The Essential Guide to Buying a Dining Table
Wondering what factors to consider before choosing a dining table? This guide breaks it down
A dining table can form the heart of any home, acting as a convenor of mealtimes and a maker of memories. With such an important role to play, it’s only fair that you give it the thought it deserves. If you’re considering buying a dining table and don’t know where to start, let these checkpoints be your guiding light.
Glass
From frosted and stained to tinted and clear, there’s a host of variants in glass to pick from. If your room is already light-starved, glass is a good choice to avoid robbing it of more light. This will allow light to filter through unobstructed and fill your room with luminosity.
Pros:
Stone
Stone tabletops, including marble, composite, cement and quartz, can lend sophistication to your space. However, they are high on maintenance, requiring regular resealing and frequent cleaning.
Pros:
From frosted and stained to tinted and clear, there’s a host of variants in glass to pick from. If your room is already light-starved, glass is a good choice to avoid robbing it of more light. This will allow light to filter through unobstructed and fill your room with luminosity.
Pros:
- Economical material for use as a tabletop
- Can last decades with proper maintenance
- Can easily reveal stains and fingerprints, and can chip or crack from heat
Stone
Stone tabletops, including marble, composite, cement and quartz, can lend sophistication to your space. However, they are high on maintenance, requiring regular resealing and frequent cleaning.
Pros:
- Sturdy and durable
- Extremely porous, with a tendency to absorb stains
- Can chip or crack, and be difficult to restore
- More expensive stones like marble can be exorbitantly priced
Laminate
Laminates are typically used as an overlaying decorative layer for a core material like plywood or MDF. Such tables are usually at the lowest end of the price spectrum, but are equally low on longevity and durability.
Pros:
Metal
Sturdy and durable, metal is a popular choice for table bases. And it can be found in various materials (stainless steel, zinc and brass) and finishes (plain, painted and lacquered).
Pros:
Laminates are typically used as an overlaying decorative layer for a core material like plywood or MDF. Such tables are usually at the lowest end of the price spectrum, but are equally low on longevity and durability.
Pros:
- Requires little maintenance
- Tends to resist staining
- Often perceived as low-quality
Metal
Sturdy and durable, metal is a popular choice for table bases. And it can be found in various materials (stainless steel, zinc and brass) and finishes (plain, painted and lacquered).
Pros:
- Not easily damaged
- Less expensive than wood
- High shine can reveal smudges and fingerprints
- Requires special cleaning tools
- Damaged painted metals can be a task to repair
2. Measure the size of your room
Remember the golden rule – your dining table must fit your dining room. It’s not only important to consider the size of your table, but also to factor in a margin of at least three feet around it (the more negative space, the better).
It’s also wise to consider the visual weight of furniture in a given space. While a table may fit your space in theory, it may end up swallowing your space once you actually haul it home. Visualise the visual weight of your dining table by taping off the floor in its exact dimensions. Then, to create a sense of height, use existing stools and tables to build a lifesize pseudo-replica.
Remember the golden rule – your dining table must fit your dining room. It’s not only important to consider the size of your table, but also to factor in a margin of at least three feet around it (the more negative space, the better).
It’s also wise to consider the visual weight of furniture in a given space. While a table may fit your space in theory, it may end up swallowing your space once you actually haul it home. Visualise the visual weight of your dining table by taping off the floor in its exact dimensions. Then, to create a sense of height, use existing stools and tables to build a lifesize pseudo-replica.
3. Gauge your requirements
What purpose will your dining table serve? Will it be used to entertain guests and facilitate banquets, or serve up quiet meals at family mealtimes? Also, how many persons will it typically host? Once you’ve answered these questions, you can go ahead and decide what shape your dining table should be.
Remember, a quadrilateral dining table offers limited seating on the two short sides, with only enough room for one person at either end. Conversely, a circular or elliptical table, with its seamless circumference, can easily accommodate more chairs all around – a godsend when you have more dinner guests than you bargained for.
Also, consider the fit. While a rectangular or oval table can perfectly complement a long room, a round table is better suited for a more evenly shaped space.
Here are four reasons to love round dining tables
What purpose will your dining table serve? Will it be used to entertain guests and facilitate banquets, or serve up quiet meals at family mealtimes? Also, how many persons will it typically host? Once you’ve answered these questions, you can go ahead and decide what shape your dining table should be.
Remember, a quadrilateral dining table offers limited seating on the two short sides, with only enough room for one person at either end. Conversely, a circular or elliptical table, with its seamless circumference, can easily accommodate more chairs all around – a godsend when you have more dinner guests than you bargained for.
Also, consider the fit. While a rectangular or oval table can perfectly complement a long room, a round table is better suited for a more evenly shaped space.
Here are four reasons to love round dining tables
Alternatively, if you’re pressed for space but still require extra seating, pick an extendable table – with hinges, drop-leaf extensions, extendable ends, or any other mechanism – to expand your table quickly and accommodate more people.
Here are the 10 best dining tables for relaxed get-togethers
Here are the 10 best dining tables for relaxed get-togethers
4. Decide on your budget
The price of a dining table is determined by several factors, chief among them size, material, style and craftsmanship. If you’re operating on a tight budget, divide your criteria into must-haves and nice-to-haves. This way, if a table catches your fancy and ticks most of your check boxes, you can make an informed choice if the bulk of your criteria are met.
The price of a dining table is determined by several factors, chief among them size, material, style and craftsmanship. If you’re operating on a tight budget, divide your criteria into must-haves and nice-to-haves. This way, if a table catches your fancy and ticks most of your check boxes, you can make an informed choice if the bulk of your criteria are met.
If you’re a bargain hunter, you can also scour used-furniture stores for a second-hand number. There’s nothing hardier than a second-hand hardwood table that has braved many a scratch, spill and stain, and embraced them into its time-served design. Such a table can lend a lovely, old-world vibe to your room without breaking the bank, and is ideal if you have little kids who like to feed the table as much as themselves. Remember, though – genuine second-hand solid wood tables are hard to come by, so be prepared to footslog to multiple shops before coming across something you like.
5. Match your aesthetic
Your dining table should meld seamlessly into your room’s design aesthetic, so it’s a good idea to consider its style carefully before putting your money down. From contemporary to classic, eclectic to shabby chic, there are a range of styles you can choose from to turn your table into a hero piece while still maintaining your overall decor.
Your dining table should meld seamlessly into your room’s design aesthetic, so it’s a good idea to consider its style carefully before putting your money down. From contemporary to classic, eclectic to shabby chic, there are a range of styles you can choose from to turn your table into a hero piece while still maintaining your overall decor.
6. Evaluate ease of maintenance
Want a low-maintenance dining table? Aside from prioritising materials like wood and glass, also look at the construction of your piece.
Look under your table to observe its joints. Wood joined to wood is usually a sign of sturdy build quality, whereas too many hooks and joints can signify a weaker construction. If your table is shaky or reveals gaps in its joints, consider yourself in for a lesson in high maintenance.
Want a low-maintenance dining table? Aside from prioritising materials like wood and glass, also look at the construction of your piece.
Look under your table to observe its joints. Wood joined to wood is usually a sign of sturdy build quality, whereas too many hooks and joints can signify a weaker construction. If your table is shaky or reveals gaps in its joints, consider yourself in for a lesson in high maintenance.
7. Be cautious with colour
It’s great to channel your eclectic side with a vibrant dining table, but be wary of splashing it with a colour that may go out of style. With constantly evolving decor trends, a palette can turn from hot to not in a matter of a few years. If you are a colour buff, primary colours (red, blue and yellow) are a safe, simple bet, likely to endure and evolve with your decor through the years. Coloured finishes are usually restricted to laminates and veneers, unless you decide to paint over an existing wooden table.
It’s great to channel your eclectic side with a vibrant dining table, but be wary of splashing it with a colour that may go out of style. With constantly evolving decor trends, a palette can turn from hot to not in a matter of a few years. If you are a colour buff, primary colours (red, blue and yellow) are a safe, simple bet, likely to endure and evolve with your decor through the years. Coloured finishes are usually restricted to laminates and veneers, unless you decide to paint over an existing wooden table.
8. Decide what parts you really need
Most dining tables come along with dining chairs, but you may want to reconsider whether you need the entire package. If you’ve got an unused wall (and don’t require extended seating), turn it into a one-sided booth and flank the other side of the table with chairs. This way, you maximise the space available and save a few bucks!
Wondering how to pick the right dining table?
Most dining tables come along with dining chairs, but you may want to reconsider whether you need the entire package. If you’ve got an unused wall (and don’t require extended seating), turn it into a one-sided booth and flank the other side of the table with chairs. This way, you maximise the space available and save a few bucks!
Wondering how to pick the right dining table?
9. Ask yourself whether you need a dining table at all
How many meals do you really have at your dining table? If you live alone, prefer to have dinner in front of the TV, or anything in between, a dining table may serve as a dead investment.
Read more:
Spectacular Dining Table Settings to Bring In the Festivities
Glorious Dining Tables That Serve Up Oodles of Style
Tell us:
What other factors do you consider when buying a dining table? Tell us in Comments below.
How many meals do you really have at your dining table? If you live alone, prefer to have dinner in front of the TV, or anything in between, a dining table may serve as a dead investment.
Read more:
Spectacular Dining Table Settings to Bring In the Festivities
Glorious Dining Tables That Serve Up Oodles of Style
Tell us:
What other factors do you consider when buying a dining table? Tell us in Comments below.
Deciding on the right material can be daunting, especially when you have to perfectly balance price, ease of care and style. If you’re contemplating your material, here are some common options you can consider.
Wood
It’s probably fair to assume that you and your dining table are in it for the long haul. If you are indeed looking at something that will stand the test of time, consider a solid wood table (or at least legs, if you’re looking at an alternative finish for your top) in shisham, teak, rosewood, satinwood, pine, or any other indigenous Indian or imported wood. In the long run, you’ll find solid wood far stronger and more durable than its engineered wood (plywood and MDF) counterparts.
Pros:
- Durable and easy to repair
Cons: