Dining Room Buying Guide

Gathering and celebrating with loved ones means needing to have a dining and entertaining space. As we design these spaces, it begs the questions: what table shape is best? How much space should be left in between each seat? How can I make sure I’m making the best choice? You’ve got questions, and iNSPIRE Q has answers. We’ve got plenty of must-know dining room ideas and guidelines to help you make your space functional and stylish!

First and Foremost: Measure Your Space

When it comes to buying furniture, one of the most important aspects to consider is size. Dining tables come in all shapes and sizes, and in order for you to find the one that works best for you, you have to first measure your space.

The iNSPIRE Q Design Team has a few good rules of thumb you can follow when mapping out your space:

  • The dining table should be at least 36 inches wide for two guests to sit across each other.
  • Place setting dimensions should be about 18 inches to 24-30 inches (30 if the chair has arms).
  • Dining chairs should be at least 6 inches apart for guests to sit next to each other comfortably.
  • There should be at least 3 feet (or 36 inches) of space between the table and the wall to comfortably get in and out of chairs.
Here is a sample table seating diagram as a general guide for your dining room ideas.

Shop for a Dining Table First

Tables are the anchors of our dining spaces. These are the pieces we gather around time and time again, so it only makes sense for this to be the first piece to buy. No matter your style—whether you prefer the intimacy of a round-shaped table or the generosity of a rectangular table—the most important aspect to take into consideration is durability.

Always be sure to look closely at the build quality of a dining table (or any piece of furniture, really). Since a dining table is going to be one of the most regularly used items in your home, invest in a heat and scratch-resistant dining table. Also, consider buying a table with a pedestal-style base, rather than traditional table legs, to allow more freedom of movement.

You can't start exploring dining room ideas without starting with a table! Here, we show a chair banging against the leg of a standard dining table. But with a pedestal-style base on your table, you'll never have to worry about this again!

Next, Seating

Once you’ve selected a table, dining chairs come next! As you have measured your dining space, you also want to measure your dining table to find the right chairs to fit underneath it. Measure the top of the table to the floor (most dining tables are about 30 inches tall). Then, measure the seat of the dining chair to the floor (most seats are about 18 inches tall from the floor, leaving about 10 inches of space between the seat and the table top).

When it comes to chairs, there are a thousand different kinds to choose from! Here is our Antique Berry Red Metal Dining Chairs (Set of 2).

Like dining tables, there is a plethora of chairs out there, no matter your style. Perhaps you may want the warmth and coziness of a button-tufted chair. Or maybe you prefer something sturdier and easier to clean, like metal chairs. As dining tables are used to anchor your space, use dining chairs to express your personality.

We could give you a thousand different dining room ideas and there are at least a thousand more different types of chairs. Here we have our Dark Grey Linen  Tufted Upholstered Side Chairs (Set of 2).

Bonus Design Tip! Try a Natural Aesthetic

The last of our dining room ideas is a bonus tip from our Design Team: incorporating natural elements. This is one interior design trend that shows no sign of slowing down. If you are looking for new ways to freshen up your dining room, try decorating with greenery and wood tones!

Here we have our Moffit Antique Gold Finish Angled Reclaimed Wood Buffet by iNSPIRE Q Modern decorated with green-colored decor and some plants for a lively, natural vibe for your space.

Make sure your dining room is ready for your next gathering! These dining room ideas will help you take your home vision to a new level. No matter your space or your style, iNSPIRE Q has got you covered.

If you liked this Dining Room Buying Guide, be sure to check out our other blog posts for more tips and tricks.

You can also go to our YouTube channel for more style inspiration.

Shop all of our dining tables and dining chairs on our iNSPIRE Q website.