Wednesday, 31 July 2024
A beautiful dining table can make a real statement but what are the different types of dining tables? We look at a range of shapes and styles.
A beautiful dining table can make all the difference within your home. So, what are the different types of dining tables? From round to rectangular, we look at a range of shapes and styles so you can pick one that will suit your dining space.
Why dining tables are important
A dining table is often the heart of the home when it comes to spending quality time with partners, family and friends. It’s where daily conversations happen, where you entertain guests, and where memories are made. Before you choose your dining table, think about the number of people you need to seat every day and for special occasions too.
Nowadays, a dining table could be the main feature of a dining room or within a lounge-diner or kitchen-diner. So, the size, shape and style need to fit with your everyday needs, as well as the surrounding décor scheme. Dining tables are one of the largest pieces of home furniture, so it’s important to get this right first-time round.
Dining table shapes
Dining tables come in a range of different shapes and tabletops:
- Rectangular – One of the most popular dining table shapes, especially for more traditional styles, rectangular tables are perfect for families. Starting with 4-seaters, some luxurious tables can go up to a 20-seater.
- Square – If you don’t need a large dining area or you’re looking for a table for a living room corner, then a square table is a great choice. Ideal for couples or individuals.
- Round – Similar to the above, a round table is a good option for couples and individuals, especially within a kitchen-diner setting. With its round shape, there’s no risk of bumping into sharp corners when you’re dishing up the dinner.
- Oval – An elegant alternative to a rectangular dining table, this shape offers more seating capacity for families. Ideal for modern homes where you are looking to maximise space and seating, an oval dining table is a graceful yet efficient solution.
- Extendable – If space comes at a premium in your home, then an extendable dining table is a great addition. Perfect for events and seasonal entertaining, such as birthday meals and Christmas dinner, extending tables are highly practical. The extendable mechanism varies; some have folding tabletops and others have a slide track. You can usually find extending dining tables in all of the above shapes.
Dining table styles
When it comes to the style of a dining table, this is usually defined by the base or table legs:
- Traditional – This formal style of dining table usually has ornate patterns and carved legs. Depending on the living area décor scheme, it’s usually more suited to a separate dining room.
- Farmhouse – This style of table is more rustic. Think country cottage. Within this category you can also find the French Country style, which blends rustic charm with more ornate detailing on the table
- Contemporary – Think bold shapes, sleek lines, and innovative materials. This design is ideal if you want your dining table to become the main focal point.
- Mid-Century Modern – With a nod to retro style aesthetics, this type of table has a vintage echo and is perfect for homes built in the 20th
- Industrial – This dining table is ideal for urban homes, where industrial design elements feature, especially kitchen-diners.
- Minimalist – Think clean lines, simple shapes and a keen use of negative space around the furniture. This is a statement dining table.
- Shaker – A very popular style of dining table that embraces aspects of minimalism with a focus on function and craftsmanship.
Dining table materials
Dining tables are typically made in a variety of materials:
- Wood – By far the most popular material for a dining table, wooden tables are strong and sturdy. A well-made wooden dining table could last for generations. Whether it’s made from oak, teak, birch, or Indian rosewood, there’s an undeniable beauty in natural wood.
- Slab top – Another type of wooden dining table, a slab top is one single piece of wood which creates the tabletop. Full of rustic charm, this allows the natural grain of the wood to shine through.
- Glass – A stylish, popular material for many modern dining tables, a glass tabletop has many benefits. Tough, durable and easy to clean, the glass surface helps to reflect natural light and blends in with any décor scheme. Ideal for small homes.
- Metal – Although mainly confined to legs, metal does occasionally appear as a tabletop material, particularly in industrial styles. Metal dining room tables can be made from iron and aluminium, but stainless steel is the most common. This is because it’s resistant to rust and very durable.
- Marble – Usually limited to more luxurious dining room tabletops, marble is an incredibly hard yet beautiful material. But it’s often handcrafted and extremely heavy, making this type of table material out of reach for the average customer.
Dining tables and chairs
Whether you’re looking for a dining table to seat one, two or more comfortably in your home, there’s a wide choice available. We hope our guide has given you all the information you need to be able to make the right choice. And don’t forget to pick the right style of chair too! Our range includes dining chairs in a vibrant array of colours to match any décor scheme.
COMING SOON! We will be launching a brand-new collection of dining tables to match our gorgeous dining chair range. If you need any advice, speak to our expert customer service team or use our online web chat tool.
