Making Room for Dining

Whether you’re a businessperson with lots of meetings, a family of kids with a multitude of clubs in an evening, or a social butterfly running in and out the house, we all have places to go and people to see. The world is a busy place full of busy people, and one thing all of those people have in common is that they need to eat. So, how can you lead a busy life and make time to dine? Here are some top tips for styling your dining room according to your space and lifestyle.

Round tables seat lots of people but take up more space, so if you’ve got a larger dining room and want to create a familial atmosphere and facilitate conversation then a circular table is perfect for you. 

If you have a smaller nuclear family but often host, then it will do you well to check out an extending table with additional leaves. A small table tucks away nicely when you don’t need it on a regular basis, whereas a bigger table can fill the space more. This is particularly ideal when a gathering is based around food, like a dinner party or a family get together (think Christmas), because the purpose of the event can actually take centre stage.

The most significant thing when it comes to a chair is obviously comfort. But where do you go from there? A chair has to look at home to help make you feel at home. Whether you pick a bench or a traditional dining chair, matching your choice to the table is vital. This may sound obvious, but it’s important to get right. Go for one of our ready-made sets to know that they fit well together or follow step 5 to get your measurements right.

Top Tip: If you have a smaller dining space, try to avoid high-backed chairs in order to open the room up.

The perfect material for chairs and tables depends on your lifestyle. If you have small children or just lead a messier lifestyle then wipe-clean surfaces like wood or ceramic table tops might be a more practical solution. Add removable cushions for increased comfort and voilà: a stunningly simple seating space for the whole family.

A perhaps more surprising variable reliant on lifestyle is the back of a chair. If your dining space also happens to be your work space or board game area, it may be that you spend extended periods of time in the same seat, which is where solid backed chairs come in. Providing an extra level of support and comfort, a chair with a solid back might help to decrease back aches and stiffness. Opt for an upholstered chair for another layer of padding, be it faux leather or velvet, and bring an element of elegance to an often plain room. However, if this part of your home is reserved solely for eating, then why not choose a spindle chair? With chic detailing and natural basics, a spindled back is a beautiful, more formal option.

Your guests or family can’t appreciate your food if they can’t see it properly. Show it off with a pendant light directly above the table – either in a retro/modern set of three or a single minimalist centrepiece – and pop a standing lamp in the corner for an extra cosy touch. Mood lighting is key. The right lampshade and base will give your room the atmosphere you need to open up both the space and the conversation.

So your trusty tape measure has come out again and you know how much space you have. Now what’s next? You want to fit as many seats as possible around your table but you don't want anyone to feel cramped, so ideally you'll need to leave roughly 20-25cm between each chair, which should help you to know how many you can fit in the available space.

If you decide to opt for a bench, they should be about 33cm lower than the table to make it the right height for eating. If your table is in the middle of a large dining room, it doesn't matter which side you put your bench on. If it's close to a wall or a corner, place the chairs on the wall side and the bench on the inside.