The story of the dining table

Dining Room

The story of the dining table

Thirty years ago, sitting at their dining table, Edward and Diana Holloway were talking. With a farm in the heart of hop growing country and hop blight rife, they needed a diversification scheme.

Diana’s mother Vivienne was an interior designer; Edward had a passion for antiques and architectural salvage, and together they had a yard full of magnificent red brick hop kilns lying empty.

That night, around that table, a plan came together – a plan for a business offering exceptional furniture, creative interior design and antiques, all designed to make a house a home. And Holloways was born.

Neptune Balmoral dining table

Three decades on, that table inherited from Diana’s grandmother, is still in the Holloways’ dining room and it’s witnessed the comings and goings of the family, their friends and the farm, day and night, for 100 years or more. As each spring morphs into summer and the mists of autumn give way to winter frosts, the table remains a constant.

Scene of raucous dinner parties and long Sunday lunches, children’s homework, the Saturday papers, deep discussions and quiet chats, joy and heartbreak, fabulous stories and every grand announcement, it continues to stand the test of time – as every dining table should.

This is the benchmark for every dining table we sell. Exceptional craftsmanship coupled with the natural beauty of wood – each one built to last a lifetime, to carry you and your family through life for generations to come.

Wycombe dining chairs Moreton dining table

For your family, for ever

We believe your dining table should be much more than a place to eat. In the kitchen, the dining room or an open-plan space, it’s the beating heart of family life. The place where decisions are arrived at and memories made; where food is love, where wine brings joy and the world is always put to rights.

Moreton dining table and Wycombe dining chairs

Whichever table you choose, we’ll help you select one which will bring you joy for years. One which will grow with you and your family, whatever size and style your home, wherever you find yourself.

Struggling for inspiration? Give our interior design team a call on 01886 884665 and they’ll talk through your wish list with you.

Tresco oval dining table

Built to last a lifetime – without costing the earth

We only work with manufacturers who source their materials sustainably, from the teak used in our garden furniture to the recycled fabrics which upholster our sofas.

Oak has a long and illustrious history in British furniture-making. Strong, tactile and organically beautiful, its natural grain lends each piece a unique style and charm.

Balmoral dining table and Henley dining chairs

Most of our tables are solid oak, though tulipwood is used for some of our painted furniture because its smooth and knot-free grain carries paint so well. And all natural wood is treated, to resist stains and spills.

There’s no doubt that having wood in your home brings nature closer – grounding and calming with a clear sense of place. Whichever you choose, your table will be solid, sustainable and built with care, to last from your generation to the next.

Derwent dining table with Thames dining chairs

Holloways dining tables

Extending tables. Contemporary tables. Round tables. Small tables. Farmhouse tables. Statement tables… Whatever size, shape or style, all of our tables have something in common: exceptional craftsmanship delivered using traditional techniques and the latest engineering.

Wycombe dining table

Most of our dining tables come in a choice of sizes, leg types and oil finishes, and all come with your choice of seating, from smart upholstered button-backs in a vast array of fabrics to simple rush-backed chairs and dining benches, perfect for period country homes.

Our interior design team is always on hand to help and advise. Call us on 01886 884665.

Arundel dining table and Arundel dining benches

Extending tables

While big occasions like Christmas and Easter don’t happen every week, an extendable dining table is a smart choice for busy family life. Compact enough not to feel empty when it’s just you, generous when the crowd descends, an extending dining table is the best of both worlds.

Suffolk dining table with Suffolk dining chairs

Some, like the Moreton, work perfectly with the rush seating of the Wycombe collection, which features a foldable dining chair that can be easily packed away when not in use. We love the Arundel – a solid slice of oak in a contemporary limed finish with splayed legs and long dining benches. The Suffolk comes in a choice of paint finishes, and you can order custom painted chairs for a bold, bohemian set.

Balmoral dining table

Statement tables

The boat shape of the Larvik table – which has an optional extending leaf – the cruciform legs of the Detroit and the metallic top of the Twinny, made from state-of-the-art HPL, are perfectly at home in contemporary homes.

Detroit dining table and Detroit dining benches

Pair the Larvik with Metro or Fjord chairs in luxe leather. Team the Twinny with Isla chairs in bold facet wools. And add generously padded dining benches to the Detroit for a full-fat, gas-guzzling, Fifties diner vibe. We love the Derwent, too, available with solid oak or cruciform steel legs.

Larvik dining table and Fjord dining chairs

Neptune dining table

Tables for contemporary country homes

Some collections are made for country kitchens – scrub-top extendable or fixed-length tables with distressed painted legs, matching console tables and storage cabinets create an instant farmhouse look.

Dorset extending dining table and Dorset dining chairs

Or try the solid oak Tresco, in round or oval with a beautiful grain, which work beautifully in modern homes and barn conversions alike. Lots of space? The Balmoral – as grand as its Scottish namesake – is stunning paired with button-back Henley chairs upholstered in a rich velvet.

Moreton extending dining table

Small tables

Meet the Oslo – a compact pedestal table in solid oak with distinctly Ercol vibes. Lovely for two or four, it extends into an oval when guests arrive, and you can choose from spindle-back chairs or an old-school dining bench.

Tresco round dining table and Lulu chairs

The Sheldrake proves that small can be beautiful. At just 92cm in diameter, its oak finish captures the timber’s natural character and it’s protected with a specialist IsoGuard treatment against stains and marks.

Sheldrake extendable dining table

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