Are you soon going to be in the market for a new dining table and chairs? There certainly are a lot of choices out there, for ways to shop and products to choose. The range is from just under $100 for a small dinette set to many thousands for a full dining room table and chairs set that can seat 10 or more. So how about some help with vocabulary, styles, and ways/places to shop?
“Table” comes from the Latin “tabula”, which means flat piece of wood. Tables have become so much more than that through the years. Now instead of simply being functional for eating, they are often used to set the decor and feel of an entire room. Dinette sets are smaller and more common for eat in kitchens, and dining tables are larger and used in separate rooms designated specifically for dining. Tables are a standard height, about 29 inches high. The pub or counter top style sits much higher. A kitchen or dinette nook is an “L” shaped bench that hugs two walls with a corner and has a matching table. For seating, the basic categories are chairs, armchairs, stools, or benches. Of course, within each grouping there are many more products from which to choose. You can buy these pieces separately or purchase an entire set of dining table and chairs together.
The designs and looks are as varied as people’s opinions and tastes for dining table and chairs. You can find very modern designs that use creative materials and colors and even shapes. You can also find traditional looks using solid wood. There are round tables, square ones, rectangular ones, and contemporary ones that cannot be defined by a shape. Your larger ones will have leaves, which can be removed to make the table smaller, giving such tables more versatility. When it comes to wooden tables, the colors are defined by the wood or how it has been colored, stained, or painted. Natural refers to a wood that has a clear coat. Honey or blonde is a lighter wood, whereas cherry has a darker, reddish-brown tone. Newer vocabulary has come about with modern crazes; now espresso is used for darker brown tables and chairs and cappuccino is used for lighter brown. Some of this may seem like common sense, but it is helpful to know when shopping online and you have to judge the furniture’s look by internet pictures.
Perhaps you are looking for a dining table and chairs for your outdoor space. Although less commonly used, there is still an abundance of choices. First and foremost, make sure what you purchase is indeed weatherproof. Most outdoor sets are metal and glass for this very purpose. Some are made to look like patio furniture, while other sets are purposely designed to give the appearance of a formal indoor set. Color choices are just as varied for outdoor dining furniture. You can find cushions for the chairs, but you may have to take them inside during bad weather.
Okay, so where should you shop for your dining table and chairs? You may have local family owned stores, or nationally chained stores nearby. There are always the department store choices as well. For example, Sears, JCPenney, and Bon Ton all sell furniture. If you live in the right areas, Amish stores offer excellent quality, handmade furniture. Antique stores often sell full sets also. While these pieces can be beautiful and offer a great story, they do tend to be much more expensive, especially if you find all original pieces together still. On the flip side, shopping at a second hand store can save you money on a well kept used dining table and/or chairs. If you prefer to online shop, amazon.com, nextag.com, and directbuy.com have links to many other website’s products. Otherwise, you can shop national chains like Crate and Barrel, Pottery Barn, and Ashley Furniture. They all have websites as well.
There certainly is a lot to consider when shopping for a dining table and chairs. You can even mix it up and buy a table with one look, and chairs with a completely different look. The choices are almost endless, but does that not make the shopping even that much more fun?