Whether you are planning furniture purchases for your formal dining room, eat-in kitchen, great room, or breakfast nook, the focal point of the area will be the dining table itself. Although choices of style, material, and color for a dining table are unlimited, your ultimate decision will be based on the size and shape of your room or space, plus the number of people you’ll want to seat.   

 

Let’s start with a look at the basic table shapes and break down the specifics for each, including square, rectangular, round, and oblong.

 

Square Dining Table

The most popular and most versatile shape for a dining table is square. A square table is the perfect shape for a family of four and fits perfectly in most eat-in kitchens or breakfast nooks. A perfectly square room or a rectangular room will both look stylish with a square table centered on it. One not-so-obvious fact about a square table is they take up a lot of room in your room, so measure carefully.

 

A square table is great for conversation among a small group with one or two people seated along each side. If you plan to host a larger group at your dining table, you should opt for a square table that expands to include one or more center-mounted leaves. By inserting one or more table leaves, your intimate table for two or four is instantly ready to host the whole family for Thanksgiving or another meal.

 

Rectangle Dining Table (Photo by monmart from FreeImages)

 

Rectangle Dining Table

Probably the most popular shape dining table for a separate dining room is a rectangle table. Rectangle dining tables look best in rooms that are rectangular shaped. You can find a rectangular table in many sizes, and they often have leaves available to add or remove to fit the size of the group dining together. 

 

There are certain advantages of having a room best suited to rectangular tables because a table of this shape can be found in styles matching modern or classic décor. A disadvantage is that if the table is too large, it can begin to feel like a boardroom rather than a dining room. One way to combat this is to choose a narrow rectangular dining table that is much narrower than a traditional size, like 28 inches wide rather than 36 inches or 40 inches. Although you may lose room for dishes to be shared from the middle of the table, you will still have plenty of room for place setting along both edges. Having a narrower table will make the dinner feel more intimate and less corporate.

 

Remember that some rectangular tables can actually be reduced to a simple square by removing the middle leaves or dropping those on the ends.

 

Round Dining Table

In a square dining room or dining area, a round table would be an excellent choice. A round dining table would disrupt the balance in most rectangular dining rooms, though if the room is small a round table of the right size could look nice.

 

Seating a small group at a round table is highly conducive to conversation. This table shape makes the group setting feel more intimate than a table with long edges and sharp corners. It also makes sharing a meal served family-style among diners ideal because everything would be within reach or easily passed between diners.

 

While a round dining table can be the perfect choice for a smaller group of people, mainly consisting of two to six people, you may need to add leaves to a table in order to seat more people, which turns it into an oblong dining table.

 

Oblong Dining Table (Photo by Wrhoana R. from FreeImages)

 

Oblong Dining Table

Much like a rectangle dining table, an oblong table is a great option to seat a large group of people in your dining room. The perfect option for everyday use might be to buy a round dining table that has leaves to add for larger dinner parties, easily turning it into an oblong table.

 

An advantage of an oblong dining table over a rectangular table is that it doesn’t appear to take up as much space. It can appear smaller than it actually is, so this makes it a good option for smaller rooms, whether the room is shaped like a true square or a rectangle. Also, the rounded ends on a dining room table can look more elegant than the sharp corners of a rectangle table.

 

Size is Important

As mentioned above, the number of people dining can influence the shape, as well as the size, of your table. If you primarily have two to four people eating at the dining table, a smaller square or round table is going to be your best choice. If six or more, a rectangle dining table or oblong table will better suit your needs. Also, a place setting should allow at least 24 inches of accommodation for each table setting and dinner guest.

 

The scale of your dining room or dining area is another important factor to keep in mind when choosing your table, along with its shape and style. Here are some general rules about how a table fits into a room to keep in mind:

 

  • In order for people around your table to have enough room to comfortably sit down and stand up, the suggested space between table and wall is about 24 inches.
  • If the area between the table and wall is a high-traffic area, that space should expand to about 38 inches to allow people to comfortably walk.
  • Remember that the largest width you should consider is 48 inches for ease of passing dishes and having a conversation. Also, keep a minimum width of 36 inches in mind because any smaller will make it impossible to set any dishes on the table. Of course, there are exceptions where a narrower table is preferred, as discussed above

 

How to Choose the Right Tablecloth

With all of these choices of shape and size, choosing a tablecloth might be a challenge. It’s really pretty simple, and all you need is a tape measure and some general directions on how to measure your table correctly. Quality tablecloths of all shapes and sizes can be found from iQLinens.com.