When choosing the right table for your dining room, it is more important to consider the entire relative space of the room rather than just how many people you can fit at the table.
Below is a short guide of what we think you should consider when choosing your new dining table.
1: The shape of the table
The ideal choice for your new table should be based on the shape and size of your room. Smaller more compact dining rooms or even dining tables for kitchen spaces should be rectangular and smaller, but still able to seat 4 – 6 people. Usually, these tables are positioned with the length against the wall, with 4 seats around 3 sides of the table. Larger round tables normally seat 8 people, but you need a lot more space around the table for everyday use and access. Square tables are great for overall tabletop space, but do not necessarily fit the profile of most modern dining rooms and tend to be move favoured for outdoor living.
2: The size of the table
Once you have the table shape defined, the size of the table in width and length should be next on your agenda based on the size of the room. Once you know what you can fit, next consider how big you want versus how big you need. Our tip, in this case, is to measure what you already have when replacing a table and use that against what you see in a showroom, as larger tables in showrooms look smaller by comparison as they are in a larger space environment without boundary walls. A consideration in the size of a table is to choose an extendable table, which can be shorter for everyday use, but on special occasions, can be extended to fit more people around the table for Birthdays and Christmas celebrations.
3: The types of chairs
Most dining sets are shown on display in furniture stores and manufactured with matching tables and chairs, so that is no problem, it is then a question of how many. But it is becoming more of a trend to mix and match tables and chairs, especially considering non-traditional material manufacturing. The types of chairs you choose will be a factor and be defined by the space you have around the table and the table shape, keeping in mind that you must be able to have room to move around between chairs and the rest of the room to enjoy your dining space that bit more.
Some chairs have a wider footprint than seat size, so in tighter spaces, keep that in mind. When people are moving in and out, let’s plan to avoid the chair legs so they are not clashing against the person beside them. Also, consider how many chairs are going to fit the length of the table and could be in conflict with the legs of the table when your guests or family are sitting down for a meal. The last thing you want is more chairs than the table was planned for, where someone on one side of the table has to contend with the table legs and their legs in the same space.
Happy shopping!
