Choosing the right dining table for you and your family is an important decision.
Is it for your kitchen, a formal dining room or a large, open-plan space?
Of course, you’ll eat around it, but what about as a base for the children’s homework or an informal office space when you’re working from home?
Will you use it for family games nights, admin days or coffee and chat with friends?
Or is it a space for sophisticated soirees, elegant dinner parties which go on late into the night?
Think about celebrations - Christmas, Easter, special birthdays - when you might need to extend your table to gather all your family and friends around it.
And when you’re choosing your seating, remember practicality and comfort must go hand-in-hand if you want your guests to linger for longer.
Kitchen table suppers
Extendable tables with a mix of benches and chairs will create a sociable area which segues from a casual breakfast into your home office and on to a family supper. Holloways Arundel extending table, in brushed oak, pairs beautifully with upholstered Shoreditch chairs and the Arundel bench, piled with linen cushions and woollen throws for a cosy touch.
Design of the times
If your dining space demands a strong statement - edgy and modern with a generous helping of industrial chic - try a large, angular table with wool or leather seating in bold colours. Holloways Detroit collection features solid oak tables and sideboards with sociable bench seating redolent of Fifties diners and cars wider than your house. The clean, Scandinavian lines and tactile oak top of the Larvik looks fabulous with a mixture of Fjord armchairs in shades of olive, smoke and taupe leather.
Small is beautiful
When space is at a premium, there’s no need to compromise on style. Think natural wood and neat designer chairs in bright fabrics to bring a breath of fresh air into more compact homes. The distinctly European look of the Matilder dining table, in blonde natural wood, takes up just 170cm of space - but easily extends when the crowds descend for a big family meal.
Dinner time
Formal dining rooms cry out for rich shades and luxurious textures which come alive when the sun goes down. Ceramic-topped tables like the Nordic - made from Dekton, a virtually indestructible material manufactured from the minerals used to produce glass and porcelain - pairs perfectly with the silvery upholstery of elegant Anna chairs for a chic, after-hours look.
