Your Perfect Kitchen or Dining Room

By Pinewood Furniture

Gathering around the table for a meal is a wonderful thing and you’ll want to make sure that you have the right table for any occasion.

There are so many shapes and sizes of dining tables. How do you figure out which one is right for you? The look of your table is important, of course, but making sure it fits your space and gives enough seating is even more critical.

Your table needs to allow for the number of diners you want to seat comfortably and still leave enough room for to walk around it. The width of your table should be at least 36 inches wide so there is ample space for place settings as well as food. Typically, as the table length increases, so does the width of the table top. Read on for sizes and shapes to consider when shopping for a dining room table.

Before you purchase a table, be sure to measure table-to-wall clearance. Measure the space around the room. To allow diners to sit down and get up easily from their seats, try to leave 42 to 48 inches between your table and the walls.

You also want to measure table-to-furniture clearance. If there is furniture in the dining space, begin your 42 to 48 inches measurement from the edge of the furniture instead of the wall.

Think about how many people will be sitting at your table. You don’t want to overcrowd it. Each person needs about two feet of eating space. Of course, if your table allows for it, you might be able to squeeze in another seat or for those occasional larger gatherings.

How big is your space?

Round tables are great for small spaces. They fit in tight spaces and have no sharp corners to bump into. You can usually fit more people around it because it has no corners. Pedestal tables are even better, as they offer more legroom.

You may not want to get a large round table though, because it can make it difficult to reach for food. Rectangular shapes seem to work better for seating very large crowds. A rectangular table also works well in a long, narrow room. It leaves more room for traffic flow.

When you are looking to take up less room in a space, try a bench instead of chairs on all or one side of your table. Make sure you can push the bench under the table so you can stash it away when not in use.

If your room is square, a square table, like a round one, makes for a more intimate dining experience because everyone is an equal distance apart. Also it will look great mimicking the room shape around it.

Like the round table, the bigger a square table is, the harder it will be to reach for food. If you are looking to seat more than eight people comfortably, try out your table in person. You might be better off with a square table that comes with leaves that you can turn into a rectangular shape for a dinner party.

Ready to pick out your new table?

Come check out our Amish furniture, unfinished furniture, and factory finished furniture and you’ll be sure to find the perfect furniture for your kitchen or dining room.