Not all pieces of furniture impact the space.
Dining tables, however, should do a lot more than simply provide a spot to eat. The furnishings inherently shape how we come together, where we gather to chat, and how favorite rooms get used on a weekly basis. As you look at various available dining tables, try not to fixate too closely on measurement and material. The ideal dining table for your space is a pick that aligns with your home’s vibe, not the layout of a blueprint.
Whether you’re replacing that sturdy standby or searching through new dining tables for a brand-new place, spend time weighing your possibilities. Sets of dining tables prove just how diverse decor is today, offering options for regular use or frequent entertaining. In fact, Serena & Lily and other popular names have really taken this principle to heart, creating dining room tables that work hard and look good doing it.
Consider the Empty Slots Between Meals
We see the dining room much differently today. In many households, dining tables are just as likely to see homework, video calls, crafting, or weekend coffee time as a formal meal.
It changes the way you think about a table. Instead of contemplating how many people it can hold, consider how many tasks will fill the slots. A home that frequently uses the dining room can benefit from a forgiving shape and surface, as well as a top that won’t laser-focus on spills and scratches. When a table adjusts as necessary, it’s more likely to stick around.
Follow Natural Traffic to a Shape’s Ideal Form
Except for floor plans, few features of a blueprint stick around once the first box is lifted. Chairs inch backward, boundaries blur, kids streak through the space, and guests cluster in areas where space allows.
Rectangular? Long spaces can accommodate tables of this type, but you may or may not clear the path. More often, ovals or rounds keep the flow moving while also ‘leveling the playing field’ between each person at the table. In an open space, such a shape also softens the human-created lines of the house, mimicking a curve here or there. When the literal shape of a table comes down to the flow of life, you’ll make an ideal selection.
The Finest Finish Looks Naturally Weathered, Not Flawless
Most shoppers are looking for the dining table of tomorrow, but the piece you love the most is one with many yesterdays. Wood gets etched and washed in patina. Stone is solid and sophisticated, with more intrinsic and organic variation. Lacquer can be so fresh in a room, especially with woven or padded seating that keeps it grounded. Don’t run from daily life. Choose materials that look better over time. Design companies like Serena & Lily pay homage to, and purposefully embrace, the lived-in finish, so what would otherwise be an overly fancy finish is grounded. Always chic.
Design the Room Around the Table, Not the Other Way Around
We all have the tendency to reverse-engineer a room. We think we will slide the table in last. But a table is best as the room’s spinal cord. Lighting, rugs, art, and seating all look deliberate when defined by a table’s edges. Even and balanced, a table demands a partner for itself. Right or wrong is frivolous. Fad aesthetic pieces may be in the Caroline, but her home is predictable. Comfortable sofa. Rumpled slipcover. Hobby-chic chairs that can be bumped by vacuums without repair. A fireplace is the last meal of all and the center of all. A table and a home around the table, done.See More