Founder's Journal / By Joyce, Founder of Furnt

Whenever I browse furniture collections, whether online or in a showroom, I notice something interesting.

Beautiful wooden tables. Thoughtfully designed interiors. Lovely materials and finishes.

Yet when it comes to dining chairs, so many seem to follow the same familiar palette.

Grey. Beige. Cream. Perhaps a little black.

There's nothing wrong with these colours. They're timeless, versatile and can look beautiful in the right setting.

But I've often wondered: why do we sometimes hesitate to bring a little more colour into our homes?

For me, a home has never simply been somewhere to live. It's a reflection of the people who live there.

The furniture we choose, the colours we're drawn to and the little details we collect over time all tell a story.

And I believe that story should feel personal.

That's why, at Furnt, we're embracing colour.

Not because every home needs to be bright or bold, but because I believe even the smallest touch of colour can bring warmth, character and a sense of individuality to a space.

Colour Doesn't Have to Be Loud

When we talk about colourful furniture, it's easy to imagine bold shades and dramatic interiors.

But that's not really what inspires me.

I'm much more interested in colours that feel natural, comfortable and easy to live with.

Think of the muted green of olive leaves, the warmth of autumn foliage, the earthy richness of terracotta or the golden tones of late afternoon sunlight.

These are colours we see around us every day.

They don't feel overwhelmed. They feel familiar.

And when paired with natural materials, particularly wood, they can create a beautiful sense of balance.

That's the direction I wanted to explore with our colourful dining chairs.

Shades such as olive green, mustard yellow and warm terracotta bring personality to a room without taking over.

They add just enough interest to make a space feel thoughtfully put together, while still allowing the furniture, materials and surroundings to speak for themselves.

For me, colour should complement a home, not compete with it.

Why Should Neutral Have All the Fun?

I understand why neutral furniture has become such a popular choice.

It's practical. It's easy to coordinate. And when you're investing in furniture you hope to keep for years, choosing something familiar can feel reassuring.

But I also think we sometimes underestimate how much difference a little colour can make.

Imagine a simple wooden dining table surrounded by olive green upholstered chairs.

Or a warm walnut finish paired with soft mustard yellow.

Perhaps a rich terracotta seat that picks up the warm tones of a wooden floor.

The furniture itself doesn't need to be complicated.

In fact, I often think the simpler the design, the more beautifully the colour can work.

A well-proportioned dining chair with a natural wood frame and a carefully chosen fabric can be enough to give a dining area its own personality.

And the lovely thing is that you don't need to redecorate an entire room to achieve it.

Sometimes, changing the chairs around a table is all it takes to make a familiar space feel fresh again.

Your Home, Your Colours, Your Rules

One of the things I enjoy most about interior design is seeing how differently people approach their homes.

Some love a calm, understated look.

Others prefer rich textures, warmer colours or unexpected combinations.

Some people enjoy matching every piece of furniture, while others like mixing different finishes and styles.

I don't believe there's one correct way to create a beautiful home.

And I certainly don't think everyone should follow the same design rules.

Your home should reflect your own taste, not simply what's fashionable at the moment.

That's also why I like the idea of mixing dining chair colours.

You might choose four chairs in the same shade for a coordinated look. Or you might combine two complementary colours around a wooden table.

An olive green chair beside a terracotta one, for example, can create a lovely natural contrast.

The key is finding a connection between the colours, whether that's a shared warmth, a similar depth of tone or a consistent wooden frame.

When those elements work together, different colours can still feel beautifully balanced.

Dining chairs don't always have to match to belong together.

And sometimes, those little differences are what make a room feel more interesting.

Why I Love Colour with Natural Wood

Natural wood has always been an important part of Furnt's design direction.

There's something about wood that I find particularly appealing.

The grain, the variation in tone, the warmth of the material and the way each piece has its own character.

Even when two pieces share the same design, the natural variations in the wood can make them feel slightly different.

That's part of its beauty.

And I think natural wood furniture becomes even more interesting when paired with carefully selected colours.

Walnut finishes, for example, have a wonderful depth and warmth. Combined with olive green upholstery, they can create a calm, grounded feeling.

Add a mustard yellow seat, and the same wood finish takes on a slightly more playful character.

Terracotta brings out the warmer undertones and creates a softer, earthier look.

What I particularly like about these combinations is that neither the wood nor the colour needs to dominate.

The wood provides a sense of stability and texture.

The fabric introduces softness and personality.

Together, they create something that feels welcoming and easy to live with.

This balance between natural wood furniture and colourful upholstery is something I want to continue exploring as Furnt develops.

Small Homes Deserve Colour Too

Because Furnt focuses on furniture for modern homes, I'm always thinking about how design works in smaller spaces.

And one piece of advice I often come across is that small rooms should always be decorated in pale, neutral colours.

I understand the thinking behind it.

Light colours can help a space feel bright and open, and too many competing elements can make a compact room feel busy.

But I don't believe that means smaller homes should avoid colour altogether.

Quite the opposite.

In a compact dining area, a carefully chosen colourful chair can bring character without adding another piece of furniture or taking up more floor space.

You don't necessarily need a statement wall, a large decorative cabinet or lots of accessories.

Sometimes, the furniture you already need can provide that little touch of personality.

A simple wooden dining table with four olive green chairs can feel calm and cohesive.

A pair of mustard yellow chairs can introduce warmth into a light, neutral kitchen.

And mixing earthy upholstery colours with a consistent wooden frame can create interest without making the space feel overly busy.

For me, the secret isn't avoiding colour.

It's being thoughtful about where and how you use it.

Compact living should never mean compromising on personality.

Colour Is About How a Home Feels

When we choose furniture, we naturally think about practical things.

Is it comfortable?

Will it fit?

Is it made from good materials?

Will it work with the furniture we already have?

These questions matter enormously, and they're always part of how we think about design at Furnt.

But I also believe there's another question worth asking.

How does this piece of furniture make the room feel?

A soft olive green can bring a sense of calm.

Mustard yellow can introduce a gentle warmth and optimism.

Terracotta can make a space feel cosy and grounded.

Of course, everyone responds to colour differently. That's what makes it so personal.

For one person, a colourful dining chair might be a small finishing touch.

For someone else, it might become their favourite feature in the room.

And I love that the same piece of furniture can create a different feeling depending on the home it's placed in.

It's a reminder that furniture isn't simply about filling a space.

It's about creating somewhere we enjoy spending time.

Designing Furniture That Leaves Room for Personality

At Furnt, our aim isn't to tell people what their homes should look like.

It's to create furniture that gives them more freedom to make those choices themselves.

That means paying attention to proportions, materials, comfort and practicality, but also thinking about how our designs can work with different personal styles.

Our colourful dining chairs are part of that approach.

We want to offer colours that feel considered rather than fashionable for a single season.

Colours that sit comfortably alongside natural wood.

Colours that can work in a contemporary flat, a cosy family home or a simple, understated dining room.

And colours that give people the confidence to try something a little different.

You might prefer a completely coordinated dining set.

You might choose one accent colour.

Or perhaps you'll enjoy mixing several shades around the same table.

There's room for all of those choices.

Because the goal isn't to create homes that all look alike.

It's to help people create homes that feel like their own.

A Final Thought

One of the things I find most rewarding about furniture design is imagining how a piece will become part of someone's everyday life.

The chair where they sit with their morning coffee.

The dining table where friends gather for dinner.

The little corner of a room that gradually becomes their favourite place to spend time.

Furniture becomes part of our routines, our memories and the way we experience home.

And I think colour has a lovely role to play in that.

It doesn't have to be bold.

It doesn't have to follow a trend.

And it certainly doesn't have to match everything else in the room.

Sometimes, all it takes is one thoughtfully chosen shade to make a space feel warmer, more welcoming and a little more personal.

If Furnt can encourage people to feel more confident about bringing colour into their homes, while still appreciating the beauty of natural materials and simple design, then that's something I'll be very happy about.

Because the most beautiful homes aren't necessarily the most perfectly coordinated.

They're the ones that feel like the people who live in them.

Joyce
Founder, Furnt

Frequently Asked Questions

1. How do you mix colourful dining chairs without making a room look too busy?

Start with two or three complementary colours rather than introducing too many different shades. Earthy tones such as olive green, terracotta and mustard yellow can work particularly well together. Keeping the chair design or wooden frame finish consistent also helps create a cohesive look, even when the upholstery colours are different.

2. What dining chair colours work best with natural wood furniture?

Natural wood furniture works beautifully with a wide range of colours. Walnut finishes pair particularly well with olive green, terracotta and mustard yellow, while lighter wood tones can look lovely with soft greens, warm neutrals and muted earthy shades. The best combination depends on the undertones of the wood and the overall atmosphere you want to create.

3. Can colourful dining chairs work in a small dining room?

Absolutely. Colourful dining chairs can introduce personality into a compact dining room without requiring additional furniture. Choose chairs with proportions suited to your space, keep the surrounding décor relatively simple and use a coordinated colour palette. A round or compact dining table paired with colourful chairs can create a welcoming dining area without overwhelming the room.