Myakka

What do you need to consider when choosing a dinning set, particularly when deciding the size of your new dining table? This article is a short guide on choosing your dining room furniture by our founders Georgie Hopkins and Simon Whitehead, who share over 20 years experience within the furniture industry. Here are their top considerations for selecting your dining table and chairs set;

- Firstly, while it’s an exciting time, it’s important to think beyond your Christmas Dinner! Remember to consider the practicalities of your new purchase in your day-to-day life, this is a piece of furniture which will be with you for a while.  Think about your personal preferences… are round tables on top of your list or do you prefer rectangular?

- How many do you regularly need to seat at the table?  If your numbers often stretch from two to ten, then an extending table may be more appropriate, however if you’re regularly feeding four then a fixed size table may be more convenient.

- How much room can you permanently dedicate to your dining set?  Don’t go buying a table that looks lost in the corner of your huge dining room and likewise, you don’t want to spend your life tip-toeing around the edges of your room because the table has taken over!  As a guide, you need at least one metre of space between the table and the wall, or other pieces of furniture, to be able to access and sit on the chair comfortably.  Consider how the dining chairs fit with the table. For example, can you tuck all the chairs under neatly when not in use or will the legs of the table prevent this?  Also bear in mind whether you need to access the cupboards of your sideboard while someone is sitting at the table and therefore whether you need to allow extra space for this.  If you want a larger table and only occasionally use all the chairs you may opt to slide the dining table up against a wall. This will allow you to reclaim some living space when you’re not entertaining a houseful!  As a rule of thumb, round and oval tables work better in smaller spaces (perhaps kitchen diners) and rectangular tables are often more suited to larger spaces, such as dedicated dining rooms.

- What material should you choose? Consider your existing room decoration and any strong features. What type of dining set will look aesthetically pleasing in your dining room? There are many options available from the modern minimalist aluminium and glass, to the fashionable chunky wood dining sets, or maybe you are after a more traditional look? Do consider how the set will look in your room and be careful not to choose something that will it visually overload the room.  If there are already other coloured woods in the room such as exposed beams or other pieces of furniture you will need to consider how these will co-ordinate with your new purchase.

- What style do you really like?  All said and done, we don’t buy new dining sets every other month, so consider your purchase carefully.  You have a great opportunity to purchase a real asset to your home, a fantastic talking point and something that will last a lifetime.  Maybe it’s time to completely revamp your dining room, so consider the availability of matching sideboards, dressers and occasional pieces as well.  Design statements can be fantastic but do consider whether you will still find the style pleasing in five to ten years time!

- How will you be using your dining set? Is it for daily use or just special will it be used for more than just dining, such as for the children’s homework or craft work? You need to consider if you’re looking for a table for worry-free day to day use or limited, careful use and choose accordingly.  A glass table top can look stunning but may be very difficult to keep looking clean if you have small children at home.  Highly polished wood can be scratched or marked, although with a little care and attention they can usually be brought back as good as new.

- How do I allocate a budget for my dining set?  For the majority of people a dining set is a purchase which is performed rarely, therefore you may feel it is important to spend that little extra. You should consider in years to come, are you going to be happy with that budget veneered dining table or wished you had spent the extra for a solid wood dining set? It is surprising what you can get for your money in our Internet empowered age. You don’t need to spend a fortune to find good quality and similarly not all expensive furniture is good quality!  Increasingly in this consumer-led age, we’re also keen to consider the source of your furniture and the service that the vendor can offer you.  Is the furniture ethically sourced? Does the company supplying the furniture offer good customer service and do you feel happy that they will be on hand to help should you have an issue?

In conclusion there are many considerations to be made when choosing your new dining set. The key is to consider all these elements so that you choose the right dining set for you, one that you are proud to have as the centre piece when entertaining friends, family and colleagues.