Pandemic days have turned our lives topsy-turvy! Our homes have doubled up or tripled up as our office, school etc! And so have the utilities of our furnitures at home changed dramatically! Dining room has truly been transformed into a multi-purpose room these days. It has taken over the roles of home office, homeschooling zone, arts and crafts space and of-course, the family meals! This space now demands a lot more than a traditional dining room. Dining table is the centre piece of the dining room. When you make a choice of dining table, it is important to make sure that you make the best and right choice for both functionality and aesthetics of your home dining room. 

With so many options to choose from, you may be wondering where to start! At Blucap Interiors, we always strive to bring you the best information about all our products so that you may make an informed decision. Let us delve more into the types and choices of dining tables in this article so that you can find the one that works best for you. Let us start with the different shapes that are there for dining tables.

Shapes
First and foremost decision that you need to make while choosing a dining table is its shape. Materials and styles will follow. 

Rectangular
Rectangular is the most popular and most functional shape as it utilises the maximum space available. Rectangular dining tables are ideal for large spaces and big families as they accommodate more people on them.

Square
The square is the simple form with four legs which are at equal distance. This shape is perfect fit for compact spaces and four diners. 

Round
Round tables again are for compact spaces. These give a more aesthetic look and feel to the space. 

Oval
Oval designed dinging tables are more in demand as they give the sensuous curvy feel of the round tables while giving the freedom that the additional space brings in to accommodate more diners.

Freedom
You must be wondering what can we mean by ‘freedom’ as a shape. In fact it is not a shape. As the name suggests, this category comprises any table that doesn’t fit in within the standard shapes mentioned above. All creative designed dining tables especially the modern space saving ones, fall in this category.

Material
Once the shape is finalised based on your requirement, it is time for selecting the right material for the top of the dining table. Having the right material for the top is very important as it can influence the aesthetics and functionality of the table in your dinging room. Most designs are holistic with the same material being used throughout for the entire construction of the dining table. However there are more tables these days featuring a different top material than the frame build. Here are some choices.

Wood
Wood is the most popular material for dining table especially in India. You can go for engineered wood such as MDF, Particle board or Plywood or go for hardwood for the construction of the dining table. While engineered wood will give a better looking dinging table, it will be hardwood that will be sturdier and long lasting. 

Glass
Glass table tops coupled with steel or wooden legs and frame can be very modern in appearance. They bring in an airiness into the dining room creating a larger feel of the space with a clean and modern surface.
 

Laminate
Laminate table tops are those laminated on to plywood or engineered wood tops. Laminates give better protection from wear and tear to the table top. 

Metal
Metal table tops give a very posh and modern feel to the dining table. The material is stain resistant, tough and gives a very premium feel. It works out well with industrial spaces or contemporary interiors.

Stone
A number of traditional as well as contemporary dining tables go for stone tops. They are versatile and elegant and brings a feel of sophistication to the room. Marble, Quartz and Granite are mostly used for these tops. They are heavy and textural with a rich tone creating an ambience of plush feel in the room.

Style
The final element of consideration for choosing the right dining table is the style that fits your home decor. There are multiple styles to choose from. 

Traditional
The most common style you will find even today will be the traditional style though the contemporary style is catching up in urban areas. If you are someone who loves elegantly carved designs with detailed textures and great proportions, traditional style gives a powerful and timeless statement and adds to the luxury of your home.

Modern
Modern style focuses on a mix of utility and aesthetics with clean straight lines and sharp angles. They are minimalistic in nature and light in any room. 

Rustic
Rustic has become a rage in modern homes in India. Rustic finish largely depends on natural unpainted wood and are generally hand carved. This gives a very close to nature feel.
 

Industrial
Industrial style is meant for a rugged look. Mostly a mix of hard wood and metal is used for the design of these tables. 

Shaker
Shaker furnitures epitomise simplicity and utility. You wouldn’t find any unwanted embellishment for design sake in them. These are simple and straight forward designs fit for most homes.

Contemporary
Contemporary dining tables come with an up to date appearance. They come in every type of material as well as in every shape.