A dining table is a key piece of furniture in your home, which is why choosing the right dining table can often seem like an impossible task. Luckily there are many styles to choose from, so no matter your home aesthetic or size, you’ll be able to find a dining table you love. The tricky part may be deciding which shape to go for.
As a place for family and friends to gather and share meals, a desk to work from, do arts and crafts or even use as a games station, your dining table can often serve multiple purposes.
You want the flow of your home to feel right and sometimes that might mean stepping away from traditional shapes and picking something different. Round tables have been around for a long while, but often people still think of a rectangular shape when thinking about dining tables.
If you want to ensure space feels balanced, sometimes a round dining table is the best option for your home.
A small dining space
The size and shape of your dining area will influence what dining table shape may work best for the room. If you only have a small space, or your dining table only needs to seat a small family, a round table may be a perfect choice.
As they have no corners, round dining tables don’t take up as much space as a rectangular table. They can fit in a square room and promote easy flow. You can fit more people around them as you don’t need to worry about anyone getting stuck on the corner. And with more space to walk around, you can avoid the awkward manoeuvring when trying to get to your seat.
As everyone is the same distance from the centre of the table, you’ll be able to pass dishes around to everyone with ease, or you can place a lazy susan in the centre of the table, so everyone can reach what they want.
A rectangular table may overwhelm a small space. As a round dining table has a smaller footprint, it can give the illusion of a bigger room, and make a small space feel less visually crowded.
A round dining table can work for both formal and informal dining. A round dining table is perfect if you want to create a dining nook in the corner of your kitchen. Many round dining tables also come with an extension, so if you do need to fit extra guests, you have the flexibility to do so.
Better for conversation
One of the downfalls of a rectangular dining table is that it can make conversation more difficult when you have people seated at opposite ends.
Famously, King Arthur chose a round table to represent equality amongst everyone at the table. With a round dining table, you won’t have to worry about who will sit at the head of the table.
Everyone can easily be part of the conversation, which can help conversation flow as you don’t need to yell down to the other end of the table, or strain to hear. With everyone sitting the same distance from the centre of the table, seating can feel more cosy and intimate.
A round table can sometimes be less formal, and good for social occasions to encourage more intimate conversation. With a round table, you can be close to everyone at the table, making it a good option for parties, dinners or games nights.
Do you have young children?
Without any harsh edges, a round dining table may be the more practical, and safer option for your home, especially if you have young children.
A round table may give you more peace of mind when you’ve got small children running around, as your kids won’t be at risk of running into a corner edge. This can help you avoid any nasty accidents.
When choosing the right size and shape to fit your dining space, it’s good to also consider your lifestyle. If you have a young family or like to entertain guests, a round dining table can offer numerous benefits.
There are many dining table designs to choose from, so whether you prefer a round, rectangular or square table, you’ll find the right one to suit your home.
