Hi Deco Everything that I have collected part from the dining set which was an investment has been from garage sales. So I am quite happy to part with everything... I think the most expensive was $10.00. My problem is that I cant focus because you are right. I just have too much going on in different styles. Going with the style of the dining table - where do you think I should head with rug choices from everything I am reading - it says I should zone out the room?? I am staying away from leather couches and heading towards a cotton fabric. I really just want the space to be comfortable. Thanks for the tip about the ideabook. I've been collecting here and then, but mainly watching how people solve their dilemmas. I look but don't comment much.

Hi Sam, I know where you're coming from, I too wanted to buy such a beautiful ornate table for my new home still under construction but it just wasn't going to look like it matched the modern home I wanted to put it in. I also wanted to feel like it could be used as most kitchen tables in a home are used, especially for me living on a farm, for eating or repairing something on some newspaper etc...impossible to do on such a beautiful table, you would ruin it to see it scratched !!! Not to put a damper on your tastes but your home will look so much better and have more style if you continue to try to match what you already have and that's at least a stunning kitchen that you've shown us all on this forum. If you think of the style and colour of your kitchen everytime you want to buy something or decorate, it will hep ground you to keep it similar. I understand there are people who say it's nice to have countless pieces of furniture that are all different in some way, as it can look like you acquired them along your journey in life but I think that this mixture of designs and colours doesn't gel in a modrrn house very well at all, perhaps a quaint old cottage but not a modern home with a lovely kitchen like you already have!!!

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.

I have some 60s TV chairs that recline, I love them because they are a bit retro and suit my dodgy back. I had them reupholstered at the very exorbitant cost of $500 each! They are now a fabric I love but, as someone else pointed out, went from squashy and comfortable to hard foam. I'm spending a lot of time sitting in them to soften them up ;) Also one of them had a higher back, which fitted my 6ft partner, but when they came back they were all the same height. My fault as I should have talked it through with the upholsterer. I would do it again but only for furniture I really love, and I'd be very clear about what I wanted. On another note, we had 2 club chairs made for us more than 20 years ago - we love love them and they will be good as new for a long time. It was way better than reupholstering 2 old club chairs.