Round Dining Table Shopping Guide

The round dining table is preferred by many families over the square or rectangular dining room table because it is not only a more versatile shape for a variety of different activities, but is also creates more of a feeling of closeness than you would find in a square table. If you are interested in purchasing a round dining room table, you may have a great deal of questions as to which one you should choose. There are many different styles, materials, and price ranges that are available, so it can be quite confusing. The purpose of this guide is to answer as many of those questions for you as possible and make the process of choosing which table is best for you and your family as easy as possible.

Regular or Pedestal Round Dining Table

There are two primary styles when it comes to the construction of the table base. The traditional style involves three or four legs spread out across the underside of the table in order to provide stability, and is generally what comes to mind when people think of a round dining table. The problem that these legs pose is that they can get in the way when people actually try to comfortably sit down at the table.

This problem is addressed with what is known as a pedestal base. The tabletop is supported by a single post at the center, which is anchored to the ground by a heavy, usually circular pedestal base. Having only the single column at the center leaves plenty of room, so you do not have to worry about banging your knees on table legs. It is also beneficial if you are going to use it for purposes other than dining; round table designs like these make great places to play games as well.

Choice of Material

When you are choosing a round dining table set, the next choice that you are going to face is what type of material you wish it to be made of. In most cases, this is going to come down to personal preference and how it looks in your kitchen, but the choice of material can also affect how long the table lasts, how durable it is, and how much it costs.

A round glass top dining table tends to be the cheapest because glass is very inexpensive, but it is also the most prone to breakage. In contrast, a round marble top dining table is vastly more expensive, but also much more long-lasting. Bakers also tend to like them because marble is the ideal surface for working with dough.

Size

You need to take into account how many diners you are going to be expecting to be using the table on a regular basis. A small round dining table may work perfectly for a couple or even a small family with two children, but if you are going to be using the table for more than four people, you should consider one that is more elongated, in order to be able to accommodate everyone. Much of the time, these tables can be expanded with leaves at either end, or can even be pulled apart with extra tabletop pieces fitted into place.

Another important consideration that you need to take into account ahead of time is the amount of space that you have to work with in your kitchen. No matter how beautiful that mahogany round wood dining table is, it will do you no good if you can’t fit where it needs to go.

Price

Finally, it comes down to how expensive the table is. The best approach is to determine exactly how much money that you have available to spend before you even start looking at tables so that you don’t find a table that you love and go way over your budget without realizing it. When it comes to price, keep in mind that glass tops are breakable, but inexpensive, and solid wood is much more expensive than composite wood. If, however, your budget is extremely limited, you may find that your options are going to be somewhat lacking.

The round dining table is a great way to not only save on valuable dining room space, but also to provide a sense of warmth and closeness to the dining experience that you don’t quite seem to get when you are using a long, rectangular table. For many people, it is the center of the home, a place where we not only eat our meals, but play games and talk and just spend time together. Every home, every family needs a place like that.