5 Tips For Choosing A Dining Table To Suit Your Lifestyle

From quickly eating breakfast before the school run or catching up after a long day of work, to hosting a dinner party with friends or playing board games with the family - so much happens around your dining table. This is a staple piece in every home, and it's important you pick the right dining table that perfectly suits your family's needs.

To give you some advice and inspiration on choosing a dining table to suit you, Jordan from our furniture team has shared some expert tips on what to consider...

1. Consider the size

Although it may seem obvious, ensuring the table fits well in the desired space is key. We recommend mapping out how you would like the table to fill the space, using newspaper or anything similar, to really help you visualise the table in the allocated room.

Considering the usage of your dining table will also help you limit your sizing options - for example, will it just be used formally for special occasions or used for informal dining more regularly? This can give you a good idea of how big the table really needs to be. Extending dining tables are also a space efficient option for many.

2. Visualise a shape

As well as choosing the right size, shape is also an important factor to consider. As a general rule,I would recommend leaving at least 80-100cm of space around the table for both practical and visual reasons. Identifying the shape of the room will help in selecting the right dining table to fit the space appropriately. For example, if the room is square a round or square table would look best and for a rectangle room an oval or rectangle shape would be recommended.

Bases and legs for the dining table can also be considered at this point. Pedestal bases have become increasingly popular for those who are perhaps tight on space, eliminating the restrictions of table legs which can often get in the way.

3. Decide on a finish

Keeping in mind your lifestyle is crucial when deciding on a dining table's finish. A popular option for those with kids is a ceramic finish, as this is perfect for everyday use and pretty much indestructible as it is heat and scratch resistant.

Wood is also another popular choice. Although solid wood can be quite costly, it's more durable and easy to repair with a straightforward sand and oil. A wooden veneer table is also a great option for durability as well as style, however they can be more difficult to repair if they become damaged.

Ceramic, solid wood and veneers are the 3 most popular options, and they all come in a range of different colours and finishes so you can design the perfect table for you.

4. Avoid following trends

I usually steer customers away from selecting a dining table based on current trends. Dining tables are more of an investment and usually kept for around 5-10 years, if not longer. I'd therefore suggest choosing a style which will withstand the test of time and would look good even if the surrounding room was to be redesigned.

I would suggest looking for inspiration online as an initial starting point, Pinterest can be a great tool to give you an idea of your style. A lot of what you see on the likes of Pinterest and other similar platforms may however be bespoke so it's important not to become too fixated on one particular design. It's important to keep an open mind and to come into the store to identify what you initially like.

5. Accessorise with chairs

There is more of an opportunity to follow trends when deciding on a dining chair. The ability to mix and match with tables and chairs allows for a lot more design freedom with style and colour.

Normally when picking out dining chairs, the general rule is comfort above everything else. Considering the finish is also just as important with chairs - wipeable leather or wood are a good choice for a more informal dining space with children, while those choosing chairs for more formal dining might be more likely to opt for style over comfort.

Dining benches have been in high demand in recent years too, giving the dining area a more laid back look and sociable style. These allow for more guests to be seated as well as the ability to be tucked away which can work well with limited space.

If you're searching for a new dining table for your home, pop into the Andersons of Inverurie store to browse our beautiful dining ranges and Jordan and the team will be on-hand to help you.