In most (if not all) dining rooms, the dining table is the centerpiece. It’s the largest furniture inside the said room and is situated in the dining room center. Commonly, it determines the overall style and atmosphere of the room and impacts the overall dining experience. No wonder it’s one of the most expensive pieces of furniture that you’ll buy for the room.

While you’re in the middle of choosing the best dining table, you need to take note of three key things to consider in the selection process. Think about the materials used in the production of the table, the style and shape, and of course, the size of the table to make sure it fits.

Materials

Like any other furniture piece, a dining table can be made out of a variety of raw materials. When opting for table sets, custom metal table bases are the best choice in pairing with the tabletops since they are durable and versatile. The tabletops can have a polished marble finish or be manufactured with a rough-sawn pine product. Picking the best material for the dining room table is no easy feat. Each material possesses a distinct feature that impacts the overall aesthetics of the room. While a polished glass may help you achieve a modern look and feel for your dining room, this material isn’t the best choice when you have active children at home. A trestle table made out of rough-sawn pine can give you and your family everyday picnic-style dining experience, but the rustic style it has won’t help you achieve an elegant look if you’re aiming for one in your dining room. However, if you have a spacious kitchen and dining area, a polished mahogany table may be perfect if your goal is to have a formal look and feel in the dining room.

You really can’t go wrong with a solid wood dining table as the centrepiece of your dining room.

With all of these in mind, choosing between different materials for your dining table requires a great amount of balance in the aesthetics of the material and its practicality inside the dining room. To effectively do that, most interior designers advise that you choose the materials that best appeal to your taste when it comes to style. After that, narrow down your choices to the one that serves the needs of your dining room. If your dining room prepares food all the time, you might want to consider a more rustic material like wood as it gets better as years go by.

Styles and Shapes

While you can categorize dining tables in different ways, their style and shape are some of the most crucial ones. It’s style and shape directly affects the mood, comfortability, and dining experience of those who eat around the table.

Rectangular

This is one of the most common shapes when it comes to dining room tables. This traditional table shape works well in any space in your dining room. Rectangular tables come in different width sizes to match both narrow and wide dining spaces. It’s length also makes large gatherings possible. A lot of tables in this shape have detachable leaves for them to be flexible in various gatherings, from intimate family dinners to huge holiday dine events. These tables are even more popular than round and square ones.

Sizes

This part, the size, of the dining room table is somewhat dependent on its shape. While round tables are more conducive to a pleasant talk while eating, it can fit fewer people compared to the ones in a rectangular shape.

Below are the sizes and seating capacity of various table shapes:

For square and round dining tables:

• 3 to 4 feet: good for 4 people to sit comfortably
• 5 feet: good for 6 people to sit comfortably
• 6 feet: good for 8 people to sit comfortably

On the other hand, for rectangular and oval ones: 

• 6 feet: good for 6 people to sit comfortably
• 8 feet: good for 8 people to sit comfortably
• 10 feet: good for 10 people to sit comfortably

Most dining room tables are around 30 inches high. However, there are some (especially ready-made ones) that are lower so you have to check this part when buying one. If you choose to buy a lower dining table, make sure your chairs fit below and match the length of the table.

Tips for Choosing the Perfect Table Size

• Each person who sits on the table should have around 2 feet of space for him/her to sit and dine comfortably.
• If you want the opposite ends of the table to accommodate diners, the minimum width of the table should be around 3 feet (4 if you want them to seat 2 diners in each end).
• Preferably, a space of 3 feet between the table’s edges and the walls should be observed. Doing this makes the pulling and pushing of chairs easy and hassle-free.
• If possible, choose tables that are expandable through its leaves. It is advisable to allocate an ample amount of space for day-to-day use and for events that require huge gatherings and parties.