How many chairs total? How many large? Would two broad-bottomed arm chairs work with the rest being armless? Do you want arms at all? Do you want to continue the curves of the table or complement with squared corners? Inquiring minds want to know....

Eight, perhaps ten chairs. Two arm chairs. I kind of like the idea of using a light finish to highlight the lighter tones of the burl. The table is walnut, if that helps at all. All the wood in the house is medium and dark and I'd like to do something different. The room is round with a 15 foot high ceiling. Coral and tan. Lots of natural light. (Breakfast room.)

These are sold, but I think they're beautiful. Are they in the realm of your vision for the chairs?

Here is a link that might be useful: something like this?

I'm partial to these, too; but still don't know if you want to repeat curves or go squarish.

Here is a link that might be useful: or these?

This post was edited by tomatofreak on Sat, Dec 13, 14 at 16:15

Something like this?

Also comes as a side chair:

I was thinking of square backed with a slight curve on the top, but those Jansen ones are really pretty. Tibbrix, those are similar to what the manufacturer shows. They work, but they are too sleek for the rest of the nearby furniture.

Pal,
Where did you see those?

Louis XVI w/arms

matching Louis XVI w/o arms

Oops, Hickory Chair, 'Palermo'.

Here's a curvier one if you can go through Artistic Frame: 'Hampton'.

The Louis XVI chairs I posted are also Hickory Chair.

So far, the Maison Jansen set that has already sold is my favorite. The Artistic Frame Hampton is probably my second, but I do not think that I have access. I'd love to get some via eBay or other auction. I do have a good upholsterer.

I like these Louis chair details. I know they are repro, but not the source. (I looked at the table, too. Prohibitively expensive, a base that is too broad and doesn't expand enough.) I think the curve on top of the back is graceful and I like the way the welt traces that curve. These would not be the colors that I use, though. The current seats are leather, and I may do that again, but only on the seat. Not the back--in or out.
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Thank you for your suggestions. I hope you will keep them coming.

This post was edited by kitchendetective on Sat, Dec 13, 14 at 23:28

I'm not grooving on the time-travel-through-France vibe. Pick one consistent century or go contemporary.

So, something consistent with English dining chairs from the 1830s? Suggestions?

Here are a few from Restoration Hardware. Ballards had some nice ones too. Not sure if this is what you are looking for but thought I would mock some up for you.

I found some antique chairs but they were thousands and thousands of dollars! Keep an eye out on your local CL You never know what you might find.

Another direction

So is the table based on English Regency? Regency chairs seem to be a bit lightweight for your needs, and maybe for the table, too. This is why I picked something more based upon the shapes rather than the period.

I also am not sure about the Louis XVI chairs with little spade foot or the tapered fluted legs. But a typical Regency chair has similar characteristics.

The Jupe patent dates to 1835. It is the mechanism by which the table expands--radially, so it remains round after expansion However, the jupes from that era, some still available at auction, usually have highly polished, refined surfaces. I have seen some exquisite ones in crotch mahogany, etc. This, however, is a current knock off in walnut and will be used every day. Although I do set and serve in a somewhat formal manner, I don't want a highly polished surface in the breakfast room. Somewhat Regency-esque chairs are often shown with these tables, but I just don't love them with it.
Example:
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Here is a link that might be useful: Example on 1st Dibs

And one shown with chairs:
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I'd like to avoid cane, which is present in abundance elsewhere. I continue to be open to suggestions and opinions, both of which I appreciate.

This post was edited by kitchendetective on Mon, Dec 15, 14 at 9:48

How about these ones?

Here is a link that might be useful: Overstock -- Christopher Knight Home Tall Natural Tufted

I understand that the mechanism is of the period and it fits in with the English metamorphic furniture of the period, but is the base of the table with the four equal pedestals and heavy cross stretcher feet really Regency-Classical Period? I feel like there's something Spanish about that base (?).

Something like this? Burl Walnut Biedermeier chair

That Biedermeier chair is really pretty. I am sure the arms are too high for the 29 1/2" high apron. Pal, I see your point about the base. I am not sure what it is, but the somewhat Spanish chairs do seem to look good with the table. I have not sat in any RH furniture that was comfortable and I am trying not to purchase furniture manufactured in China unless it's antique. But I like the photoshop. The white upholstered chairs are too contemporary for me. Those Regency chairs are beautiful, but I agree that they are too lightweight. Men in family range from 6' to 6'4", one regular guest is 6'7" and over 300lbs. May have to do something different for him though. I'll be hitting showrooms later in the week. I am really excited that not every meal taken with more than two others will have to be in the dining room! If anyone happens on other ideas, do let me know. Thanks!

We had a game table in our basement like this (without the jupe, it had standard leaves, and the top was octagonal (with radial veneers). I don't know but because it was a game table and it had armchairs on casters around it, I still associate these tables with heavy caster chairs.

This is a Theodore Alexander gaming chair, although I would call it a cockfighting chair--it may differ from that because the top isn't padded for leaning on. These chairs were often turned backward with the (man's) legs straddling the back and elbows on the top rail to watch the fights, so they are sturdy. This is regency style

FWIW my mother always thought chairs without stretchers were not as sturdy as chairs with stretchers. Do any of you more knowledgeable folks agree/disagree?

kd, please define "large men." Tall? Stout? Both? Do you need sturdy chairs to support beefy men, or chairs with deep seats and high backs for tall men?

btw, kd, that table is gorgeous!

I had learned the same, but many contract-grade (chairs for commercial, hospitality, and restaurant) are made without stretchers.

"Large men" weigh from 170 to 260, and the heights as mentioned above (and the famous frequent guest). Theodore Alexander chairs were shown with that table, but not gaming chairs.

These were shown with it, but they didn't thrill me.

This post was edited by kitchendetective on Mon, Dec 15, 14 at 23:51

Pal,
About those Palermo chairs, do you think that wood and finish could work with the table? I guess it's oak? Table is walnut.

Thanks bbstx, Tibbrix, ak, et al.

The thing I see with the Palermo chairs is there is a lot going on at the bottom. To add that to the busy bottom of the pedestal may be a little too much? Just my thoughts.