FUNCTION AND FEEL
When starting the design process for your dining room, it's crucial to determine its purpose within your home. A thoughtfully designed dining area can serve as not only a space for meals, but also a gathering spot for loved ones and a chance to showcase your unique aesthetic within the home.
When choosing a dining table shape, it's important to keep in mind a few factors beyond personal taste. For instance, rectangular tables such as The Genesis or Magna are a classic option and work well in rectangular rooms, creating a clean and balanced look.They also tend to come in larger sizes and will be the best choice for accommodating a large number of guests. A round dining table is a highly versatile option that can fit well in various spaces. —with their accommodating footprint, they can be used to create a dining area within a more compact room, or in an open concept space where their round top will emphasize the airy, free-flowing environment. We designed our Kora, Wabi or Mykonos dining tables with a range of sizes up to 1.4m in diameter, allowing for a larger seating footprint while still maintaining the intimate family feel.
FIND YOUR FIT
When choosing the perfect dining table for your space, there are some general guidelines that you should keep in mind. Our designers have listed the main factors to consider when deciding on the size of your dining table.
- Measure the length and width of your dining room, and subtract six feet from each measurement. This will allow for 36” of clearance all the way around the table to comfortably sit in a chair and move around the space.
- For open concept rooms, start with the amount of people you are looking to seat and create a zone around your table size keeping to the same clearance rules as above.
- When choosing dining chairs, it's important to think about the space between the chair seat height and the bottom of the table top. To ensure comfortable seating, leave around 12" of space between the table and the chair seat height, allowing guests to comfortably cross their legs under the table. Our Renoir, Hans, and Bombay Dining Chairs were designed with this in mind, providing 17.5 to 21" of width for added comfort. They pair beautifully with our dining table collections.
- To ensure the comfort of your guests while dining, it's important to allow for 24" of space for each chair at the table. This will provide ample room for each guest to sit comfortably without feeling cramped. Our helpful guides below demonstrate the number of seats each table width can accommodate, with the higher end of the range allowing for a more relaxed, intimate dining experience.
Our expert designers recommend a range of seating based on the length of your dining table. The recommended seating layouts at the low end of the range suggest a more spacious seating arrangement. The upper end of the recommended seating layouts represents a more casual seating arrangement to accommodate additional guests:
Rectangular Dining Table Layouts
72” Length: Seats 6-8
Round Dining Layouts
42" Diameter: Seats 4
MATERIAL MATTERS
When selecting the wood finish for your dining table and chairs, think about whether you’d like to match them to other elements in your home like the floors or cabinets, or create visual interest through contrasting tones. A darker finish like black will create a focal point of drama in your space, whereas a modern neutral like our Whitewash or Natural gives a light, airy aesthetic. Discover our range of wood finishes, crafted to be enduring and versatile, highlighting the inherent beauty of the natural materials employed in every piece.
Each piece in our dining collection is handcrafted to bring out the inherent character and natural beauty of the solid Rosa Morada wood frame and designed to age over time to masterful perfection. There are a variety of fabric options to choose from when designing your dining chairs, allowing you to achieve your desired style, whether it be a contemporary, monochromatic look or a sophisticated interpretation of coastal chic. Start customizing your piece or work one on one with Tiffany to bring your vision to life.
ADDING ACCENTS
Whether your dining area is a separate room or part of a multipurpose space, adding a rug can elevate the design and create a cohesive look. This is especially useful in rooms that serve multiple functions, as it can help delineate the dining area and create a seamless transition between different zones.
- Look for a rug size with 18-24” of space on all sides of the table so that chairs can be pulled back and not hang over the edge.
- Short pile or flat weave rugs are best under a table as they will more easily allow guests to slide their chairs out from under the table.
- Patterned or darker toned rugs will disguise any spills that may occur.
- As you add additional furniture to your room, keep the 36” of clearance rule in mind to ensure comfortable flow within the space.
