Dining Table

      "Invite A New Dining Table To Dinner"

If you've been stuck at the kids table or been seated a rickety card table stuck into expand the main table, you know how important it is to have a dining room table that can welcome the entire family. After years of stressing over how I was going to fit quests during holiday dinner, I finally decided to get a table that had enough room for all of us.

I you are considering inviting a new dining table to dinner this year, here are a few tips to help you select one that's as wonderful as the friends and family who will gather around it.



Focus on Function

      First decide what you need in a table. What shape is the room? How many people do you want to seat? Will you need space on the table for serving dishes or do you prefer to serve off of the buffet?

       Is your dining room formal or casual? I picked a rustic farm table with english barley twist chairs and slipcovered parson chairs at the ends. I love the rustic elegance that is created when I set a formal tablescape.

           At Hermann Furniture, we are definatly seeing a huge number of people prefering a more casual look for their dining table.

      

Start at the Top

      Next, decide what shape will work best for your space and lifestyle. If you have a long narrow room that adjoins the kitchen, you might like a rectangle table. If this is your main dining table, check into a table that offers several leaves so you can shrink the size down when it's just your family and then be able to expand it when company comes. 

This table by Lexington is great! It has three leaves and will expand up to 150 inches.

Consider a round or square table for a more lively dinner discussion and where everyone can see each other. One great feature that companies are offering to todays round and square shapes is that they don't lose their shape when they expand. In the past, when you added leaves to round or square table, you ended up with a oval or rectangle. Now leaves pop up and fit together like puzzle pieces, making the table larger not longer.

This 60" round has five leaves that will make it a 80" round.

Look at the Legs

      Look for table legs that go with the size of your gatherings you have typically. Many people will choose pedestal tables, so no one gets stuck sitting by a cumbersome table leg. My kitchen table has corner legs. I admit that this leg placement can be a challenge when you're seating large groups, but I adore the look of the table so much, I was willing to work around it.

Delicious Details

       Now comes the fun part: picking the material, style and finish that fit your dining room best. I'm crazy about solid wood tables, especially a carved rustic one. But perhaps a natural, painted or distressed finish would work best for your dining room.

If you want to make a smaller dining room feel larger, you might consider a glass-topped table.

Pick a Seat

    While lots of people like matching dining sets, I am one to mix it up. Putting dissimilar chairs and tables together. For instance, try surrounding your table with benches or stools, either with a high back or no back at all. For a luxurious look, use upholstered wingback chairs or a settee. If your style is casual, try wicker armchairs or armless banana leaf chairs. If you have large dinner parties, invest in some ballroom chairs that will allow you to squeeze in more friends.

So have fun and be creative if you are thinking about inviting a new dining table to dinner.