The dining room is an important part of your house, and your choice of dining table can affect both the room’s functionality and aesthetic. In this article, we’ll go through the most important tips you should remember when choosing the perfect dining table for your house. Check it out!
Measure Your Space
Make sure that your dining table fits your dining area, and don’t forget to account for space around it. Add three feet of breathing room to all the sides of the table so you can comfortably sit in a chair and move around the area.
Start by measuring the length and width of the space on which you’ll put the dining table. Then, subtract 6 feet from it; this lets you avoid a cramped and unwelcoming dining environment. If you have a small room or space, consider using convertible tables, or ones that can transform into a coffee or console table.
Choose a Shape Carefully
Square and rectangular tables are the most common shapes of tables. As such, you have a lot of choices in terms of sizes, design, and style. However, an oval or round dining table gives you a little more space since it cuts corners.
Here are some rules of thumb:
- Square and circular tables look good in square spaces
- Square and circular tables look awkward in rectangular spaces
- Rectangular and oval tables look good in rectangular spaces
- Rectangular and oval tables look awkward in square spaces
Keeping these rules in mind will help you choose faster and avoid future stress and awkwardness.
Select the Best Materials
When choosing materials, you must consider price, ease of care, and style. The most common materials used in dining tables include:
- Solid Wood: solid wood is durable and easy to repair. Inexpensive options include acacia, mango, and pine.
- Veneer: wood veneer is more affordable than solid wood. It has a thin layer of wood glued to a plywood or other wood core.
- Stone and stone-look: stone tabletops are durable and can include marble or cast cement. However, these tables can chip or crack, which is nearly impossible to repair. They’re also quite heavy.
- Glass: glass tables are inexpensive and are one of the ways to make smaller spaces look bigger. It can be clear, frosted, or tinted. If you’re not too clumsy — avoiding chips, scratch, or heat — then it can last decades.
- Plastics and Laminates: plastics and laminates can be molded into shape. They can also be glued onto plywood. On top of that, they’re relatively less expensive and don’t require too much cleaning or upkeep. However, they aren’t as elegant as others.
Pick a Good Color
For a fabulous-looking home, the dining table’s color is a crucial element. Color also affects the table’s longevity as it dictates how a table can work across multiple changing themes. Hues like grey, brown, or whites are your safest bets. These colors work as dependable backdrops of whatever color you love.
Don’t Forget the Base
The base of the dining table can be a pedestal, a trestle, or legs, and all of them affect how many people you can accommodate with the table. Simply put, you must ensure that their leg space isn’t hampered by the supports or base. To check this, sit at the table and see if your legs hit the table’s base. Check if you can scoot your knees all the way in and if you can cross your legs under the table.
Pedestals supports have great flexibility in terms of adding people to the table. However, be careful about larger round tables with pedestal supports since they’re less sturdy than round tables with legs at the corners. Trestle tables can be flexible along the sides but can be limiting at the ends.
Select Good Seats
Heaving enough room while sitting at the table is important. Your choice of dining chairs can help you maximize the use of your available space. If you need a big table in a limited space, using benches instead of chairs frees up some room; you can push them under the table when not in use. Transparent chairs also work well in small spaces since they make the space feel more spacious.