A dining table is more than just a piece of furniture. It is the heart of your dining room, where you share meals, conversations, and memories with your family and friends. A dining table can also reflect your personal style and taste, as well as complement the overall design of your home.
But how do you choose the right dining table for your home? There are many factors to consider, such as the size, shape, material, and style of the table.
As the top furniture brand in Bangladesh with over 34 years of experience, we’ve helped countless clients find their perfect Hatil dining table. After trial and error, we’ve boiled the process down to 5 key steps.
Follow this guide and you’ll be sitting at your dream table in no time!
Step 1: Determine Your Dining Space
Before you start thinking about the style and materials of your dining table, it’s crucial to focus on the practical aspects of the space it will occupy.
Begin by measuring the room’s length, width, and ceiling height, ensuring a good fit. Don’t forget to measure doorways to guarantee smooth entry. Consider the flow of movement in the room and make sure there’s enough space around the table for easy navigation.
Leave about 2 feet of space behind chairs when they’re pulled out for comfortable seating. Think about how you’ll use the table – for dining, work, or crafts – to better plan its design and features. Lastly, match the table’s style with the overall look of your home, whether it’s traditional, modern, or farmhouse, for a cohesive and pleasing appearance.
Step 2: Select the Right Size
You want a table that fits your dining room comfortably, without being too big or too small.
A good rule of thumb is to leave at least 36 inches (or 3 feet) of clearance space around the table so that you and your guests can move around easily and pull out the chairs. You also want to make sure that the table leaves enough room for other furniture pieces in the room, such as a sideboard, a buffet, or a cabinet.
To determine the ideal size of your dining table, you need to measure the length and width of your dining room or dining area (which you already have from Step 1). Then, subtract 6 feet from both dimensions to get the maximum recommended size for your table.
If you have a 12’ x 9’ space, the maximum size for your table would be 72” x 40”. Of course, you can also choose a smaller table if you prefer a more intimate or cozy setting.
Hatil offers a variety of extendable tables also that can easily transform from a four-seater to a six-seater or even an eight-seater with a simple mechanism. You can check out some of their models here.
Step 3: Pick a Shape
Hatil offers diverse dining tables to match your style and space. Rectangular tables are space-efficient, fitting against walls or in corners. They define areas and seat more people with leaf inserts. Bench seating and corner banquettes optimize space. Round tables create intimacy and open up small spaces. They ensure everyone interacts easily and work well with pendant lighting. Round clusters facilitate mingling. Square tables with straight lines complement modern styles, ideal for urban spaces.
They can be pushed together for larger gatherings. Hatil’s oval, pedestal, and unique-shaped tables make design statements. Oval tables seat more, pedestals offer legroom, and irregular shapes add flair. Custom tables cater to size, shape, and style preferences, ensuring a one-of-a-kind look. Explore Hatil’s options to find your perfect fit.
Step 4: Select a Material
The choice of material for your table not only impacts its appearance but also its tactile experience, performance, and longevity. Various materials like wood, glass, metal, stone, and laminate offer distinct pros and cons along with aesthetic and practical considerations.
Wood, a timeless choice, exudes warmth and character, particularly hardwoods like oak that combine beauty with durability.
Glass tables create an open and airy ambiance, though they require more maintenance due to fingerprints. Acrylic options mimic this look without the upkeep.
Marble exudes refined luxury with its unique veining and smooth surface, but it demands sealing to prevent staining.
Metal tables, showcasing contemporary allure, come in diverse finishes and provide stability. They thrive both indoors and outdoors, infusing modern spaces with cutting-edge style.
Your choice should align with your lifestyle, durability requirements, and interior design aspirations, ensuring a dining table that harmonizes with your vision.
Step 5: See It in Person
After researching online, the last step is to visit furniture showrooms to experience tables and chairs first-hand. Photos rarely convey the true scale and quality.
When testing, here are key things to look for:
- Comfort: Sit in the chairs with proper posture. Do they provide enough back support? Is the height right?
- Craftsmanship: Examine finishes and joints. Are there rough patches or splinters? Do legs wobble? High-quality furniture should be sturdy.
- Size: Have someone hold a tape measure while you sit. Make sure the dimensions work for your home.
- Style: Decide if the overall aesthetic is what you want. The table should tie your decor together, not stick out.
How to Measure a Dining Table
Choosing the perfect dining table involves more than just selecting attractive shapes, styles, and finishes. You’ll also need to take accurate measurements to ensure your new table fits well in your dining space. Follow these tips for measuring a dining table:
- Measure the table height from the floor to the underside of the tabletop. This measurement is key for selecting dining chairs that will fit properly at the table.
- Measure the overall length of the table from end to end. This will tell you if the table will physically fit in the room’s dimensions.
- Measure the width of the table at its widest point. Pay special attention if you plan to use the ends of the table for seating.
- Measure the distance between the inside edges of the table legs. This interior length affects leg room when sitting at the table.
- Measure the depth of the tabletop from front to back. Look at apron depths which vary based on the table’s design and material.
Wrapping Up
We hope this article has helped you choose the right dining table for your home. If you are looking for more inspiration or ideas for your dining area, you can check out our dining table sets.
We offer a wide range of high-quality dining tables in various sizes, shapes, materials, and styles that can suit any budget and taste. You can also browse our online catalog, visit their showrooms, or contact their customer service for more information.
Happy dining! 😊
