Sometimes to make an improvement to a room, you don’t have to completely renovate the space. This past year, I’d been feeling very unsatisfied about my living room and dining space. Instead of completely redoing those spaces, my family replaced our cheap TV console with a wood TV cabinet. And, we replaced our maple dining table and chairs with a darker stained wood dining set that better matches the wood paneling in our dining space.
Round, Rectangle, Oval or Square? We have some tips on choosing the table that’s right for you.
A dining table may just be the most important piece of furniture in your home. It sees family meals, celebrations, game nights and homework sessions. It’s where you laugh, bond and share memories. It will probably be the one piece of furniture that doesn’t change when it’s time to renovate.
Knowing that it’s a lasting investment and place that will function in multiple ways, it’s important to understand the different shapes of tabletops you can get, what each shape accomplishes and which one is right for you.
Rectangular- Easily the most popular and frequently chosen design, a rectangular table often symmetrically compliments the shape of a room. It gives a sense of structure and tradition. Long rectangular tables can help break up a large space while still remaining functional. And, knowing that rectangular tables are quite common, (not that it’s a bad thing!) the chairs and decor you choose to place around it are even more important.
Our Woodland Custom Dining Table in Cherry
Round- Often seen in dinette sets, round dining tables are a nice alternative to a rectangular table. Round tables send a message of openness and inclusion. They can easily accommodate extra guests and as long as the chair size is taken into consideration, they are just as spacious as a rectangular table.
Our Vermont Modern Pedestal Table in Cherry
Oval- A combination of both round and rectangular tables, an oval table can be both casual and sophisticated. Having rounded corners an oval table gives a sense of inclusion, similar to a round table, but its sleek, straight side edges lend itself to fine dining.
Our Cherry Blossom Double Pedestal Table in Cherry
Square- A less common shape for a dining table, it can be either a small two person table or large enough to fit a holiday feast. A small square dining table is perfect for limited space or as a breakfast nook. A large square table, while less common, can be used to take up a large space. A square table can make reaching for food complicated at times and with everyone so spread out, can make it hard to hear everyone. But, we like square tables for their symmetry and modern twist on dining spaces.
Our Hampton Square Pedestal Table in Cherry
Some other important factors to think about are:
-How often will you be using your dining table? Every meal? Only special occasions?
If it’s going to see a lot of wear and tear, it’s good to look for high quality and durable tables, whereas if it’s going to used seldomly, like formal events, a more ornate design may be appropriate.
-How many people will be sitting at it regularly? What about for special occasions?
This is where the size of your room, the table and the design of your dining chairs come into play. If you’re regularly hosting large gatherings a rectangle or oval shaped table may be more appropriate. If you’re room’s dimensions are more square in shape, a round table may fit in nicely.
Short on space? This type of top may be the best fit for you. It will allow you to save space on a regular basis, but will also allow you to host larger parties when you want.
No matter the theme of your dining space, we recommend considering functionality first. Look into what shapes and sizes will fit best in your dining space. Then move to size once you’ve determined how often and how many people will typically be hosted. After landing on the right table, we recommend moving to chairs. You don’t want choose a chair that ends up being too bulky around your table!
If you have any questions or other ideas we’d love to hear them! Add your comment below!
Interested in talking with someone? Our friendly and knowledgeable sales team is always here to answer any questions you may have at (888) 390-5571. If you’re in the Vernon, VT area or passing through, we’d love to see you at our Stonehurst Showroom, open seven days week!
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Our Modern Shaker Wall Mirror in Cherry and Walnut
Why let the table and chairs have all the attention? We think what you put around them is just as important!
You’ve just invested a lot of time and money into your new dining table and chairs. The furniture has arrived and is set up in your dining room. Now what? You have the main attraction, so what you choose to decorate the rest of the room with should be selected with care. You wouldn’t buy a nice suit or dress and pair it with low-quality accessories, would you?
I chose four pieces that should be next on your list.
Dining Bench-It’s nice alternative seating and can be multi-functional if you decide down the road you’d like more chairs. What I like the most about benches is that they give the illusion of fitting more people. And I love the idea of having a lot of people around the table enjoying a meal together.
Sideboard or Hunt Board-More than just a storage space, these pieces can complement or accent your dining table and chairs. A sideboard, traditionally has more cabinet space and a hunt board you’ll notice is more table like with longer legs and usually offers less storage space. They’re great for hiding less commonly used china, silverware and other glassware. And, they act as extra surface space for large meals and decorations.
Mirror-I’m not sure where this idea came from, but I love when dining rooms have a large mirror in them. It gives the illusion of more space, it can take up a lot of wall space if needed to complement the size of your furniture and can be used for practical purposes as well.
Statement Chandelier-There’s nothing I like less than a missed opportunity and I think lighting (which is important for the ambiance of a room) is often one of them. A chandelier is like the icing on the cake. It completes the room. You can have one that’s simple or ornate in design but most importantly it should match the style/theme of your room. You don’t want to go overboard and end up with an eye sore.
Our Classic Shaker Hunt Board and our Modern Shaker Long Sideboard both shown in Cherry.
If you’re unsure of where to start, I’d choose a piece that you know you need. Do you need more storage and surface space, is your dining room small, does it need better lighting, etc. and go from there.
Let us know what you’d get next for your dining space in the comments section below! And remember, now through February 11th you can save up to 20% off your dining furniture purchase during our Winter Dining Furniture Sale.
Questions? Our sales team is always available and eager to answer any questions you may have about our furniture and can be reached at (888) 390-5571 or you can stop in our Vernon, VT Showroom open seven days a week.
Our Modern Shaker Wall Mirror in Walnut and Hubbardton Forge Flora #2 Chandelier
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(Our Classic Shaker Round Dining Table and Windsor-Style Guest Chair both shown in Cherry)
When Versatility, Functionality and Simplicity Come Together the Result Can Be Beautiful.
Living in what I consider a “Tiny House” (900 sq ft), I’ve come to appreciate furniture that both serves its functional purpose and offers added bonuses (space saving or storage). I like pieces that are simple in design and neutral in style. I use artwork, paint and home decor to tie my personality into each room’s theme.
One space I’ve never really focused on is my dining space. I’m always on the go so when I have time to sit down and eat my meal at the kitchen table, I often have my laptop in front of me and my phone next to me. I don’t take the time to appreciate the space.
As we’ve rolled out our Holiday Dining Furniture Sale, I’ve been thinking more and more about my dining space and how it needs more of my attention. Through my time working on the current sale, I came across our Classic Shaker Dining Tables and found the table I never knew I was missing: the Classic Shaker Square Dining Table.
I love the simplicity of its design. The tapered legs give it an airy feeling and the design allows it to fit into almost any space. I can already imagine myself enjoying meals at it and decorating it with flowers and candle centerpieces.
Not wanting to forfeit more square footage than necessary, I love that it comes with different size options from 30 x 30 (perfect for me) up to 60 x 60 (for someone with more space to host). Offering versatility it comes with either a solid or extension top and comes with an array of Finish options. You can also choose from beveled or eased edges on the table top.
If you’re not as excited about squares as I am, or if you want a little more fluidity from the design, the table comes with round table top options and flared leg options.
(From left to right: Classic Shaker Flare Leg Round Dining Table, Classic Shaker Flare Leg Square Dining Table, Classic Shaker Round Dining Table and Classic Shaker Square Dining Table)
For a chair pairing, I gravitate towards the traditional Windsor Style chairs. The style is classic and the spindle back gives it an open and light feeling.
(Windsor-Style Guest Chair)
If you have more space to work with and are not looking for a square or round table, you might be interested in our Classic Shaker Dining Table. It evokes the same sense of style but is rectangular and is available in sizes from 30 x 48 to 48 x 108.
Working with a small space can be tricky, but here at Vermont Woods Studios we do have options for you. You don’t need to compromise your style because of the size of your space.
During our Holiday Dining Room Furniture Sale, you can save on these tables, chairs and more! Save 10% off one piece, 15% off two pieces and 20% off three or more pieces.
Our friendly sales team is always here to assist you with any questions you may have. You can call us toll free at 888-390-5571 or visit us at our Vernon, VT Showroom.
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Driftwood Stained Oak Creates a Chic and Serene Setting
Here’s a photo that truly shows how beautiful and versatile Shaker furniture can be. This picture was sent in by our customer, Erin G., and we can’t get enough of the glamourous styling. The photo shows our Classic Shaker Dining Table in Oak, with a Driftwood finish. The Driftwood finish gives the table a subtle and sophisticated salvaged look, while still possessing exquisite quality of a new piece of Vermont made furniture. While the photo here makes the table look very dark, the Driftwood stain typically has more of a greyed-out tone.
I adore the way that Erin styled her table and dining space, blending the traditional Shaker wood table with her own chic and feminine seating. The cool, neutral color palette creates a tranquil atmosphere in which the Shaker table makes a perfect centerpiece.
This table is just one piece of our Classic Shaker furniture collection, which features the traditional clean lines that Shaker furniture is known for, accented with an elegant, slightly curved flare in the legs. This collection is simplistic and beautiful, giving people the opportunity to style their new furniture with traditional Shaker aesthetic, or mix and match with more modern styles as seen in Erin’s home.
What do you think of this table and dining space? Let us know in the comments section!
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Mid-Century Modern design is all about fusing the nostalgic look of the 1950s with exceptional craftsmanship and style.
If you’ve ever watched an episode of Mad Men, then you’ve seen Mid-Century Modern design at work. It’s elegant and classy with a twist of vintage to make it a fun and functional look for any room in your home.
We love the look when it is done carefully and tastefully, especially in the dining room. So if you are hoping to achieve a mid-century modern dining room, take these steps to design your space in a way that is purposeful and not too kitschy:
1) Choose Timeless Furniture & Decor:
According to Design*Sponge,
“Midcentury oftentimes connotes thoughtfully designed Modernist homes and furniture, but the fact of the matter is that there was a ton of really ugly stuff in the mid-twentieth century.”
So the first step in creating your Mid-Century Modern Dining Room is to pick out high quality items that are built to withstand the test of time, both in craftsmanship and style.
If you do a Google search or Pinterest search on Mid-Century Modern Dining Room style, a lot of what you will find is low quality, plastic furniture that will eventually go out of style (and is bad for the environment anyways).
Wood furniture with clean and crisp features makes the perfect base for your Mid-Century Modern dining room. Buffets and Sideboards are a staple of the Mid-Century Modern Dining Room, especially when crafted with clean lines and angles. Choose sleek, simplistic dining tables and geometric dining chairs for a subtly beautiful midcentury look.
2) Embrace Subtlety.
You don’t need to transform your entire space into an exact replica of a Mid-Century Dining Room from the past. Just add touches of Mid-Century to your current design and slowly integrate them until you have the perfectly designed blend! A great way to do this is to pay attention to the color palette and add splashes of these colors throughout the decor. Here’s our interpretation of the typical color palette used for a MCM Dining Room:
3. Choose your wood Wisely.
The wood you choose can effect the entire mood of your dining room. Cherry wood furniture is a bit casual and can bring a sense of brightness to the room, while Walnut creates a refined, sleek space. Reflect on how you’d like your space to feel, and shop accordingly!
4. Take inspiration from around the web.
We’ve created two Pinterest boards especially for Mid-Century Modern Furniture & Decor, we recommend browsing them and others to create a look that is perfect for you and your home!
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