Important Things to Consider When Prepping your Dining Room for The Holidays
Evenings around the dining table are some of the most nostalgic memories we carry in our lives: the warmth of the room, the comfortable seating, the sensational smells of food cooking in the kitchen. From breakfast and brunch to dinner and late night board games, many fond family memories are made around the dinner table.
There are 4 simple factors in creating the ultimate dining room for the holiday season: Table Selection, Seating Selection, Lighting Selection, and Atmosphere.
Today we explore TABLE SELECTION.
Shape
Choosing the shape for your table is the first step in selecting your table. There are pros and cons to each shape.
1. Round
- Excellent for small spaces, especially if there is a pedestal base, which allows for chairs to sit closely together
- Doesn’t have sharp corners to walk around or intrude into the room.
- Creates the most intimate of dining options.
- May not suit a long, narrow room.
2. Oval
- A more space efficient option to a rectangle.
- Creates a cozy, intimate seating area.
- One of the more traditional styles of dining tables and may not suit every style.
3. Square
- Functions well in rooms where space is limited or in square rooms.
- Slightly more intimate dining than a rectangle.
- May not suit a long, narrow dining room.
4. Rectangle
- Perfect for a long, narrow dining space.
- Works well to divide up a large, open concept home.
- The longer the table, the less intimate the dining experience can be.
Size & Placement
Each person at the table needs:
- Approximately 24” of width
- At least 12” of depth to spread out and eat comfortably.
- For example, a 3’ by 4’ table would seat 4 people, 2 on each side. For every 12” length added, 2 more people can be seated, one on each side of the table.
The average dining table sits at 30” tall and chair seats sit at 17”-19” high. Be sure to allow at least 12” from table to the top of the chair seats.
Generally speaking you don’t need to base your table size on the size of your room. However, you will want to ensure your guests are able to walk around the table while others are still seated.
- Allow for at least 42” between the table edge and nearby walls or furniture.
- Be sure that your dining table is not too small for your space; if you have a long narrow room, a small round table would looked dwarfed in the space.
