Unlike most of our blog posts thinking and writing about this one did not ignite a hooray, jump up, and down out of joy kind of feeling. Yes, the rest did, we get super excited when we decide on the topic we are going to blog about. This one, not so much, having said that, we do believe it is an important topic that will provide guidelines that can assist you when selecting your dining table. I mean, it is one of the big pieces in most homes. So, it is important to do it right.
Keep on reading to find out how you can make finding your dining table search both effective and somewhat fun! Did I say fun?!
Step 1: Measure.
Very Important. Make sure to measure the space designated to your dining table. It should fit comfortably in your space leaving enough room surrounding the table to get in and out of seats, as well as, enough room surrounding the table to comfortably walk around the space.
Useful tip/rule: For larger spaces give 30” to 36” of walkway between wall/large furniture pieces. For smaller spaces give at least 18” to 24”.
Step 2: Pick the Style of your Dining Table.
Determine what the dining table will be used for. Is it for hosting dinner parties during the holidays or will your dining table be your everyday setting for most meals, crafts, work, etc.? It is best to have a good idea of what style as well as purpose your dining table has. If not, it could be quite daunting with all the million options there are out there. If you have this step down, you will narrow your search and will only have thousands of options rather than millions.
JK!
Come on, you can do this.
Step 3: Select Material.
The material has to suit your dining table needs. If you can handle the higher maintenance options, want a modern style and hopefully fall under the “I only use the dining table to host holiday parties” than materials such as wood, concrete and marble are the materials that best suit your needs. For those using their table on the daily, bamboo, glass and MDF can be amongst the best options. They provide style and are mainly low maintenance.
Useful tip: Having a glass dining table will give more light and transparency which works great
for small spaces.
Step 4: We finally made it, to almost, the finish line!
Hip, hip, hooray.
I guess the joy for this blog happened after instead of before. At least it happened. Ok, ok we have to focus back to the matter at hand. Which was?
Right, step 4. Picking the shape.
Now that you have your measurements, style, and an idea of the material you are looking for, you can narrow down the shape of the dining table that best fits your space and style. Most dining room spaces are rectangular and that is probably why it is the most common shape of a dining table. A great idea for the smaller spaces is a square shape table and adding a bench for more seating than four. However, if you are looking for versatility in your dining table, we have the answer – Round! Similar to the square table, round dining tables work well for small gatherings and look great no matter what the shape of the dining room is. What round tables have that most other shapes don’t is the casual ambiance they provide, not having a head of the table makes it less formal and the set-up provides an easiness of being able to see and converse with everyone sitting at the table.
Finally, if you are looking to create unique visual interest the oval dining table is your shape. While they are similar to rectangular tables, in many ways, their uniqueness of the rounded corners
create the illusion that less space is being occupied. They also
create intimacy and flexibility like a round table. The curves on the oval shape help to counter angular lines on other design elements within the room. We have found that the oval shape dining table is best fitting when you need to seat several people at once in a smaller size room.
The moral of the story is, regardless of having a formal rectangular dining room, or you are carving out space in an open concept home, finding the right dining table is key. It is the focal point and it is used to gather with your family and friends, you want to make sure it is comfortably fitting in the space, it represents your aesthetic, while enhancing the design of your home, it is a manageable piece and it is the shape that best suits your utilization desires.
Have any questions? Use the space in the comments below and we will happily answer your dining table curiosities.
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