The kitchen table — your family gathers around it to share meals and moments from their day; it is the site of homework assignments and school projects; it is where heated discussions and heart-to-heart conversations happen. In a lot of households, the kitchen table is the heart of the home, and for as many conversations that happen around it, you can also spark a conversation or two about it.

For as much time as you and your family spend gathered around the kitchen table, this is an area of your home where you can really showcase your unique sense of style.

Here are some of the most common solutions for kitchen chairs and seating arrangements for families large and small:

Traditional Kitchen Sets

Let’s get the obvious out of the way first, shall we? This is the kitchen set we all know well. These kitchen chairs — an armchair for one of both ends of the table and side chairs for in-between — match its table counterpart perfectly in material, finish, as well as any additional design elements meant to tie the set together (think a floral stencil or print added to the back of each chair to keep with a theme.)

Mismatched Chairs

When most people think of a kitchen or dining set, they think of just that — a set. That is not, however, always the case. You have options! If you have a kitchen table but no chairs, you can track down a set of completely different chairs to go with it. The key to this option is not to try to find chairs that match your current table too closely. You don’t want your setup to look like you simply bought the wrong chairs by mistake. You can pair a traditional table with upholstered chairs, a dark wood table with lighter wood chairs, or an oak table with white chairs.

Another option is to use chairs that are all different around the same table. This option is gaining in popularity as a hip and edgy kitchen seating solution, but it can also look messy and cheap if not done properly. A surefire way to make sure your kitchen setup doesn’t just look like a mashup of old furniture you found at a flea market or yard sale is to create cohesion. For instance, try painting each chair that is made from a different kind or finish of wood the same color.

Bench Seating

Traditionally seen in country homes and/or in large families keen on squeezing as many children around the kitchen table as possible (though it isn’t always the most comfortable way to do it), bench seating can replace kitchen chairs on one or both sides of a rectangular kitchen table. A cushion for the top of the bench(es) will not only improve the comfort aspect, but it will also bring in an additional design element that can be changed out to match your mood or evolving style, or swapped out by season.

Ultra Modern

If you aren’t a fan of contemporary, rustic, or country style kitchens, then chances are that you’re more of an ultra modern type. Sites like eames chair replica shop aren’t just offering up the white, black, and chrome scoop seats that have become popular over the last few years, but also the newer wire frame and fiberglass chairs with natural wood legs that can be matched to any wooden table.

Top photo: jeremywilburn/Flickr