Choosing the piece of furniture where families congregate for meals, activities and meaningful conversations comes with some pressure, as it naturally becomes the centrepiece of a home. At Chairforce, we not only have 52 options of dining chairs for your home, we also have a beautiful selection of dining tables to perfectly complement your kitchen and dining rooms. With all the options on offer from round to oval, formal to informal, and multiple material choices, we’ve created a guide to assist you in finding the right dining room table for your home.
How to choose the right size dining table for your space
It’s time to get the measuring tape out! If a dining table is too big or too small, it can throw the whole dining room’s aesthetics out. To achieve the right size, first measure the distance from the walls, other furniture (such as buffets or bookshelves) and open doors to the edges of the dining table and ensure there is at least 100 centimetres, so you can easily move around it, including when others are seated there.
The other dimension to consider is height. Factor in enough space between your dining chairs (including any arm rests) and the underside of the tabletop, which is usually 30cm.
For a guide to the length of table based on chairs, consider the following:
- 4 chairs – 122cm
- 6 chairs – 152-158cm
- 8 chairs – 200-220cm
- 10 chairs – 230-275cm
- 12 chairs – 305cm
- 6-8 chairs – 152cm round table
How to choose the perfect-shaped dining table
With the maths lesson over (phew), there are three key shapes to choose from. The most common is a rectangular dining table as it suits most spaces, particularly larger dining rooms.
An oversized rectangular table will become the feature of the room and perfect for entertaining (just remember to factor in width as well as length, to allow for bowls and platters in the centre of the table), such as our Replica Tolix Dining Table which seats up to 10.
Square tables, such as the Ricardo Folding Dining Table, suit small, intimate spaces or square-shaped dining rooms but might look out of balance in a large room.
Round tables create a lovely, social feel for meal times and a great amount of space to host communal food such as pasta bakes or salads. Round tables fit particularly well if your dining and kitchen spaces are combined, and we love our Ricardo Folding Dining Table.
Selecting the right material for your dining table
In choosing the material for your dining table, it’s vital to consider what activities will be used on it. If you have young children, you’ll know all about the collateral damage after each meal, let alone the arts and crafts that occur on the dining table. If you’re looking at an outdoor dining table, weather-proof material is essential.
Wood is most popular, for good reason – its classic look, durability and it is easy to clean. However, some timbers can be easily damaged by your 4-year-old’s painting, so be mindful to choose a hard wood such as oak, walnut or mahogany.
Glass works wonders for small spaces with its translucence creating an illusion of extra space. However, with small children around be prepared to see every dirty finger smudge or make good friends with your cleaning products.
Stone or marble is the choice for a truly classic, ornate look for the home. It can handle plenty of knocks and scratches (many believe scratches add to the character), but it stains easily so bowls of Bolognese are best eaten elsewhere. Keep in mind, stone tabletops will need regular maintenance to stay in top condition.
Pick your style
Traditional country style is definitely having a moment with The Block 2022 set in regional Victoria. There are many styles to consider for your dining table, but the most common we see at Chairforce include minimalist, industrial, eclectic, and the mode of the moment, country.
For country, timber is the obvious choice and we love the Tolix Dining Table with its dark timber tabletop, opting for the fresh appeal of white legs.
Minimalist is all about clean lines, with a focus on simplicity and sophistication. Most of our tables tick the boxes for minimalist themes with high quality materials, sleek lines and neutral colour palettes.
Eclectic theme really means… anything goes! The beauty of an eclectic style to your dining room is you choose your favourite pieces with little regard of them matching each other. You could consider a common thread with a material or colour repeated, but the eclectic look is big on character so any dining table which has this quality – go for it!
Where to Buy The Best Dining Tables in Australia
Our huge ChairForce warehouses across Australia and New Zealand are the perfect place to find a table that will complete your ideal dining room. We have a large stock base, so once you’ve chosen your dining table, you can have it delivered as soon as you’d like.
If you want to see the tables before you purchase them online, we’d love to see you in one of our warehouses and one of our brilliant team members will help you further.
FAQ:
- Help – I’m still undecided – how do I pick the right table?
With so many choices on offer, we recommend coming into one of our warehouses where you can speak to one of our amazing in-house experts. We have locations across Australia with our tables and chairs all displayed. - What should I look for when buying a dining room table?
Dining tables aren’t the cheapest household item, so looking for high quality material that will last. Our dining tables are commercial grade and designed to stand the test of time. Don’t forget, we have a Grandmother Principle and we won’t be the talk of tea and biscuit chat for the wrong reasons. - Are round tables better than square?
Both fit a purpose and it depends on the room shape, but round tables do provide more legroom as they usually require just one leg to support them. - Can I choose a tabletop first and then find a table base to go with it?
Yes! We have multiple options in size, shape, colour and material for our tabletops which can then go atop one of our various bases on offer.