A well-chosen dining room table can become a focal point for your home. A place where you and your nearest and dearest can gather each evening, and where you can entertain guests. But you need to choose the right one. Dining tables that are too large can make the room seem cramped, and ones which are too small can make it difficult to fit all the food and glasses on. Answer our ten-point questionnaire and you’ll discover which is the right table for your home 

1. Should you go for round, square or rectangular? Round dining tables are thought of as very sociable as everybody can talk to each other. Square dining tables are great for fitting into small corners of a room, so they’re a good option for flats, and a great solution if you don’t normally have to seat more than four people. Rectangular dining tables can seat a lot of people, so are ideal if you like to entertain, and the straight edges mean they use space efficiently.

2. How much space do you have? There’s no point cramming a large table into a small space – it will be difficult for people to get into their chairs and the room will appear smaller than it is. You’re better off opting for a table that allows you to have a metre all the way around, so diners can comfortably pull out their chairs to sit down and you can walk around the table easily even when people are seated.

3. What’s your interiors scheme like? Perhaps you have a minimalist scheme and you want to follow this through in your choice of dining table, or perhaps you want the table to be a focal point and stand out from the rest of your scheme with use of colour, or of natural wood. Perhaps you have a bright and cluttered interior and the table needs to be simple, for example in white or glass with clean lines, so the overall effect is not too busy. At Danetti we can help you – talk to us about what you have in your home already and we can make some suggestions.

4. Who will be using the table? Perhaps there are just two of you, so you only need a bistro table, or perhaps you have lots of children, in which case you’ll need a large serviceable table that can be wiped clean. If you like to entertain, a glass dining table can look very impressive and twinkly when laid with glassware and expensive crockery.

5. What chairs do you have? This is an important consideration, as you not only need to match the style of the chairs with the table, but the height must be suitable as well so you’re not having to bend or stretch to reach your plate. We think that leather dining chairs work well with most contemporary dining tables, especially glass ones.

6. Is the table to be placed in a room on its own, or in a kitchen-diner or living-room-diner? For kitchen-diners you have two options – create a harmonious look with very streamlined, functional looking dining furniture, or create a clear division between the cooking area and the dining area with the use of soft textures and curvy lines on your chairs and dining table. The same goes for the living-dining-room, you could try to match the dining furniture to the sofa, or create a contrasting look.

7. What’s your budget? At Danetti we stock dining tables ranging from just over £100 to in excess of £2,000, so we will be able to find you something that’s good value for money whatever you’re looking to spend. Café-style tables tend to be the cheapest, while large, extendable tables will be at the top end.

8.What’s your dining style? Perhaps you’re someone who likes to catch a quick bite before going out every night of the week, or maybe you prefer to organise lavish parties and invite friends and family over to yours for five course meals with all the trimmings. There’s no point taking up room in your home with a table that you will never use, so make sure that your choice fits your lifestyle. Extendable tables are a good solution for those who only entertain occasionally.

10. Do you plan to use the table outdoors? Some of our tables are so hard-wearing that they can be used both indoors and outdoors. This is a good option for those with smaller homes, where storage of outdoor furniture is a problem during the colder months. There’s no need to have separate furniture for in and out!

We hope this guide to buying a dining table has been useful and that it has given you some food for thought. If you need more help we are just a phone call away! Contact us.