Hi Susan, treasure that table! Parker Furniture really is a Keeper. It will do up beautifully with correct finishing techniques - use a pro if you can afford it or if not, an experienced handy-person. Lots of info availabl online if you search on 'restore Parker furniture'. Re. the chairs: - it won't be hard to find original Parkers which will be the best solution - even if they're not all identical. (Recycling centres like Canberras 'Green Shed' have them available for a song). Again, use a pro if you can afford it to reupholster and timber finish to match the table. I guarantee ant money spent on this is a great investment, and will look so much better than if you put inappropriate chairs with the table. Attached are pics of a Parker dining suite I've just completed (makeover including complete timber refinishing and Reupholstery using cover fabrics from Mokums new Tribal collection. Good luck!

5 Contemporary Designs... & my 1st impressions: 1. I'll stick with a traditional papasan, thanks. Less likely to get poked where it hurts. 2. Wishing had pool noodles right now. Or a life sized Gumby. 3. Oh that looks just like my computer chair! Sans the cage. Maybe I need that part so the "chair" stops mysteriously rolling into other rooms. 4. Whaaaat? *reads article's description* Ohhh! 5. No.

Are you combining a good way of sitting with a good design? If yes, arm rests are nice, when a dinner takes longer than 1 hr or so. It helps if there is a cushion available that people want to use where the back of the chair is rounded (and people prefer to sit upright). Under no circumstance should the seat slope backwards. The sitting level should be flat - no slope. The cushion can carry a lot of design and colour suitable to the environment. I love simple chairs .... and it helps not to put too many chairs around the table.... (unless you have a big family), have two chairs against the wall somewhere close. Sit on chairs before you buy them. (And a personal thing: I LOVE different chairs. Never more than a pair of 1 design) - like in the picture with the2 green armchairs and the bench. That is just great and suits different situations and guests. (To siriuskey...... I would sit on the bench)

It all depends on how much money you would like to spend. As your lounge is dark and your stools and bookcase are also dark I think white chairs would be fine, but then I would change the stools as well and take some white down to the lounge area. However you can buy stretchy covers for this style of chair for around $10 and there is quite a variety, so I would look on line for those to see if you like any of them as that would be a very easy fix.