Mixing benches and chairs at the table can look incredible - or like you don't have enough chairs and someone just got what they could find. How does it go from one extreme to another? By getting a few details right in proportion, placement, and visual appeal. When it's successful, mixed seating is visually interesting, flexible, and can make a dining area feel even more purposeful and designed. When it's not, it's mismatched and appears haphazard, diluting the entire space.