Avoid Buying Trendy Dining Room Chair Sets If You Can't Answer Yes To This One Question

Interior design is an endlessly expanding industry. It seems there is almost always some new trend to update your kitchen cabinets, or another series of mistakes to avoid when setting up your new kitchen. Though we are all for a good revamp, one mistake to direly avoid is buying a set of chairs simply because they're stunning and super trendy. If you're hoping for your dinner party guests to stay awhile, it's important to ensure your dining set is as functional as it is visually appealing.

Chowhound spoke with Jessie-Sierra Ross about the types of dining room seating that should be avoided by those who like to host. Jessie-Sierra is the author of "Seasons Around the Table; Effortless Entertaining with Floral Tablescapes & Seasonal Recipes" and runs the home entertaining and cooking blog Straight to the Hips, Baby. For those who entertain regularly, our expert has some thoughts on what to watch out for. First and foremost, she emphasizes that "chair comfort is a huge factor." Many styles of furniture on the market are beautiful to look at but don't offer much in the way of longstanding comfort, which can pose a really big issue for those looking to host events that last beyond an hour or two. "Wider chairs are very cozy, but less seats can fit at the table," Jessie-Sierra says. 

Long-term practicality must also be a consideration when parsing through the various options on the market. "Depending on the height of your table, certain armchair designs won't slide sleekly beneath the table, making 'tucking in' difficult, and guaranteeing that you will get scuff marks on the front of the armrests," she says. Naturally, it's important to prioritize the durability of your furniture, too.

Picture this, a friend has invited you around for dinner and drinks, but for some reason they've positioned the gathering around the kitchen island. Guests are crowded at backless metal stools for the duration of the evening, making it very difficult for you to get comfortable and settle in. In the back of your head you've surely added this to your list of biggest mistakes to avoid when planning a dinner party.

Jessie-Sierra Ross gave us some additional exclusive tips to ensure that the seating you've opted for is the best possible option for your decor. She says, "I try to choose chairs that are comfortably padded for the comfort of my guests, and I use armless chairs for easy storage." It's important to think about the way that practical furnishings can coexist with comfort as once the party is over, there will inevitably need to be a place to store your extra seating. If you opt for larger chairs with no real wiggle room under the table, what you'll end up with is a bulky, cluttered atmosphere.

Though it may feel intimidating to make the right choice for your dining room, part of the solution comes down to actually trying out the chairs yourself. Due to the accessibility of online shopping, there will often be gorgeous furniture sets online that look great, but once they get delivered, turn out to be less than optimal. In order to avoid this, Jessie-Sierra suggests, "Try out your chairs before you purchase — there's nothing worse than sitting on a hard or uncomfortable chair at a lovely dinner."