MIX OR MATCH TO DINE FINER

One of life’s great pleasures is dining in style, and there are several elements that make for creating a great dining room. The choice of table will determine much of the dining space. But there are many factors that come into play when it’s time to choosing the right dining table.

The size, shape and style of the dining space will naturally influence what table you choose. But don’t feel like you have to play it safe. While rectangular tables are the most popular, round and oval tables are increasingly stylish and can work well in most room shapes. There’s also the intimacy a round table provides, especially compared to long tables that can create too much space when there are only a few people.

When it comes to chairs, don’t feel like they all need to match, nor do they need to co-ordinate with the table. A rustic timber table can look great with contemporary designer chairs. Equally, a contemporary table can look fabulous with rustic timber chairs.

When choosing a rug for your dining space, ensure the rug covers the entire area under your table with at least 60cm spare on each side. The choice of material is important because accidents will happen, so choose a dark colour and a rug with a short pile that is easy to clean.

Finally, lighting will set the tone at the dining table more than any other element. Pendant lights are extremely popular as they are both practical and stylish. If you can, choose lighting that you can control with a dimmer. Setting and cleaning a dining table requires practical light, but when dining a lower light setting is ideal.