4 Things to Consider When Choosing Dining Furniture

By ercol on 15 February 2018

Your dining furniture is an integral part of your home. It’s more than just a table and chairs – it’s where loved ones catch up over dinner each evening and a place to prepare for the day ahead each morning. It’s important for entertaining and special occasions too – think Christmas & birthday parties with friends or family.

With that in mind, choosing dining furniture is definitely worth a lot of thought and research. Read on as we look at 4 often-overlooked essentials to consider when buying new dining furniture.

Sizing things up

The size of your dining table is easily the most important thing to consider before buying. Firstly, you need to be able to get everyone around it and also it needs to fit comfortably into your room. Start by measuring the space for your dining table, then use this to work out what size dining table you can have.

Ideally, you need around 1 metre around each side of the table, for people to move freely around the furniture. However, at a push, this can be reduced to 80cm.

Table shape

Another thing to consider is the shape of your table. Dining tables come in rectangular, square, round or oval shapes. So, which one is right for you?

It depends largely on how you’re going to use it. Circular or oval tables work well in smaller homes.  With folding leaves, many round tables can be stored away compactly or against a wall when not in use ready to put the leaves out when you have visitors.

Rectangular dining tables are another versatile option as they fit perfectly in dining rooms as well as smaller kitchen-diners. They can be positioned centrally, or adjacent to the wall, with a wide variety of widths and depths to fit almost any space.

Both shapes of dining table are also available with a central pedestal, allowing more room for chairs.

If you’re often inviting extra guests round, but don’t need a large table on a day-to-day basis, an extending table is the perfect solution. Ercol’s Romana range has three sizes of extendable table available, ranging from 110cm (small, unextended) to a plentiful 275cm (large, extended) in length. What’s great about the Romana design is that the extension leaf is stored within the table as a butterfly mechanism. The table remains stylish whether extended or left compact.

The right material – and finish

Next on the list is the material of your dining table. Glass can look good for more ornamental tables but it can be best to stick with wood, such as oak or ash. These are both materials, which are strong and durable for dining and can come with the option of different finishes.

Take the small and medium dining tables from the Novoli range, for instance. They’re available in a choice of Clear Matt or Chestnut lacquer. These beautiful finishes are perfect to ensure your dining table works with the rest of your design scheme. You get a dining table that’s both practical and attractive.

Don’t forget chairs

What use is a dining table without the right chairs around it? To get seating right at your dining table, consider both the style and the function. Firstly, what kind of seating do you want? Chairs are the traditional choice, but you can also go for benches or stools for a quirkier option.

With benches, you can fit more people around the table – and they’re great for kids. That said, solid wood chairs offer a classic, stylish option that many prefer. Both the Novoli and Romana dining ranges include upholstered and stick back dining chair options to match your table perfectly.

Dining in style

At ercol, we offer a wide variety of high quality dining room furniture to suit any style. Formal, casual, or somewhere in between – we provide tables, chairs and sideboards that showcase the true beauty of solid timber. Take a look at our full collection of dining furniture to find the perfect match for your home.