Time for Dinner: Top Tips For Choosing Functional Dining Room Furniture

The dining room is one of the most welcoming areas in your home. You want it to feel warm and welcoming while looking stylish, but you can’t do this by simply placing chairs and a table in a room. 

You’ve come to the right place as we’re here to guide you through choosing the best furniture for your dining room.

Functional Dining Room Furniture 1

Don’t Be Afraid To Mix-And-Match

You want to fill your dining room with furniture that adds style to the room.

Many individuals choose a matching furniture set when it comes to decorating a dining room. Despite this option sounding a bit bland, it doesn’t have to be. 

A matched set can be used in a variety of ways in adding style and personality to a dining area.

Playing around with different finishes and colors is a good approach. 

You could decide on a light wood table with dark leather chairs or maybe experiment by combining various metals or woods. 

In doing so, you may produce a distinctive appearance that nevertheless seems unified.

Measure Your Space

Measure the length and width of the area you can commit to the dining table, whether it is a distinct dining room or a multipurpose space. 

The ideal dining table’s length and width are then determined by deducting approximately six feet from those two figures.

Spend some time blocking out the length and width of a larger piece of furniture on the floor to get a sense of how it will appear. 

Then try to fill in that area with a few chairs or other pieces of furniture of comparable size, and take a step back to gauge how it will feel. 

Another useful strategy is to have a friend hold the tape measure while you take a look.

Don’t just think about the size. Consider the room’s arrangement and flow. 

This will enable you to choose furniture that suits the room pleasantly without being too crowded.

Choose Durable Furniture 

A quality dining table will be strong and well-constructed, with a finish that stands up to frequent usage and shows minimal signs of deterioration. 

A table is only as excellent as the joinery, even though the material plays a significant role in good construction. 

The points where the base and tabletop connect are referred to in the industry as the joinery. The table will survive longer the more sturdy it is. 

Direct wood-to-wood joinery is particularly durable. A building can become fragile if there are too many hooks and attachments, though. Generally speaking, less is more.

Look at the corners and the connecting places where the legs meet the table tops.  

If the pieces begin to split, there are large gaps, or the piece wobbles when you move it, it’s not well constructed.

Consider Maintenance And The Occasion

Families today use their dining room tables for a lot more than just eating meals. It’s a very important piece of furniture that brings everyone together.

You should take your family’s daily needs into account while selecting the ideal chair for your area.

You need to ask yourself things like, “Do you have kids who use the dining room table well to finish their homework and art projects?” or “Do your guests stay after the meal at the dinner parties you host?”

If the latter is the case, you should choose furniture that is simple to transfer and store when not in use if you frequently host parties.

There are a few dining room sets that are unique, like a counter height extendable dining table. This is ideal for the entertainer, a bar area, or someone who wants to be able to extend or contract their table depending on the number of guests.

If comfort is important, look for dining room furniture that offers luxurious fabric and lots of padding.

Consider choosing seats with slim profiles that can be tucked under the table when not in use if you’re short on room.

Consider The Shape Of Your Room

The shape of your dining room furniture such as the table is somewhat influenced by the size of your dining room. 

A 36-44 square-inch four-seater dining table or a 36-48 inch diameter round dining table will keep a small area from appearing cramped. 

A dining table design in the shape of a triangle is another option. Depending on arrangement and size, these can hold up to 6 people.

For more formal settings, dining tables with rectangular, oval, or circular shapes work well. The latter is better suited to more classic and traditional designs. 

A 96-inch long rectangular table will comfortably seat eight people, whereas a 72-inch long rectangular table will work well for six people if you have adequate room for traffic flow.

Round tables are good for smaller rooms and encourage conversation, although rectangular or oval tables are more versatile and can seat more people. When selecting the shape, take into account your requirements and preferences.

Set A Budget And Do Your Research

Some popular decorating styles include bohemian, traditional, contemporary, modern, Scandinavian, rustic, industrial, and minimalistic. These will be suited to different budgets and different personalities.

Assess your existing decor and furniture to decide what you still need to purchase, and what you can do without. You don’t need to get everything at once and you can prioritize the essential pieces to start. 

You can look for inspiration online in the obvious places like Pinterest, or your local furniture stores. Be prepared to compromise on finding exactly what you envision from looking online. You won’t always be able to find the exact match available or for your budget. 

If you are on a tight budget, consider looking at marketplaces and second-hand stores. You can sometimes find hidden gems that have been well looked after and for an affordable price. Always take a friend or family member when purchasing products online, and try to find reviews. Just be safe. 

In the end, spending more money on higher-quality pieces will save you money in the long run. The furniture will last longer and require less maintenance. 

Julie Higgins
Author
Julie is a Staff Writer at momooze.com. She has been working in publishing houses before joining the editorial team at momooze. Julie's love and passion are topics around beauty, lifestyle, hair and nails.