Today, we’re talking about your perfect dining table. That’s right, yours, not THE perfect dining table! The perfect dining table doesn’t exist because we all have different needs and requirements from this essential item of furniture. What works for you might be a terrible choice for others.
How do you figure out what does work best for you? Begin by answering these key questions:
How many seats do you need?
This is the best place to start as it determines how big your dining table needs to be. If you live alone, you really only need a table that sits two or three people. Or, if you have lots of people over regularly, you may need more seats. Those of you with big families will need a large enough table to seat everyone at mealtimes.
It’s a pretty hard question to start but consider your usual dining habits. Do you dine as a three-person household for most of the year? If you often have mixed numbers or plan on entertaining guests during the festive period, some type of extendable dining table can be a great choice. It can be small enough to sit your family every day, but big enough when you require the extra space.
How much space do you have?
Next, you need to look at your interior and consider how much space there is to put the table. Again, some people might have a whole dining room with space for a table while others have a little bit of room in a small kitchen. This is where you need to take your answer to the first question and look at how you can fit a table that caters to this need into the dining space.
At this stage, you may realize that a certain style of table is going to be required. For example, a circular table can take up less space than a rectangular one yet still seat as many people. Or, you might need an ultra thing table for two that looks like a breakfast bar.
What table material do you want?
To be honest, you need to ask another question to find the answer to this one: what interior style are you going for? If you have a very rustic dining area, it makes sense to get a rustic kitchen table made from wood to fit with the design. For those of you going uber-modern, a metal or glass table might be more fitting.
Of course, part of this question does go down to personal preference as well. Some people prefer glass tables as they’re easier to clean than wood ones, for example.
You get the point; every person has different needs that can lead to a different dining table. After answering these three questions, one more remains: what is your budget? Set a realistic budget for your kitchen table and you can filter your search even further. You’ll find a table that’s big enough for your family, fits in your dining area, is in your ideal material, and fits your budget. Therefore, you’ll have found your perfect table!