Dining Furniture Buying Guide
Dining Furniture Buying Guide OreDining Furniture Buying Guide Aydie

Dining rooms are for more than just eating every evening; they’re the perfect places to entertain guests and bring the family together for special occasions. Read on to find out how to find the best dining table and chairs for your home.

Which dining furniture should I buy?

Whether you have a dedicated dining room or an open-plan space, you can create an amazing dining experience at home with DFS. The trick is knowing which dining tables and chairs are best suited to the décor and dimensions of your dining area. And that’s where we come in with our dining furniture buying guide! Discover the difference between dining table shapes, compare dining chair upholstery, and read commonly asked questions about dining room furniture, below.

Recliner Sofa Buying Guide FC Studio

How do I choose a dining table?

The showstopping centrepiece of the dining room, choosing a dining table is one of the most important décor decisions you can make. Not only do you need to think about shape and size, but you must consider the type of finish you’d like in your dining room.

Dining table materials

Dining Furniture Guide Wooden Dining Table Alvaro

Wooden dining tables

An always strong and stellar choice, wooden dining tables are perfect for traditional and rustic dining rooms. Each piece is also unique as the knots and grains in natural wood vary, creating truly stunning styles.

Dining Furniture Buying Guide Glass Tables

Glass dining tables

Contemporary and stylish, glass dining tables are a great all-rounder choice, particularly in modern homes, as the clear surface does not clash with other finishes or textures in your dining room or kitchen. We also use toughened safety glass across our entire range.

Dining Furniture Guide Marble Dining Table Tulle

Marble dining tables

Bring an elegant feel to your eating area with a gorgeous marble dining table. Each piece has a high-gloss, hand-polished finish to ensure the marble looks good for years to come.

Dining Furniture Buying Guide

How do I choose seating for dining tables?

With the table sorted, it’s time to pick out dining room chairs to match your chosen style.

Of course, if you’ve got your eye on a dining table set, you’ll already have the perfect chairs to pair with your purchase. For those who like to freestyle, however, read on to find out about the different dining seating options available to you.

Dining chair styles

Dining Furniture Guide Dining Chairs Orissa

Dining chairs

The classic choice, dining room chairs are the most comfortable seating option. Not only do they offer better posture support, but they are often upholstered with cushioned padding too – perfect for those dinner parties that go on late into the night, but also for seating in home offices and games rooms. Dining chairs also offer a wider variety of styles and designs than other types of seating, giving you more choice when decorating your dining room.

Dining Furniture Guide Dining Benches Luto

Dining benches

Ideal for more informal occasions, dining benches can squeeze more bums on seats than a set of chairs or stools, letting you get more guests around the table. Then, when it’s not being used, you can tuck the dining bench under the table and out of sight, opening up more floor space. Dining benches also pair well with other seating options. For example, you can create a stylish, informal dining room aesthetic by arranging a selection of benches and chairs around the table.

Dining Furniture Guide Barstools Comida

Barstools

Another good choice for more informal dining rooms, bar stools are ideal for taller tables, as well as living spaces that feature a breakfast bar or kitchen island. But the beauty of barstools is their versatility: they look just as at home in offices, games rooms, and living rooms, as they do in dining rooms or kitchens! Bar stools can be just as versatile as dining chairs, while offering additional height and a wealth of fantastic designs to customise your dining area’s style.

How do I coordinate my dining furniture?

While you may have an idea of the dining table and chairs that best suit your home, you’ll want to ensure your two choices complement – and even enhance – each other’s style and function. So, to get that perfect match with your dining furniture, here are a few essentials to remember:

Dining Furniture Guide Mason

Start with the table

If you’re going for a more rustic feel, start with a wooden dining table, and branch out from there. For contemporary décor, look at sleek designs with metal legs, and other similarly designed furniture, such as minimalistic designed furniture that also features industrial elements.

Dining Furniture Guide Lotte

Experiment with textures

While dining sets may combine similar materials, like wooden tables with wooden chairs, it’s worth looking into different materials for different pieces of furniture. Some superb styles are created by offering a contrast, such as metal chairs with wooden tables, or velvet chairs with glass tables.

Dining Furniture Guide Corsica

Pick two colours

A rule of thumb for interior design is to pick a main colour for a room and then add another one to accent it. For example, choose cream or beige for the walls and then accent with dark wooden dining chairs. Keep it simple!

Dining furniture FAQs

Still got burning questions about buying a dining table and chairs? Find the answers you need, below:

Even with a more compact dining room, there’s still so many ways to create a stylish eating area. Read some top tips, below, for decorating a smaller dining room:

  • Opt for a round or extendable dining table - Due to their shape, round or oval dining tables can fit more seats than rectangular designs. If you’ve got the room, consider an extendable round dining table, which can be folded away when the guests have gone home.
  • Think about furniture placement - You can make your dining room feel bigger by placing the furniture in the corner or against the walls. Square dining tables are the best choice for these out-of-the-way positions, slotting neatly into those awkward corners.
  • Add mirrors to the walls: Mirrors are a classic way of making a room feel bigger, with their reflections creating the illusion of more space.

Whether you’re adding a dining area to a sizable kitchen, or you’ve got a dining set in a dedicated dining room, you need enough room to seat everyone comfortably around the table. The general rule of thumb for measuring a dining table is to ensure there’s a minimum of 70-90cm space between the table and a wall. This allows guests to comfortably pull a chair out, sit down, and then pull up to the table. For more help measuring your home for new furniture, check out our measuring guide.

To keep your fabric dining chairs in tip-top condition, regular maintenance is an absolute must. Use a vacuum cleaner with an upholstery attachment to remove loose dirt and dust, and then give it a once over with a clean cloth. For more in-depth fabric maintenance advice, read our fabric care guide.

Fed up with unsightly streaks on your glass dining table? Start by wiping any errant crumbs or debris from the glass, then spray a cleaning solution of mild dish soap and water onto the table’s surface. Scrub the table clean with a microfibre cloth, wiping in a circular motion, before drying the glass with a different, dry cloth. Job done!

Shop the dining furniture collection

From formal dining tables and chairs to clever storage, our furniture range includes everything you need to create a home that works for you.

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