How to Choose a Dining Table

Posted on: January 26th, 2018

So you’ve decided to remodel your dining room, or maybe you just bought your home and are setting up your dining room for the first time. Either way, your choice of dining table can either pull together the look of your space or make it look like a disparate mess. Before you have an accidental design disaster on your hands, learn how to narrow down your options to find the ideal table for your home’s dining room and your particular style.

Measure Your Space

Much like it’s best to know how much home you can afford when looking at residential properties to better narrow down your options, the same principle applies when choosing a dining room table. Specifically, you’ll want to leave at least 42 inches of space between the walls and your table to allow everyone to move around and stand up from the table comfortably. In the event there’s furniture in your dining room, measure starting from the edge of the furniture when choosing a dining table.

Don’t Forget Seating Capacity

You should also think about the number of people who’ll be joining you at the table when deciding which option is best for your needs. If you don’t do much entertaining, have a small household or don’t have very many guests over, you likely won’t need as much seating capacity for your table. That being said, there might be instances where you need to make room for one or two extra guests at the table. Getting a table with an extra 24 inches per extra person is a good idea.

Table Shape

There’re a few different shapes of dining table you’ll have to choose from. Don’t have as much space as you might prefer in your dining room? Opt for a round table, which doesn’t come with the sharp corners you have to worry about bumping into as you and your guests are easing in and out of place at the table.

If your dining room is narrow and lengthy, you’ll likely be better off with a table with a rectangular design, mainly because the shape makes it easier to navigate to and from the table. You might also enjoy the clean lines offered by a table with a rectangular shape.

There are also dining tables available in a square design, but these are the least common, mainly because the shape can make serving an uncomfortable hassle. This shape is best reserved for no more than six guests, but you can opt for a larger square table if you like the shape but need space for more guests.

Solid décor tips go a long way when choosing a table for your dining room. Be sure to keep them in mind as you’re shopping.