How to Choose the Right Dining Room Table for Your Home

Perplexed about how to pick the right dining table for your space? We’re here to help play matchmaker, with an at-a-glance checklist full of all of the caveats to consider. Read on to help discover whether a sweeping Farmhouse trestle table or a petite Mid-Century Modern dining table is the perfect pick for you!

Consider the Base

Four-Leg Base. A four-legged dining table is ideal for those scenarios where you need a table without too much flash. Four-legged bases are most common on antique dining tables, as well as Mid-Century Modern dining tables.

Pedestal Base. These dining tables feature a center column. The column can be basic or quite sculptural. Opt for a pedestal dining table if you crave a statement piece. This style is common among Art Deco dining tables as well as Postmodern and contemporary dining tables.

Trestle Base. Trestle dining tables feature two sawhorse-like legs at either end, connected by a stretcher. As a general rule, they evoke a casual air. Trestle tables are a good option if you don’t plan on cramming extra chairs around a table, as the blocky trestle base prevents that!

Consider the Shape

Rectangular. The most common dining table shape you’re likely to encounter, rectangular dining tables are ideal for dedicated dining rooms. Their boxy shape is practical and—as a bonus—provides a neutral background for statement dining chairs.

Round. If you only have a dining nook to work with, a round dining table will likely be your best bet. Round dining tables tend to generate a more communal feel. Thanks to a lack of sharp corners, they also tend to make a space look more inviting.

Oval. Whether it’s indecision, or your desire to cross the width of a rectangular table with the visual softness of a round table, an oval dining table makes a compelling compromise. Oval dining tables are common among antique styles like Queen Anne and Georgian tables. It’s also a popular postmodern shape, and it’s common to find stone tables and lacquered tables that assume a race-track shape.

Consider Material

Lastly, consider what material you want for your dining table. Wood is a classic choice and radiates timeless elegance. For something more elevated, consider stone designs like marble. For a cross between marble’s luster and wood’s durability, try burlwood. Glass-topped dining tables are also popular for instating a sophisticated look. That said, be sure to factor in their fragility and maintenance before taking the plunge.