Understanding your dining room and how to fill it.
If you’re new to homeownership or interior decorating, designing your space can feel overwhelming. Dining room furniture is one of the most important sets of furniture you’ll have in your home, but deciding what works best for your place can be a challenge. Rather than telling you how to create the “perfect dining room,” we’ll help you discover your options and style preferences with these 3 simple questions.
How do I plan to use my dining room?
While this may seem like a question with an obvious answer, there is more to the concept of “dining” beyond “eating.” Think about the kind of dining experience you’ll be hosting at your home:
- Will you host formal/informal parties and guests?
- Is your dining room strictly for yourself and your family?
- Does my dining room also serve as a workspace?
As you ponder these possibilities, focus on the ones you’ll do most often. If you plan to have company over often, consider investing in a table large enough to accommodate your guest count. You may even want to invest in something of a particular style that will make your room feel put together and high-quality. If you will also be working in this room, look into dining room furniture that will keep your space organized and open.
When creating a layout for your dining room, make sure there is an easy path to access your chairs, table, shelves, other occasional pieces, cabinets, and hutches.
What size and shape of table do I need?
The size of your table is determined by two main points:
- People seated
- The size of your dining room
If you have larger numbers and plenty of space to fill, consider a rectangle or oval table. You can even get something with leaves to extend the table. Rectangular and oval tables are perfect for offering space in the middle for serving food. These tables also have the best comfortable seating ratio for a large guest count.
If you have fewer people dining with you on a regular basis and don’t have much space, consider a square table. Square tables easily fit into corners if needed, and it creates a personal dining area for smaller groups. If you have enough space to occasionally host more people, you add leaves onto the ends without losing too much space.
While a round table may also work for you, it begins to take up more space in a small dining room if it needs to seat more than 4 people. Round tables also tend to come in pedestal form more often than square tables, which can limit your leg space. Pedestal tables are lovely, but may not be ideal for those who need to support themselves when getting up. These tables can tip over if weight is unevenly distributed.
How to space chairs and extra furniture
Your dining room should feel comfortable and open. Even with a smaller dining space, you can still achieve that look.
Start by thinking about the space you need per person. You’ll want to make sure a minimum of 24 inches in table space is available per adult. Be sure enough space is between each chair and a wall for someone to pull their chair all the way out from beneath the table. Then, place your chairs accordingly around the table.
If you host both formal and informal dinners, create space by storing your special occasion dishes, table leaves, and extra chairs when they are not in use. You can add or purchase a set with under-table storage if you don’t have another place in your home for these items.
If you add special furniture to your room, such as a hutch, wine bar, or curio, leave enough space to comfortably open drawers and doors.
Explore all your options
At Mountain View Furniture, we’ve got a wide selection of dining room furniture. Take a look at all of our hardwood varieties in our showroom located in Greenville, Tennessee that are guaranteed to stand the test of time. Our dining sets will elevate the look of any home and we have so many options to fit numerous dining room sizes and styles.