Don't have brilliant ideas, but am interested in this topic as I have a lot of traditional and "ancestor" furniture that I still like but am trying to be intentional about how to combine with a few modern pieces. Also, have a LOT of wood furniture in several different woods, plus medium-dark oak hardwood floors ( not sure of stain but something like Provencial or English chestnut, in that range), probably too many for the ideal mix, and have considered painting my golden oak dining chairs or getting new also.
I found a lot of good photos and some discussions on Houzz. However, it tends toward what "looks good" and less attention paid to comfort.
My dining room will be a mostly-dedicated dining room with at least 4-6 chairs in place at all times, so here are a few things I have been paying attention to:
How high do I want chairbacks to be? Do I want a lower-profile look so the table & chairs are less visually blocking the other furniture and art, or do I like high-backs.
I really want pretty darn comfortable chairs--because I'd like for DH and me and any guests to actually go, wow, this is pretty darn comfortable for a dining chair and I'm not itching to get up and move to the sofa-but of course even different people might experience chair designs differently. So either comfortable as-is solid--and we've been okay with the oak chairs we have, though they're not "aahhh" -level, vs finding that cushioned seats and backs are needed. We're empty-nesters so have more options for light upholstery, but as a practical person, & kitty owner, I am not going to get fragile or pristine white fabrics unless removable-washable.
It's hard to evaluate chair comfort since there are fewer showroom examples. And if it's a specific brand of a style, you don't know how the chair varies when done by different brands, different price points. Such as the Eames side chairs that are available in discount stores but feel "off" and wobbly to me. So I'm leery of online shopping for these items. Potentially works best if I could try a chair IRL but need a different color that's online.
Same for plastic ghost chairs, metal industrial chairs.
Also interested in mixing chairs--I don't really do well with a complete mish-mash because my other furniture is kind of that, but, host chairs, or extra chairs that can be pressed into service but are used elsewhere.
For searghing for inspiration photos, I've had luck with searching dininr room stuff but also, mixing traditional and modern, mixing woods, eclectic style, new- or neo-tradional style--these turn up interesting juxtapositions of styles and colors/finishes.
