If you thought finding your next dining table was going to be a piece of cake, you probably weren’t prepared for the wide variety of dining room tables available online today. Online furniture stores are much more popular than they once were, especially in light of the fact that many of them now offer free delivery, with or without strings attached.
To narrow down your search, you’re going to need to take a hard look at your needs, your dining room, and what you must have in a dining table. It’s a good idea to brainstorm by making three lists:
- Must-have features or characteristics – necessities and most desired, prioritized
- Other needs and potential solutions – prioritized
- Wants – the things you really can’t justify the expense but want to get it anyway, prioritized
While you’re looking, you will probably notice some additional trends that you might want to incorporate into your new dining room design. The most popular dining tables on the market have some notable characteristics, such as sustainable construction and minimalistic design.
Versatile multi-functional tables
The minimalism being embraced by the younger generations, combined with a wider variety of activities occurring at home, has brought about the trend for multi-function furniture. The dining room is no different, and people are now using their dining tables for school, work, and play in addition to meals. The best dining tables can be easily adapted to these needs as they arise. Leaf extensions are just one way this is done.
Durable and renewable sustainable materials and construction
Sustainability is a huge trend, especially now that the United States is embracing environmental protection in a new, more aggressive manner. When you think of sustainable furniture materials, you probably think of rattan wicker and bamboo. A table made of either bamboo or rattan wicker base with a glass top is just one of these sustainable options.
Meanwhile, sustainability can refer to the durability of natural materials, such as wood furniture. While wood is a commodity that takes longer to replace, it is so durable that with the care you should be able to make it last for decades or longer. That durability prevents the purchase of more inferior dining tables, which also makes it a sustainable option.
Rectangular dining tables are still in – but round is a close runner up
The traditional rectangular nature of most dining tables is still widely used, particularly due to most dining rooms being designed with just such a table in mind. But people with more versatile or open dining rooms are now opting for round tables. Rectangular dining tables are great for formal dinners, but the round dining table gives you a much cozier option. For casual or intimate dinners, a round table is always best to facilitate conversation.
Of course, the best dining tables on the market offer a blend of all of these characteristics. Choose the details of what you would most like in a new dining table, and refine them according to these categories for the most relevant results.