Many great memories are made around the dinner table. With the holidays upon us, now is the time to create that inviting yet functional dining space in your home. Shapes, styles, tables, seating – get creative and find the collection that speaks to you and fits your space. With a Kansas City furniture store full of unique, high quality, soulful, handmade furniture, Amanda Craig, Overland Park store manager from Nadeau – Furniture with a Soul, was the perfect person for us to turn to for inspiration.
KCH&S: We know the sky’s the limit on what style your dining room can be, but how does your design preference and functionality work into the mix?
NADEAU: Functionality is equally as important as style when it comes to design and the dining area. When selecting the perfect dining table, you’ll want to start by considering your lifestyle around it. If you host dinner parties often, you may consider a table with additional seating to easily accommodate your guests. Or say you have young children; you may look towards solid wood chairs as opposed to upholstered to better withstand spills and messes. Be technical, be creative, but most of all have fun!
KCH&S: There are 4 basic shapes for tables – round, oval, square and rectangle. How do you figure out which is best for your space?
NADEAU: The shape of your dining table is important in both making the space comfortable & the room aesthetically pleasing. Select a shape that mimics the shape of the dining room to create a visually pleasing space while making the most of your square footage. Most dining rooms are rectangular, making the rectangular dining table the most common shape.
KCH&S: Sometimes your table just isn’t big enough for those gathering around it. Has the leaf trend moved on and if so what are options for adding more space?
NADEAU: We are seeing less of a demand for dining tables with expandable leaves largely due to the open concept floor plan trend. The trend has gone away with the traditional formal dining room to integrating the dining area as an extension off of the kitchen and living room. By having these spaces open to one another, you now have more space for larger dining tables and ample amount of informal seating options.
KCH&S: We’ve heard that matchy matchy is out when it comes to chairs around the table. What are some seating options you are seeing?
NADEAU: Mixing and matching is the hottest trend right now in dining table set ups. Unique seating options such as benches and a combination of multiple chair designs are very popular. Playing with different aspects of dining chairs such as form, texture, and color, gives the space an unmatched, individualized style.
KCH&S: Around the holidays and other special occasions, more dinnerware and serving dishes are the norm. What are suggestions for storage pieces for these additional items after the holidays?
NADEAU: Great storage pieces for those dinner plates & serving dishes are sideboards & hutches. The best way to choose between the two is to consider what your space will allow for. If you have a long wall alongside your table, consider a sideboard. For a narrower space, look into a hutch for maximizing storage vertically. Many times, you will find these pieces with glass cabinets for displaying glasses and dishes in an appealing fashion.
KCH&S: When thinking beyond the table and chairs to complete the room, what are some of your favorite things to include?
NADEAU: To complete the dining area, one thing that I believe cannot go forgotten is an area rug. Including this very important element anchors the dining table and chairs while creating an element of comfort. Add a center piece of flowers, candles or vases and you’ll have successfully created a well-rounded setting.
