In a world where the boundary between work and home has become blurred, many families are converting their dining rooms into multipurpose areas. The dining table now serves as a home office workspace, homeschooling zone, crafts area, and a place to host meals and guests.
As a result, this room must now be used for more than just dining. Still, it can be tough to find a great design that complements your style and setting while being of high quality. Even if you have a style you like in mind, it can be difficult to translate it into furniture items that serve a purpose and tick all of the boxes.
Dining tables are especially significant to the look and feel of a dining space because they are likely to be the first piece of furniture someone sees when they walk through the door – so getting it right one and adding a dash of your personality is critical.
To help you in this difficult purchasing process, here is a comparison of two of the most popular table style options, modern and traditional, which I hope will inspire you.
Modern Tables
If you’re looking to create a dining room that feels clean and open, then look at modern tables with their neat and clean, uncomplicated lines. They lack carvings, trimmings, and mouldings but they don’t lack beauty. Also, not all dining sets have square legs and straight backs tough. Many geometric shapes are now used, but all of the designs share the same plain, uninterrupted lines.
Modern design is highly influenced by Scandinavian design, and most modern tables, like Scandi-style furniture, come in neutral colours and earth tones. Natural and reclaimed wood are popular choices for these earth tones, but clear materials — such as glass dining tables — and tables with white finishes or white marble will also complement your modern neutrals.
Lighter, neutral hues have made their way into modern tables design because they make the area feel larger and brighter. Another option is to experiment with reflected light by using materials such as glass, acrylic, reflective metal, or mirrored surfaces. While mirrored or acrylic dining tables are uncommon, you can incorporate these materials into your other dining room furniture, such as a sideboard, accent cabinet, or console table.
In contrast to a solid wood dining table, which absorbs light, these materials allow light to seep through or reflect back into the room. If your dining area lacks natural light, choosing a contemporary table made of a reflecting material will help make the space feel brighter and larger.
Traditional Tables
Traditional tables are generally made of dark, hefty wood. As a result, they are not only huge but also incredibly heavy. The reason for their size is owing to the massive size of homes in previous ages. Old houses typically featured a lot of empty areas that needed to be filled, and enormous pieces of furniture were the standard.
It’s important to mention that traditional furniture was not designed for today’s compact apartments and houses. Classic furniture catches people’s attention, yet it requires space. Having said that, it’s not entirely impossible to welcome stylish traditional furniture in your abode.
If you have a spacious house, the traditional style table, which takes up a lot of visual weight, is easier to accommodate. Massive and substantial, the traditional tables made up of thick wood can add a lot of depth, warmth and a dramatic effect to a dining room. Still, the large and dark table can make a small space appear claustrophobic.
The good news is, even if you live in a more compact home and you’re dead set on a traditional look, you can make your wish come true by finding a more compact traditional table fit for your small dining area. The key is to be selective with your pieces. To complete the décor, select smaller objects for highlights and avoid crowding the room with too many items.
Combining Both Styles
If you can’t decide between the two styles, the good news is that you don’t have to. There are easy, straightforward methods for combining classic and modern items in an appealing manner. For example, combining dining modern tables and their clean lines with dark-coloured velvet chairs is a wonderful way to blend the two styles.
To give more character and appeal to the room, pair a more formal, classic chandelier with modern accent lights, or thick patterned draperies with a modern rug. This can also be done with paint colours. Choosing a more modern white or ivory colour for your walls and combining it with more classic furniture can bring elements of both styles together.
Whichever style you pick to lead the area, be sure to incorporate enough of the second type to round out the look. One old chair in a modern setting may be insufficient to make an impression. Similarly, a modern table in a completely traditional home will look out of place and will confuse the eye.