Flexibility and space requirements are the main reasons that drive sales of extending dining tables. Unless you have a large additional reception room that to use solely for dining, it is often not practical to have an 8 or 10 chair dining table permanently in place in your home. There simply isn’t the room available once you include the chairs as well. Possibilities can include pushing the dining table up against a wall but side furniture, pictures and other wall ornamentation that looks great when the table is centred will tend to look very cramped and the overall design and feel of the room suffers.
On the flip side, it is fabulous if you do have the capacity and ability to host parties and dinners for up to 10 people, all sitting comfortably around a single table so everyone can join in with the conversation and socialize together. That said, you as host will still find yourself out of your seat for much of the time.
A dining table doesn’t only serve the purpose that the name suggests. It can form the centre of much of family life, whether that be having breakfast, doing school work in the evening, playing board games or browsing through the papers with a cup of coffee. A really large full size table can take up too much room for these purposes, even in modern houses that are designed on an open plan theme. An extending dining table really is a great compromise, giving you the benefit of a multi use table without taking up too much space in your home.
The cost of a good quality fixed or extending dining table and chairs can be a significant outlay for many budgets so buying a lovely table with your first home that can extend makes great sense too. As your family grows you can utilize the extension more frequently and don’t need to go out shopping for a new table to meet your new needs. There is no reason whey a well built dining table, carefully looked after, should not last a lifetime.
As well as purchasing a table for indoors, there are some lovely alternatives for the terrace and garden. Extending and fold away options work really well here if you plan to store them away in the winter. Of course, as with any extending dining table, you still have the usual flexibility to plan a very private al fresco dinner for two on a warm summer evening or host a much larger party or BBQ.
When you are choosing your table, clearly the chief concern is getting the size right. It is important to measure the space you plan to make available when the table is fully extended and also at its smallest. Consider as well the space requirements of the chairs, not only when neatly tucked in under the table but when sat in. Is there still enough room around this for people to be able to get in and out of their seats?
Tables naturally come in a huge range and it is no different for extendable versions. You should be able to find pretty much exactly the size you need, with the option of round, square or rectangular, and some manufacturers will be able to custom build to your specification if required.
When choosing the style of extending dining table, it is pretty much down to personal preference and again there is huge variety, whether it one of many classic extending oak dining tables or something in another wood, metal, glass or even plastic. As well as your own tastes, it is useful to pick something that complements the design and features of your home, whether ultra modern, antique or timeless. In colour, a dark table will tend to make a room look a little smaller but more intimate, whereas a lighter colour will brighten a room and give the impression of space.
It is worth mentioning that your extending dining table chairs might be an issue if the primary reason for choosing a table like this is limited space. You will need to find somewhere to store the additional chairs when they are not in use. Pushing them up against a wall can work but why not try using them to sling your clothes over at night in a corner of your bedroom or for some other practical use in your home.
In terms of the mechanism employed the design and operation can vary considerably. Some beautifully designed antique tables have fold out leaves at the outer edges of the table that are supported by swinging out one or two legs of the able, or by extending a supporting beam outwards and underneath. Similar methods are still available but one simple alternative is to pull the table apart in the middle along normally metal runners and slot in an extension to the table.
These extensions can come in a range of different sizes even for a single table so you have a lot of flexibility in choosing the right dimensions you need. Of course, a separate central element needs storing away itself when not in use so bear this in mind. In comparison, a butterfly extension folds out from under the table once the table has been pulled apart, and opens out and neatly fits in place. When not in use it remains fixed under the table and out of sight.
Whatever table you purchase, please don’t disregard the cleaning instructions particularly for the long term preservation of wood. Regular but not overly frequent application of a wax or oil is likely to be recommended. Most woods will also change in colour over time, some like cherry to a great degree. This is normal and no need for concern but one or two warnings are useful.
If your table is placed in direct sunlight but only partially some areas are hidden, quite a strong variance in colour across the surface will become evident over time. Secondly, if you do have a separate extension piece that you store away, this will change in colour only very little and will eventually look quite different to the rest of the table. To counter this you may want to keep a table cloth on permanently and this will also protect your table from damage. Purpose designed table protector sheets are available too that typically reduce the risk of heat marks too when serving hot food. If your table extends to different sizes, you may need more than one of these though.
An extendable dining table comes in a massive range of styles and sizes so you should always be able to find something to suit your tastes and requirements, offering you a lovely piece of furniture to meet the ever changing needs of family life, both day to day and over many years to come.
Related posts:
- Cleaning your Dining Table and Chairs A wooden dining table and chairs set can be one...
- Types of Extending Dining Tables An extendable dining table is a beautifully flexible choice which...
- Wood Choice for your Dining Table The availability of some woods has grown scarcer over the...
- Brown Curtains for a Neutral Living Room Warm neutral colors work well in a room like a...