Dining Room Table Buying Guide

It’s the focal point of most homes, the place around which days are recounted, advice dispensed, nourishment consumed. It is the dining room table, and it comes in a dizzying array of styles, shapes, sizes and colors. Plan wisely and you’ll have a room where the family will gladly gather to share a day and a meal. Plan poorly and you’ll eat in shifts at the kitchen counter as the table collects dust and junk mail.

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Let The Table Fit The Room

Your first step towards the perfect table is to measure the room it will be in. This will give you an idea not only of what size table will best fit the room, but also what shape of table would be most appropriate. To get a better sense of proportion, draw a sketch of the room and play around inserting different sized and shaped tables into your drawing.

Size Matters

Tables come in a wide range of sizes, and many of them can achieve multiple sizes through the use of removable or hinged table leafs. With leafs you get two (or more) tables in one, giving you a small table for more intimate meals, or a larger one for parties.

A cautionary word about table leafs: if you have a table that has them, and you don’t use them, the leafs can age differently than the table, resulting in discoloration or even warping.

In terms of actual space requirements, buy a table that is at least 3-3 ½ feet across. This will allow people to be on both sides and engage in conversation easily, with enough space in the middle for dishes of food. Your table should be large enough that diners have 2 -2 ½ feet between them to eat comfortably, and 1-1 ½ feet from the table to the wall to push chairs out. The area between the table and other wall where people will be moving around and food will be served should be 4-5 feet.

Rule of thumb for table sizes: a small table looks good in a small room, and vice versa.

Next: Shape Matter Too