The dining table is more than just a surface—it’s the heart of your home, where family and friends gather to share meals, conversations, and memories. Our range of Homewood solid wood furniture, handcrafted with precision and care, offers both beauty and functionality, perfect for anchoring your dining space.
Are you looking to purchase a new dining room table but you’re unsure of where to start?
We’ve compiled a short guide below to help you select the perfect dining table that will create a centrepiece for your dining area that will last for decades to come.
Things to consider
Selecting the ideal dining table for your home goes beyond aesthetics. You need to consider size, shape, materials, and design to ensure it meets your needs for both everyday dining and special occasions.
1. Size: Getting the Proportions Right
At Homewood, we believe the right-sized dining table is essential in creating balance for your space. Measure your space and ensure you allow at least 90 cm of clearance around the table to provide comfortable movement and seating. Our tables, such as the Duzu or Umhlanga Slim are fully customisable for both smaller spaces and large open-plan dining areas.
2. Shape: How to Maximise Your Space
Depending on the size of your room, your lifestyle, and how often you entertain, selecting the right shaped dining table is key.
Here’s a comparison of a few key shapes to help you in your decision making:
Rectangular Tables: The Classic Choice for Large Gatherings
Rectangular tables, like Homewood’s Boyi and Omusha collections, are perfect for formal dining rooms and larger spaces. Their long surface offers ample seating, making them ideal for hosting large family meals, dinner parties, or holiday celebrations.
Benefits
Generous seating: Rectangular tables can typically accommodate six or more people, depending on the size, making them perfect for larger households or those who entertain frequently.
Ample surface area: They provide plenty of space for food, drinks, and decorative elements like centrepieces and serving dishes.
Considerations
Space requirements: Ensure you have enough room to comfortably fit chairs on all sides while leaving enough clearance around the table for movement.
Flow: In narrower rooms, rectangular tables can feel imposing.
Round Tables: Intimacy and Versatility
Round tables, such as Homewood’s Duzu Round Table, foster a sense of closeness and encourage conversation. These are perfect for smaller spaces like breakfast nooks.
Benefits
Conversation-friendly: Round tables eliminate corners, meaning everyone is seated at an equal distance, making it easier to converse with everyone at the table.
Great for compact spaces: They fit neatly into smaller areas, maximising floor space without compromising on style or seating comfort.
Flexible seating: It’s easy to squeeze in an extra chair or two when needed, as there are no corners to obstruct seating arrangements.
Considerations
Limited surface area: For large gatherings, round tables may not provide enough space for serve ware, making them better suited for smaller, casual meals.
Not ideal for long, narrow rooms: In narrow spaces, round tables can feel out of place. Rectangular or oval options might be a better fit in such rooms.
Square Tables: Modern and Compact
Square tables offer a contemporary feel and work particularly well in square-shaped rooms. They’re an excellent option for smaller families or intimate gatherings, creating an equal distance between diners.
Benefits
Symmetrical seating: Square tables provide perfect symmetry, giving each person equal space.
Ideal for small groups: For couples or smaller households, a square table provides a cosy, intimate dining experience.
Considerations
Not ideal for large groups: Square tables can feel cramped with more than four people, especially when extra chairs are added.
Limited scalability: Unlike rectangular tables, which can easily extend, square tables offer less flexibility for accommodating additional guests.
3. Materials: The Beauty of Solid Wood
Solid wood dining tables are not only a beautiful addition to any home, but they also offer long-term value. At Homewood, our dining tables are crafted from alien-invasive timbers, as our effort to remove these harmful species from our environment while also ensuring unparalleled durability and natural beauty. The naturally occurring timber provides rich grain patterns that are unique to each piece, ensuring your table is one-of-a-kind.
Solid wood furniture is also highly durable, meaning your Homewood table will stand the test of time, developing a characterful patina as it ages gracefully.
At Homewood, we believe that the right dining table is the foundation of some of the best family memories. By choosing a solid wood table from our carefully curated collections, you’re not just purchasing furniture—you’re bringing home a timeless piece of craftsmanship that will be at the centre of your family’s stories for generations.
Visit our showrooms or explore our ranges online to find the perfect dining table for your home.