Choosing the right dining table for your home

Like the lounge or the bed, the dining table is a staple in any home. This is the place where you gather to enjoy meals and celebrations, catch up on work, or spend quality time with your friends and family.

A good dining table should last you at least five to ten years, so it’s important to take the time to choose a timeless piece that meets your needs, both now and in the future. But with so many dining table styles out there, from glass to timber and marble, it’s tricky to know what’s best for your space.

If you’re in the market for a new dining table, there are a few considerations to keep in mind before making your final purchase. Here are our top tips to ensure you find a dining table that ticks all the right boxes and stands the test of time.

Make sure it measures up

First things first, let’s talk about size. Your dining table not only needs to fit your space — you also need to account for extra room around it for your dining chairs and other furniture items.

Start by measuring the overall area that you can dedicate to your dining setup. Once you have this length and width, you’ll want to subtract a bit of room so people can comfortably sit in a chair or move around the table. A good guideline is to aim for roughly 1 metre of clearance on each side, which should give you enough room to pull out chairs or walk around the table when people are seated.

Finally, consider the number of seats you’ll need at the table, as well as the types of dining chairs you’ll be incorporating. If you’re looking to purchase wider dining chairs, like wishbone or rattan dining chairs, you may need a bigger piece of furniture to accommodate each space around the table.

Tight on space? Expandable tables offer extra versatility for when guests come over, without taking up permanent space in your dining area. We love the Otis Oak Dining Table, which is perfect for cosy floor plans.

Keep your dining room in shape

Dining room table styles are available in all kinds of shapes, from a classic rectangle to a square 8-seater dining table or round dining table. The trick to finding the right shape for your home is to consider the overall layout of your room, as well as your needs.

Got a square room? Opt for a square or round table, as it allows you to make the most use of all the available space. Have a rectangular room or a dining nook? A rectangular or oval dining table will lengthen your area and provide you with more space to host family and friends.

Lucky Clover: The Clover Oval Dining Table has curves in all the right places! An iconic replica of architect Eero Saarinen's 1959 'tulip' design, the Clover is one of those timeless mid-century dining tables that will make any room pop.

Select the right materials

Marble, oak, glass — there’s no shortage of gorgeous dining table materials out there. However, choosing the right one is a delicate balancing act with three key considerations: aesthetic, maintenance, and price.

Solid wood is one of the most common materials out there, thanks to its durability and repairability. Another amazing thing about timber is that no two pieces are alike: each table has its own grains and knots, so you know your piece of furniture is unique to your home. If you like the look of solid wood but aren’t quite ready to splash out, a combination of timber and veneer might be the better choice for your home.

Looking for something a touch more contemporary? Look for a glass or marble dining table. For the industrial home, you can’t go wrong with a concrete dining table or stone dining table. Some tables even mix and match materials, such as a marble tabletop with wooden legs or a wood tabletop with powder metal legs.

The real deal: Made from sustainably-sourced solid American oak, the Bronte Natural Dining Table is the epitome of minimalist elegance. This Scandinavian dining table comes in a range of sizes, from the more petite 150cm all the way up to an generous 270cm table.

Just the right amount of support

The legs are an important design feature of any dining table, so don’t overlook these when making your final decision.

If you want more sitting space, pick a table with legs that sit back from the edge to allow uninterrupted seating on both sides, like the Sierra Dining Table. Alternatively, keep to the classic silhouette with the traditional four leg design — just be sure to test it out first to ensure your legs don’t hit the table when sitting down.

Want to really wow your guests? A round glass dining table like the Klaus adds a statement silhouette to any area with its sturdy pedestal design.

Ready to find your perfect dining table? Shop our collection here.