Choosing a New Dining Room Set

Choosing a new dining room set can be daunting.  The first thing to consider is where you will put it.  Some people put it in the kitchen.  Some put it in the living room.  Others have a large formal dining room in which to put it.  Where you place it depends on whether it will be used primarily for the family or for entertaining.  The amount of space you have available and the cost of the set are also considerations.

If you are putting the new set in the kitchen, a small dinette with a small table and a few chairs may suffice.  If the area is very small, a bar table and stools might be preferable.  These could work in the living room as well.  Either of these furniture choices can be as inexpensive or expensive as you desire.  Just make sure you get quality merchandise.

A formal dining room set is preferred when you have the use of an entire room, especially if you like to entertain.  Formal dining room sets can be rather expensive but if you have the budget for it, there is no better way to entertain.  This set usually consists of a table large enough to seat a minimum of six people; has six or more matching chairs and a matching buffet or credenza.  If you have the space, a china or curio cabinet or a wine rack would also be convenient pieces.

When dealing with a large group of people, table space becomes an issue.  It takes a lot of food to feed a large party.  And that's where the buffet (or credenza) becomes very useful and a cabinet with a wine rack would keep the wine available also.

In a formal dining room setting, the shape of the table is important.  When entertaining more than four or five people, a rectangular table is generally a better fit than round or square ones.  Rectangular tables don't have as much dead space in the center.  Square and circular tables certainly have more room for a centerpiece, but a large centerpiece may block your guests' view of each other and hinder conversation.

Whether you are going for classic, contemporary or country, you want your new dining room set to be comfortable.  Wood, glass and metal are the most common materials for tables and they all look great.  If you want your set to last a long time or possibly be passed down to the next generation, good heavy hardwoods are the best choice.

When shopping for furniture, choose something that appeals to you.  Furniture, whether for the dining room or any other room in your home, is a big investment.  So choose carefully and choose well.  Furnitureandyou.com