The dining table is a conversation starter. As the largest piece of furniture in the room, it controls the look of your space, meaning that it is one of the most important pieces of furniture you will buy for your home.
If you find that you or your family doesn’t like eating at the dining table, try to refresh the space and turn it into something you can be proud of. You can keep it classic by buying a hardwood piece or be bold and choose a dining table that will act as the focal point of the space when surrounded by understated chairs and equally glamorous light fixtures. The options are endless. But this level of variety can be a problem.
One question we get a lot is ‘What style of dining table should I get?’
Unfortunately, there is no true answer to this question, and we understand that this can be quite frustrating. That’s why we have put together this guide. At Payless, our goal is to help our customers on every stage of their design journey, and this includes choosing the style of their dining table. But we know that this can be difficult given the jargon used in guides by industry professionals.
We have put together this guide listing the different style options you have for your dining table to help you determine what type of dining table will mesh well with the scene you envision.
Keep reading so we can help you find your ideal dining table.
Planning Ahead
Before you think about style, it is essential that you accurately measure the size of your dining room. Measure the length of your walls to get the square footage of your space. We also suggest that you draw out a floor plan as this will help you get a better understanding of the room’s fundamental shape.
Apart from these obvious measurements, you should also measure any built-in cabinets you have in your space and measure the size of your windows and doors (noting down the direction the door opens on your floor plan), as this will help you see where you will lose space. We also recommend that you record the height of any fixtures so that you can take this into account when you are choosing your preferred style. You don’t want to select a piece in a large grand style for your dining table if your room cannot accommodate it.
We always suggest leaving a minimum of 30 inches of space between the edge of the table and the wall to ensure you can sit comfortably and move around your space with ease when the chairs are pushed against the wall. If you have the space for it, then we recommend that you choose a dining table that can be placed 35 inches away from the wall, so it is easier to get past other guests when they are seated.
Styles
Of course, it’s not just about measuring out furniture to make sure it fits; it’s also about whether the pieces you choose are in the right style. This is the most challenging part of furnishing any space, especially if you don’t have the language to describe what you like when you see it.
This is why our customers ask us, ‘What style of dining table should I get for my space?’
We believe in transparency, so we are laying out all of your style options in this guide. From traditional to modern to casual, keep reading to discover every style of dining table you’re likely to see advertised to you and who we recommend each style to.
Transitional Dining Tables
Dining tables in a transitional style are ideal for anyone who doesn’t feel drawn to a particular style of dining table whenever they walk into a store. This is because this style of dining table blends the traditional elegance of a formal piece with contemporary lines and textiles to create unique pieces you can use to inject personality into your space.
These dining tables are ideal for anyone that enjoys the minimalist aesthetic as it encourages you to keep accessories to a minimum due to its entrancing look and ability to mix masculine and feminine features. Most dining tables in a transitional style are in the pedestal style, with various finishes available for wooden pieces and several glass options for those who want a piece that can reflect their guest’s smiles back to them.
Traditional Dining Tables
Traditional dining tables are usually made from a hardwood with a dark stain to give your dining room a formal look. These tables are adorned with ornate details with inspiration for their design drawn from 18th Century England and France to give each traditional table an authentic look and feel.
It is common to use expensive textiles like silk to cover these tables to protect them while they are in use, so we recommend traditional tables to those that don’t feel the need to flaunt their wealth. We always suggest that you hang a crystal chandelier above a traditional dining table to draw the eye up and carry the royal air around the space.
The majority of the traditional dining tables we carry have a neutral color palette with any accents being in gold or silver, making it easy to refine your dining room’s color scheme. We recommend this style of dining table to anyone that hosts a lot of formal dinner parties as it allows you to control the level of formality in the room yourself by dressing the room for the occasion. If you were to buy a casually styled glass dining table, then you may struggle to reach the level of formality you need.
Modern Dining Tables
If you don’t think a dining table in a traditional or transitional style is suitable for your space, then a modern dining table may be just what you need. Usually, the term modern is used to refer to furniture that is popular in the current time period. In the past, furniture that we would consider to be traditional in style would be considered modern.
Dining tables in a modern style became popular in the early 20th century. It was heavily influenced by Scandinavian design trends that were also popular at the time, giving them their clean lines and sleek aesthetic.
Metal dining tables are some of the most popular modern dining tables on the market. Chrome and glass pieces are also very common; with the popularity of glass dining tables in a modern style rising in recent years as homes get smaller, the reflective surface can be used to add dimension to the space and prevent overcrowding. For this reason, we always recommend modern glass dining tables to anyone that is furnishing a smaller dining room.
If you struggle to choose what style of dining table is right for your dining room, you should think about what the room’s focal point is and what style of table can best accentuate it. Your goal in designing your dining room is to create a space that draws the eye of your guests and promotes conversation among them when they sit down. While you can accomplish this with bold wallpaper or a unique piece of art, you can use a unique dining table to achieve the same effect and compliment the space. If you have a fireplace emboldened with marble, purchase a marble dining table. If you have a gorgeous glass chandelier, then choose a glass piece that can reflect its glow across the room.
Industrial Dining Tables
When our customers ask us, ‘What style of dining table should I get for my space?’ we always cycle through the options we have mentioned above. Most of the time, a customer falls in love with a piece in a modern, transitional, or traditional style, but in some cases, they need something more unique. This is when we show them dining tables in an industrial style.
This style is ideal for anyone that loves the art of exposed pipes and beams. Reminiscent of New York City loft apartments, dining tables in an industrial style are often made of metal and are masculine in shape. But you don’t have to worry about this making you feel cold in the winter months. You can tame these tables using textured rugs and upholstered chairs.
You can change your furniture, but you can’t change the room. So work with it and listen to it to tell you what style of dining table you should buy for your dining room.
We hope this guide has helped answer the question ‘What style of dining table should I get’ and inspires you to furnish your space with a quality dining table.
If you are looking for dining room furniture in Great Falls, visit our store today. We carry a huge selection of dining room furniture from a variety of brands to ensure that our customers can find a piece that meets their exact needs when they browse our catalog. You’ll find all of the dining tables we mentioned in this guide in our store, along with a number of dining tables and other pieces of dining room furniture like the dining chair, bench, cabinet, or stool.
We service Great Falls, Black Eagle, Conrad, Choteau, Fairfield, and surrounding areas, so visit Payless Furniture and Mattress at 116 Central Ave West and let one of our experienced staff members pair you with your perfect dining table.