Choosing dining furniture and tables is an important decision. Dining tables are where you family might gather at the start and end of the day, where the kids might do their homework, and where you entertain friends and loved ones.
No matter how good your decorating style is, if the furniture layout doesn’t suit the function and proportion of your space, the feeling of the room can be compromised. While it’s more traditional to go with a rectangular design, a round dining table might better suit your space.
Round dining tables have the ability to create flow in your home as they allow you to move around easier. This shape can suit both a formal dining room or a more contemporary open plan where you’ll experience higher traffic around the table.
For those with young children, a round dining table can bring you peace of mind that there are no sharp edges to watch out for as they run around.
Ever sat down the far end of a rectangular dining table only to feel left out on the conversation? Round dining tables promote easy-flow conversations because everyone is able to clearly see and chat. You’re also positioned slightly on an angle creating a feeling of openness and encouraging conversation.
There is no person sitting in the middle spending most of the dinner passing platters up and down rather than enjoy the food and conversation.
Because there are no corners, a round dining table generally has a smaller footprint than a square or rectangle making it suitable for smaller spaces. They also tend to fit more people around when you have additional guests. Because everyone is positions at a slight angle to the person next to them, it often feels less crowded because you’re not all lined up shoulder to shoulder.
Tips to decide whether a round dining table is right for your home
A measuring tape is your best friend when deciding on the shape and size of dining furniture and dining tables. Get precise measurements of your space and mark up all the important features like doors and windows, cupboards, furniture and power points. Take them with you when you head into a store to start viewing furniture.
If you’re not great at reading a plan, use some butchers paper or masking tape on the ground to map out the dining table shape and ensure you can move around it.
When measuring out your dining table size, allow about 60cm of free space behind each chair so you can pull it out enough to sit down. If you’re using existing chairs, make sure you measure the chairs to ensure they will fit before you go table shopping. Allow about 20cm from the chair to the top of the table to ensure you can sit comfortably and if you like to cross your legs, best to allow 30cm.
