiple sensory elements that make a meal memorable: dimmed lighting, dainty stemware, curated playlists, and yes—the perfect dining chair.

Not all restaurateurs agree on what this elusive seating ideal is, though: “Ultimate comfort and restaurant dining do not necessarily go together,” argues Laurence Edelman, the chef and owner of the West Village landmark Left Bank. “There’s nothing wrong with being comfortable, but at a certain point, it can lead to being downright antisocial. A restaurant is a public space, and the seats should be designed to foster alertness and engagement.”

Hospitality experts go to great lengths to achieve a certain comfort level for their guests, and their criteria often expand to other areas (durability, structure, and style are often top of mind). These seasoned restaurateurs scour furniture fairs, antique marketplaces, architectural resources, and even other restaurants in search of the best dining chairs. Here, we asked six of them to share their favorite designs.

If you’re a utilitarian at heart…

Galvanitas Industrial Plywood Chair, 1stdibs ($173)

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“On 1st Dibs, I recently came across Galvanitas, a company that has manufactured school and stadium furniture since 1934. Its classic S.16 chair is timeless, incredibly durable, and comes in several colors and finishes. We recently used them in our newest Boqueria location in the Penn Quarter neighborhood of Washington, DC, and the subtle pops of color add a ton of personality to the space.” — Matthew Tannenbaum, design director, Boqueria

If you look for comfort above all…

Ethnicraft bok side chair black, ABC Home ($689)

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“I live near Union Square in Manhattan, so ABC Carpet & Home is my go-to for dining chairs.

“When evaluating a chair, I always take into consideration a lot of things besides its look. What is the height of the chair? The clearance to the table? How does it support your back? I look for a chair that’s comfortable but not a lounge chair.” — Ryan Hardy, executive chef and partner, Delicious Hospitality Group

If you have minimalist sensibilities…

Seoto-EX Arm Chair, OOKKUU ($1,115)

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“If I could choose any chair for my next restaurant project, I would use the Seoto-EX Arm Chair from OOKKUU. In Japanese, ‘seoto’ refers to the sound of a shallow creek, and this collection is named for the soft but memorable impressions of the special carving techniques that accentuate the images of nature in the wood.” — Sidong Lang, partner, New Practice Studio

If you have a wild side…

French Louis XV Style Upholstered Fauteuils, 1stdibs ($2,000)

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“We have a handful of Louis XV armchairs, which have been painted and upholstered with jaguar-print fabric. They look great and are very comfortable, but are also large and expensive. We try to use them at the least desirable tables so the takers feel the love.” — Edelman

If you relish in long dinner parties…

Rén Dining Chair, Stellar Works

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“I love the Stellar Works Rén Dining Chair designed by Space Copenhagen, which can be found in 11 Howard’s library in NYC. It has great proportions and just the right amount of cushion.” — Tannenbaum

If you’re an art collector…

Claude Lalanne Ginkgo Chair, Sotheby’s

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“I would love to mix Claude and Francois-Xavier Lalanne’s sculptural pieces like the ginkgo chair with other more functional chairs. I like the couple’s work because they masterfully blurred the boundary between fine and decorative arts. This piece fits in and contributes to the ambiance in restaurant settings, which seek aesthetic sophistication.” — Xuhui Zhang, director of real estate development and architectural design, Junzi

If you love a color moment…

Eames & saarinen organic chair, Hive Modern ($2,440)

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“If I could choose any chair for my next restaurant project, I would choose the beet-hued Eames Chairs against the weather-stoned walls at La Colline du Colombier. This chair is one of the most striking and memorable design moments to my restaurant eye.” — Hardy

If you secretly wish you lived in Paris…

Riviera Armchair, Serena & Lily ($338)

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“Chairs, while obviously important, are not my biggest concern as far as restaurant design goes. But if money were no object, I’d definitely go with a quality version of a French rattan bistro chair with arms. They’re indestructible and look better with wear. They’re the chairs in the dream restaurant that exists in my head.” — Edelman

If you prefer your French style with a tropical twist…

Chaise en rotin Lena Chair Bloomingville, Mon Design (€299), Mon Design ($299)

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“I read a lot of decor and design magazines, and every year I go to the Maison & Objet show for inspiration. For a modern twist on the classic French rattan bistro chair, I love this Lena chair from Bloomingville. It’s great for both comfort and design.” — Cedric Cadin, owner, La Cafette

If you value a design classic…

Wishbone chair, Design Within Reach ($655)

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“I often browse through Instagram and Pinterest for initial inspiration, but my current favorite chairs among all my projects are the ones Tang Hotpot uses. The mid-century, Scandinavian-style chair was designed by Hans Wegner.” — Lang

If you’d rather splurge on a seat with a pedigree…

Pierre Jeanneret Floating Back Armchair, 1stdibs ($9,500)

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“Usually, you see Pierre Jeanneret chairs as statement pieces in small quantities or on display in a gallery. It would be fun to go crazy without any budget limitations and source vintage versions of these chairs from all over the world.” — Tannenbaum

Discover more entertaining essentials hospitality experts love:

New York Chefs Swear By This Chic Dinnerware Brand A Food Network Star Dishes on Her Party Secrets Bon Appétit’s Food Director Shares 3 Recipes to Make This Week

The post 6 Restaurant Designers on the Most Comfortable Dining Chairs They’ve Sat In appeared first on domino.

Liv Madeline didn’t speak the first time she toured what is now her and her partner Rob’s two-level, two-bedroom property in Edgware, London. “It was horrible. It was as if we stepped in a time machine and went back to the 1980s,” she recalls. The space had previously been run by the government as public housing, so it hadn’t seen any sort of update in a few decades. And yet, once she found the words, the pair decided to buy it. “We were not prepared for what was to come,” she adds. “I’d never done any sort of DIY other than painting my bedroom.”

Time had clearly stood still in the dining room, where blue-gray carpeting spanned the floors and dark wood paneling covered all the walls surrounding the stone fireplace. Stripping back these dated features so they could effectively start with a blank canvas was a natural move. “We got a much bigger space,” notes Liv. A bonus discovery? An arched alcove, hidden within the wall. 

Don’t Let Brick Fatigue Get You Down

After stripping away the old plasterwork (it was damaged and unsalvageable), the couple was left with a full-on brick room. They were staring at the beige blocks for so long during the demolition that they were almost tempted to cover up 100 percent of the surface with new plaster, but that changed when they discovered the little architectural detail hiding behind the old storage niche. “Rob was like, let’s at least leave the brick around the arch. I mean, I was so sick of it, but now we love the little decision,” says Liv. After much YouTube tutorial watching, she decided to apply a limewash finish to one of the walls using a product from Bauwerk in the color bone to give the room some old-world texture (it took four coats total). “I kind of winged it and just hoped for the best,” she says. 

Get the Floor Right, No Matter the Inconvenience 

“Trust us to go with the most complicated flooring out there,” says Liv, laughing. The pair chose a parquet-style flooring, but the material they wanted was super-thin tiles, not wood boards, which meant their subfloor had to be completely flat. Before they got around to the installation, a carpenter friend told them the bad news: “He said we’d probably need to remove all the floorboards and start over,” recalls Liv. By then the walls had been painted, and while the idea of getting their hard work dusty again from construction was unappealing, she knew they had to start from scratch—leveling the subflooring and putting plywood and soundproofing chipboard on top of it, before laying the tile themselves. “I had already received all the flooring at that point,” she says. There was no other option. 

Shop Facebook Marketplace for a Fresh Fireplace 

While the fireplace in the couple’s living room is totally faux, the one in the dining area has a working chimney and was all clear, coding-wise, to use. Liv scoured Facebook Marketplace and found a modern mantel for around 80 pounds ($110) and painted the plain wood black, letting the first coat dry for 24 hours before applying the second. “You didn’t even notice the floral tiles before,” she says of making the detail pop. 

Finesse the Finishing Touches

With the exception of the antique cabinet, Liv worked with Heal’s Furniture to decorate the revamped dining area, which includes the sculptural, steam-bent wood pendant light. Fortunately, the couple has an apartment down the road where they continue to live now as they complete the full gut renovation of the home (they still don’t have a proper kitchen or bathroom). But on days when they have friends over, they’ll walk over to their new dining room to host. “It’s great when you just want a change of environment,” says Liv. Little do their guests know what the cozy space looked like before.

The post Hidden Within This Once Dated Dining Room’s Walls Was a Charming Brick Arch appeared first on domino.

Vase and Pinch Bowl, Walmart.

When the sun sets earlier and a brisk chill returns, there’s nothing quite like generating a come-on-in-from-the-cold feel. “For fall, I really respond to a warm, modern sensibility with rustic ranch and country influences,” says lifestyle expert Peter Som, who has worked with brands including Calvin Klein, Bill Blass, and Tommy Hilfiger, in addition to founding his own label. “I gravitate toward textured, cozy, and hand-sewn-looking materials, but reinterpreted in clean lines.” 

Though Som finds that a timeless, seasonless route is fail-safe, he says he is partial to a “nod to the occasion.” Using items from Walmart’s Fall Style lookbook, he administered his rule of three—solid + feature pattern + small-scale print—to create a tablescape that’s subtle but lively.

Step 1: Pick the Palette

Som’s tablescapes are event tailored, though lightly so. “If it’s a brunch, I usually keep it lighter and brighter: whites, off-whites,” he says, whereas a celebratory gathering may merit deeper colors. For an autumnally tinged setting, he likes to bring in a pop of color via seasonal florals, skirting anything heavy-handed (skip the pumpkins). Lighting crosses over with palette as a key mood creator—it heightens or softens, be it candlelight, lamplight (“Turn off your overheads,” he advises), or daylight.

Dining Chair Set by Poly & Bark, Walmart ($311)

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Throw Pillow by Mainstays, Walmart ($13)

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Knitted Throw Blanket by Silver One International, Walmart ($80)

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Wood Dining Bench by Better Homes & Gardens, Walmart ($89)

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Step 2: Pile on the Layers

Once the hues have been selected, “table linens are like your wardrobe,” Som reasons. Three or four table runners are useful to have on hand and swap out (here, he went for a tasseled version), plus pretty cloth napkins, simple stone plates, and black flatware are part of the tool kit of basics, with easy adaptability. 

Stoneware Dinnerware Set by Gap Home, Walmart ($43)

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Table Runner by DII, Walmart ($28)

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Step 3: Position the Flowers

“You don’t have to do some big, elaborate arrangement,” says Som. “You only really need a handful of flowers. Put bud vases all the way down the table and…done!” he says with a laugh, adding that it’s easy to weave candles in between. This set of bud vases comes on a small wood tray, “which I love,” adds Som, “because they’re a wonderful cheat sheet for buying a few flowers and making them last.” He favors dahlias, which blossom in August and extend through fall in a range of colors.

Bottle Vases by Creative Co-Op, Walmart ($32)

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Dahlia and Mums with Glass Vase by Nearly Natural, Walmart ($36)

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Step 4: Prep the Food

The ideal host is relaxed—but “relaxed doesn’t mean just sitting around,” Som clarifies. He suggests prepping food well ahead of time and seeing cookware as synonymous with nourishing fall dishes (think: stews, braises, baking). Though his style screams “Instagram” (his own account features tons of beautifully plated meals), “the number-one rule is about IRL,” he says. “It is really about being with people together in person and being present.” In that sense, he sees serving as a host and being a guest as almost interchangeable: “It’s looking around the room and noting that everyone is having a great time. The mood of a dinner party always comes from the host.”

Dutch Oven by Beautiful by Drew Barrymore, Walmart ($63)

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Dinner Napkins by Fycone, Walmart ($9)

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Serveware Platter by Rachael Ray, Walmart ($40)

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Flatware Set by Cambridge Silversmiths, Walmart ($52)

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The post How to Create a Cool Fall Tablescape With No Pumpkins in Sight appeared first on domino.

Yesterday we revealed the living room of my friend’s home, and today we are on to the Dining Room. With the way that the house is designed combined with the layout of the space, this is one of the very first rooms that you see coming into the house from the front door, and it also opens up into the kitchen and the adjacent family room/tv room. We wanted something formal because the house has a lot of serious architecture, so something eclectic would feel weird. But as someone who is the #1 proponent of comfort these days, we really wanted to make sure that it felt soft and comfortable.

The post We're "Blushing" at this Emily Henderson Dining Room Design appeared first on domino.