Whether you have a separate dining room or an open concept floor plan, the table is the true star of your dining room furniture.
The table sets the tone
Although the formal dining room has undergone some pretty major changes over the last century, sitting down to a meal together is still a tradition in many families. Brunch with friends, wining and dining, holiday dinners—there’s always a big table at the centre of these moments. When you’re setting up a dining room, the table is the piece that you should choose first. Whether it’s round, square or rectangular, it determines the flavor of everything else that shares the room.
To each her own
- Fans of contemporary décor will love a table made of beech.
- Contemporary design lovers tend to prefer glass.
- For country and rustic looks, choose ash or oak.
The current trend is towards light coloured wood. Elegant and perfectly refined, a light wood table creates natural warmth and inviting ambience in the room. It is also easily adaptable to all kinds of decorating whims.
A smart set-up
Your dining room table should reflect your personality and your idea of a cozy and inviting meal with friends. Plan its purchase carefully. Take into account the size of the room when you buy it and all other dining room furniture.
- In a small and narrow dining room, avoid bulky furniture; it takes up a lot of space, even if it’s just a visual effect. Choose a sleek streamlined table or a folding table.
- In small condos, houses, or apartments where there isn’t a dedicated dining room, choose a round or oval table. It maximizes use of the space and it facilitates conversation around the table as well.
Other dining room furniture
To complete your dining room design, you might want to think about a buffet. Keep in mind that your grandmother’s hutch is passé. A buffet has both practical and aesthetic advantages—you can arrange a few precious objects on the top, and then set your serving dishes on it during meals. Let yourself be inspired; a vintage wooden dresser of drawers that’s been nicely polished with lemon oil is a fantastic dining room piece, as is a buffet painted in a bold white lacquer. But before you fall for big pieces, make sure you have the space for them; you don’t want your dining room furniture to take over the room.
What’s my style worth?
Whether your tastes are grandiose or simple, decorating your dining room doesn’t have to ruin you. A mix of styles is fine—even trendy—so there’s no need to sell off Granny’s jewels to pay for your new dining room furniture. Cruise the furniture stores and take note of the items you like. Pick an eye catching table to set the style and add to the room as your budget allows. Most furniture stores also offer reasonable payment plans. Once you have the perfect table, all you’ll have to do is add the friends and good eats.
