Round Dining Tables

Why a round dining table works

A round dining table puts everyone the same distance from the middle, so conversation flows easily and nobody is stranded at the far end. With no corners, it is easier to move around in a tight room, and a circle fits spaces a rectangle struggles with, such as a bay window, a kitchen corner or the end of an open-plan room. Almost all of our round tables suit a dining room, and the majority work in a kitchen too. A few also sit happily in a living room. When an extra guest arrives, pulling up another chair is easy, because nobody has to perch on a corner.

Sizing a round dining table for your room

Start with the room, not the table. Measure the floor space, imagine someone pushing their chair back to stand up, and keep a clear route behind them to doors and cupboards. Then cut a paper circle the size of the table you have in mind and lay it on the floor for a while: you will soon see whether people can get past without turning sideways.

Where the product page gives a seating guide, match it to the people who eat together on an ordinary day, not your busiest gathering. A larger circle also puts the centre further from the diners, so a rotating serving tray in the middle helps with shared dishes.

Extending round dining tables for guests

If you eat as a small household day to day but host the wider family now and then, an extending table settles the question of size. Some of our round dining tables extend, keeping a compact circle for ordinary meals and opening out to give you extra places when people come over. Before you buy, check the closed and extended sizes and measure the room for the longer shape, including space for chairs along its sides. Stacking chairs for the extra places can be put away the rest of the time. A few of our round tables fold, which suits a room that has to do other jobs between meals.

Choosing the base for a round dining table

The base decides how comfortably people sit. A pedestal base, a single central support, keeps the whole rim clear, so chairs can go anywhere around it and nobody ends up straddling a leg. It also lets chairs tuck right in when the table is not in use, which keeps a small room easier to walk through. A few of our round tables stand on a pedestal.

Legs, whether splayed, tapered or turned, give a lighter, more open look that sits well in Scandinavian and mid-century modern rooms. With legs, count the gaps between them against your chairs before you order, so the places you want to set fall between the legs rather than in front of them.

What our round dining tables are made from

Wood features on most of ours. We stock oak and MDF, and from across a room, solid oak and an oak veneer over MDF can look much alike. Solid wood can be sanded back if it is badly marked, while a veneer needs gentler treatment, so look at the materials on the product page if that matters to you. Steel and metal feature on many as well.

A few are made with marble, travertine or concrete for a cool, solid feel. Some have glass tops, which keep a small room feeling open. Where a title says marble effect or travertine effect, you are buying the look of the stone, not the stone itself.

Round dining table finishes and styles

Most of ours have a modern look. We also stock Scandinavian, mid-century modern, classic and rustic designs. A few have an industrial or traditional style. For colour, we stock natural, brown and black finishes. Natural wood keeps a room light and sits easily with pale floors, brown brings warmth to a rustic or classic scheme, and black gives a crisp outline against light flooring and suits an industrial room.

A few come in white, cream or grey, and a few add brass or bronze. Once the table is chosen, a single pendant over its centre draws the setting together, as long as it hangs high enough to keep the view across the table clear.

Looking after a round dining table

For wood, a soft, damp cloth followed by a dry one deals with daily crumbs and spills, while mats under hot dishes and coasters under glasses prevent rings. Skip harsh sprays and never leave water standing. For marble, travertine or concrete, which are porous, wipe up wine, coffee, vinegar and citrus straight away and clean with a mild, pH-neutral product. Glass needs only a soft cloth and a little glass cleaner.

Felt pads under the legs or pedestal stop the table marking a wooden floor when it is moved. A stone top is heavy, so line up a second pair of hands for unpacking and assembly, and check the product page for what is involved.