thank you bigreader but I haven't posted a photo of them yet. They are not my ideal choice. I only went with these at the time because they were cheap from fantastic furniture. I originally wanted blue stools but the price was out of my budget considering I could get four grey/silver ones for the price of 1 blue one. I can post a photo of them in the morning

I thought I'd close this discussion with a picture of the stools I chose - thank you Tribble for suggesting the Jack Stool. I went with these and absolutely love them!! Charlie from Ancora Designs was very helpful.

I’d be careful using other wood pieces (like the coffee table and the one in the corner) which don’t match the floor tiles. Too much contrast. More white furniture (like white dining chairs or a white side buffet) should be added to help balance out / soften the dark floor. Avoid any large black pieces though. A cement top coffee table would look nice colour/texture wise, and would offset the dining table nicely. More texture and colour can be added through cushions, throws, table runner, and rugs. Teal is my favourite so I’m definitely biased, but it goes well with natural elements like what you have. See if you can find a large picture for the wall with a dark wood frame which matches (as much as possible) the floor tiles. The picture itself should include some teal colour. That will really start bringing the whole room together.

they're great looking stool but perhaps you're ready for something a little more comfortable ...could you add a cushion in a light coloured fabric to soften the seat?