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How to choose the perfect table for Christmas dining!
This Christmas so many of us are looking forward to finally being able to host friends and family and many are looking to be able to do some dining room refreshing too, before the big day. Before all of the fun of table-scapes, fancy napkins, laying out the nice dinnerware and Christmas crackers, there is the matter of picking out the size of table you need and making sure you have adequate seating.
Picking the right size for your needs may seem a bit overwhelming so we have put together a guide help you shop for the perfect table just in time for Christmas.
First off there are a few things you need to consider before you begin picking out dining tables:
What size is your space?
Be sure to properly measure your space, so you will know exactly how much room you have to work with. This will tell you how wide and how long you can go with your dining table.
What other furniture do you have in the room?
Make sure to consider the size and style of current furniture in the room. This will ensure that you are able to introduce your new dining set with out having to rearrange your whole room, or worse still find new homes for stray pieces of furniture that no longer fit in. When measuring existing furniture, be sure to budget space for your seasonal decor… such as a large Christmas tree!
How do you serve and decorate?
When considering table size you need to account for how you plan to serve meals, as well as how much decor you expect to have. If you plan for people to serve themselves at the table, you will likely need a wider table, whereas if you usually serve food buffet style from a sideboard or kitchen island then you can opt for a slimmer design.
How to calculate the perfect sized table?
Measure the width and length of the room where you plan to place your dining table. If you have existing furniture in the room it is recommended to do your measurement from that piece of furniture rather than from the wall. After taking your measurements you will want to subtract 6 feet from both the length and the width to allow for 3 feet of clearance around the table for chairs and the people occupying them, this allows the room to flow properly without feeling too cramped. The measurements you end up with will be the maximum recommended table size for the space. When drilling down to the size that is right for you will need to allow around 2 feet of width per guest around a rectangular table.
How to choose a style?
There is so much to choose from when it comes to style. Gateleg tables, sliding tops and hidden extensions are all practical solutions to accommodating occasional extra diners. An expanding dining table will easily seat your guests at Christmas when everyone is over and free up plenty of space for the rest of the year.
For small spaces or square dining rooms, round pedestal dining tables are ideal for circulation and conversational dinners. The rest of the room will flow and be functional around it. If your space is very tight or dual purpose, a dining nook may be ideal or consider a dining table with benches so you can easily store the seating under the table when not in use.
If you already have a dining table, but are looking for ideas as to how to seat extra guests, consider freeing up table space by serving buffet style, or placing seasonal decor on a sideboard rather than down the centre of the table. There are also lots of options for small fold-out tables or nesting tables which can be used as extra dining space when you have lots of guests.
Whatever your Christmas plans entail, Peter Green is happy to help you find the right dining table for your needs, big or small, so be sure to stop by the showroom to get inspiration, and to find out more about our dining sets, many of which we stock and can get to you in time before Christmas!
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Posted by Wendy Martin
4th December 2022
