One of the bigger purchases for your home will be your formal dining table. You may have ideas in mind about what you are looking for, or you can imagine the table everyone gathers around for holiday dinner. You could have the formal dining table put into your existing space, or you could be remodeling the area and choosing to purchase a new table to go with your new space. Either way here are some pointers on choosing the best table for you.
Shape
Your table can be many shapes. You can have a round table, a square table, a rectangular table, or an odd-shaped table. Part of your decision to choose the shape you want will be the surrounding area and the other décor already in place. You certainly don’t want to choose a table that conflicts with the surrounding décor. Another consideration is how much space do you have available to place the table.
Space
How can you determine the space you have available for the table? Simply by measuring your desired table and marking off the space on the floor where you want it. This way you can determine if the table will fit or if you need to downsize a little. It’s important to remember not only the table but the space needed for the chairs that will be used at the table. There will be a difference if you utilize bench seating (free-standing or part of the wall) or if you use individual chairs. The general thought is to have a few feet of clearance all around the table portion to allow for movement of the chairs.
Seating
One way to save space on seating is to purchase benches instead of individual seats. Normally, you expect one person per chair, but there is more room available on a bench so you can have more people at the table without much more space taken. If the benches are free-standing, you might even be able to store them under the table when not being used.
Remodel Space
If you are remodeling and looking for a table, you could consider waiting to purchase until the final area is finished. There could be problems with the remodel or changes could be made that affect the space you wanted available for the table. This way you won’t need to return the table and get a replacement. Once the area is finished, then you can take your measurements of the table and the space and make your final decision.
