Metal, wood, marble or glass? Oval, round, square and rectangular? Clean straight lines, classic, modern or trendy? Tables come in all shapes and sizes and despite what you may like best it is very important you choose the one that really suits your home and fits your needs.
Step 1: QUALITY
As you probably know by now, selecting items of quality is what I always recommend especially for high ticket items. A dining table is used a lot, and often for much more than just dining. The kids homework, the friends around for a game of cards, the family reunions or simply sitting around with friends who drop in. It is important that one of the most used furniture pieces in the home is built well, is sturdy and can cope with high use. Don't trust cheap furniture and flat package deals as those cheap legs may not last the frequent shaking of a family with kids, and that timber look finish, may not be timber at all, but a thin foil coating, which easily chips, scratches and lifts at the edges. So instead of buying a well priced bargains you may end up getting a cheap table and you'll be looking for a new one in a year or so. Check up how many get on the street for council pickup. Hence: don't buy a cheap table.
Step 2: SIZE & SHAPE
A square dining table can work well if it's small size, as the larger it gets, the harder it becomes to reach the centre, or across from one side to the other. The rectangular table being the most popular shape, works well in most rooms, and if it can extend, it will accommodate more people when needed. Round tables are very popular and can fit in most rooms, and unlike the square one, these easily allow for extra guests to squeeze in if needed without corners in the way. The oval offers the best of both worlds: elongate to fit many without becoming too deep, and rounded to easily fit a few more at the shuffle of a chair. Expendable tables are the perfect solution for a dining room that's not quite big. So, assess the best size and shape that fits your room.
Step 3: STYLE
This is an interesting one as a table can be both matching or contrasting the style of the room's furnishing. That beautiful and solid wooden table that comes with family history will contrast beautifully with the rest of your modern styling. And a glass top modern design will go very well with classic furnishing too. Indeed when choosing a new table, stay away from trying to match it with rest of the furniture as this will only work if the match is perfect. See the pictures below for a few beautiful examples of contrasting styles.
inspiration images from Pinterest and Google
Finally, don't forget to consider your family needs. Highly polished surfaces may be be too delicate for family with children, and marble tops require protection when dining as they may stain with food or drinks. Glass tops may also scratch but are the easiest to clean and maintain. There are so many choices... and when you have finally chosen the right table you will then ask "What chairs should I add?" But that is indeed the subject of a whole new chat.
Stay tuned.
James Treble is an ambassador for Planet Ark and firmly believes in sensible purchasing, recycling and creative re-purposing. James Treble has more than 25 years of experience in the Building Industry, Real Estate and Interior Design. His knowledge and experience in adding value to homes, through clever design & styling, is now published for all to learn and benefit from. Interior Design For Profit is now available online.
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