Dining by the Numbers

There are many factors involved with choosing a dining room table, and sometimes the size you need isn’t an obvious choice. For instance, are you someone who loves to entertain, but feel that having a large dining room table wouldn’t be practical for your everyday life? Do you have a small dining area that you want to make the most of for everyday use and the occasional guest? Whether you have a large dining room or limited space, pull up a chair and learn how to choose a dining set that will accommodate all of your dining room needs.

Find the Perfect Fit

There are a couple of factors you should consider before determining the ideal dining room table size and shape for your space. First, consider how many people you would like to regularly seat around the table. When trying to determine how many people will need to fit around your table, take a look at your daily routine. The number of people who sit around the table on a daily basis tells you the minimum number of seats you will need. To calculate the maximum amount, think of the average number of people you would typically have over for a dinner party, and add two to that number, just to be safe!

When it comes to planning your dining space, there is no better feeling than finding the perfect dining set that fits your style, budget and entertaining needs, and nothing worse than bringing it home and finding out that it doesn’t fit in your space. A couple of the first factors you should consider when buying a dining room table is the shape of the room it will be in, as well as the size of the room itself. Rectangular tables and extension tables are a great choice for narrow or long rooms. Round or square tables work best in smaller or square rooms.

A basic rule of thumb for figuring out which size table will best fit your space is to make sure that the edge of the table has at least three feet of space between it and the wall or other obstruction. This will allow you and your guests to easily move and sit down around your table. On the other hand, having more than six feet of space on each side may indicate that your dining set is too small for your space. When purchasing an expansion dining room table, be sure to measure both with the table closed and extended!

Expand Your Options

If you love hosting dinner parties or game nights, but feel that the large table is impractical for your everyday needs, extension tables might be the solution. Extension dining room tables are tables that come with removable leaves that can be added to expand the table when you need to entertain a few extra guests and removed when you’d like to have a little more space to move about your home. The great thing about extension tables is that you are able to add one or more leaves, depending on the table and your needs. If you are having the in-laws over for dinner and only need a couple more place settings, simply insert one leaf. Hosting your family’s annual Thanksgiving dinner? Add all the available leaves to maximize seating!

Kitchen tables with leaves come in many options, including removable leaves that can be stored wherever you have room, as well as table with leaves that are easily stored inside the table itself. Talk about a space saver! Choose from extension tables with leaves that easily slide in the end, or leaves that are added to the middle of the table. Another versatile option is a drop leaf table. It can work to fit your space and guest list with both leaves down, one leaf up, or both up, as needed.

The Situation on Seating

When thinking about purchasing a dining table with leaves or another table to accommodate guests, a few questions might come to mind: How am I going to be able to provide enough seating for everyone? Where am I going to store the chairs when they aren’t in use? These are all problems that can be easily solved. One option you have is using versatile seating, such as a bench, for one side of the table. On days when the table is collapsed, the bench may only need to seat one person, or it can be pushed under the table to save space if it isn’t needed! As more leaves are added and more people join together around the table, the bench can become seating for as many people as it can fit. If a bench isn’t your style, buying extra dining chairs and storing them until they are needed is also a great option. Alternatively, using chairs and stool that you already have in your home is also a great (and cost effective!) option.

Having your friends and family around you is a great feeling, and knowing that however many people you entertain at your home will be able to fit comfortably around the table gives you the freedom to entertain as much as you want. Having a stylish and functional expandable dining room table opens up many possibilities and is perfect for making the most of your dining room.