Memories are made when gathered around the table
DIANNE HABER SPECIAL TO THE OKANAGAN WEEKEND
After spending the morning thumbing through a barrage of home style magazines, I couldn't help but notice the ever-evolving offerings of dining tables.
Don't get me wrong, there has always been choices, but with the open concept floor plans in the majority of new homes, the kitchen area has become oh-so important.
In a large percentage of new homes, the separate dining room has vanished.
With kitchens being the hub of the home, the table of choice needs some careful consideration. Will it be wood, glass, marble, metal? How many people does it need to seat? Should it have a leaf? What style suits the home? The list goes on and on.
Many factors go into the actual final selection but how do you get there?
For some of my clients, the answer seems to be quick and simple but for others the challenge of choosing the right option can be lengthy.
If you break it down with the pros and cons of each type of material, it might make the choice less painless.
If glass is a consideration, there are many sizes, shapes and colours of glass to choose from.
You can have leaves or a solid top. Glass is a more contemporary option and has a sleek, simple look but do keep in mind that glass can scratch.
Wood tables are available in solid as well as veneer options.
Solid tables will be more of an investment, but allow the flexibility of re-finishing if it becomes necessary.
With veneer products, once the top layer is scratched or damaged, there is really no way to refinish the surface.
I can attest to this as my current dining table has had the brunt of many school projects created on it with a few long scratches to remind me every day (Emily!!)
There are endless options for shape, size, colour, texture and wood species. Live edge tables are trendy now as well as the reclaimed look.
The next question is legs or a pedestal base.
A pedestal base will allow a bit more flexibility if you have to squeeze in an extra person or two in comparison to legs which are more restrictive.
With so many choices do your research and if you still have questions feel free to shoot me an email, I would be happy to answer any lingering questions.
It can definitely be overwhelming, so you want to make the right choice the first time around. Happy shopping!! Dianne Haber is an interior designer with La-Z-Boy Furniture in Kelowna. To contact her email dianne@lfg-kelowna.com