When my husband and I moved back to California, we had to furnish our place from top to bottom which meant that we were on a serious budget.  We ended up going to a “big-box” furniture store for a lot of the big pieces… one of which was our dining room set.  While the set has good bones, the upholstery on the chairs have driven me crazy since the day we bought them.  Let’s just say boring, monotone, brown chenille is not my style.

So… I’m embarking on my first DIY re-upholstery project.

Before I get started, I have to choose my fabric.  A couple things to consider:

• Dining room chairs have a tendency to get food stains so I’ll need a darker color and/or busy pattern to hide the dirt
• The color palette in our dining room is navy blue and peach… the rug is a navy blue and white Alhambra pattern; the walls, which or landlord has begged us not to re-paint, are peach…

With that in mind, here are options I found at fabric.com

This ethnic print from Magnolia Home is very on-trend.  I think the blue-gray base will complement the navy rug and the cream and tan will work well with the deep wood tones

I mean, can you ever go wrong with black and white and chevron?  This option from Premier Prints would definitely add some flair, and the pattern plays off of the geometry on the chair-backs

I’m considering this Robert Allen option because (1) the gray is a neutral yet contemporary option, and (2) the pattern will add a bit of sophistication to the room which is never a bad thing

This whimsical medallion pattern has both a fun and a formal sensibility. While the base color of this option from Premier Prints is a lighter than I would typically choose for a dining chair, the busy-ness of the pattern will help mask spills

This option from Duralee may be considered the “safe bet”.  The tan color keeps things neutral, but the ribbon pattern adds interest

Last but not least, this over-dyed fabric is to die for! Okay, I’m being dramatic, but I do love this print from Duralee.  Once again, I’m gravitating toward the ethic print, and this one is much darker that the other options… is it too dark?

So… which one should I pick?

Help me decide and I’ll be sure to share the “after” pics!