Rivington Dining Table
A dining table is rarely just a dining table. It is where weekday breakfasts happen, where homework spreads out on a Sunday afternoon, and where the best conversations of the year run on long past midnight. That is why choosing one deserves more thought than almost any other piece in the home.
Whether you are furnishing a new penthouse or rethinking a family dining room, these are the questions our design team asks every client before a single veneer is chosen.
Start With the Room, Not the Table
The most beautiful table will still feel wrong if it fights the space around it. Before you fall for a silhouette, measure the room and note where people will walk, sit and serve.
Leave Room to Move
As a rule of thumb, allow at least 90cm between the table edge and the nearest wall or piece of furniture, so chairs can be pulled out and guests can pass behind them comfortably. In a room that doubles as a thoroughfare, aim for more.
Match the Shape to the Space
- Rectangular tables suit long, formal rooms and seat larger numbers with ease.
- Round and oval tables soften square rooms and keep everyone in the conversation.
- Pedestal bases free up legroom, so you can fit an extra chair without anyone straddling a leg.
Choosing Materials That Last
A dining table works harder than any other surface in the house, so the finish matters as much as the look. Figured veneers such as Macassar Ebony, Sycamore and Burr Walnut bring depth and movement, while a protective lacquer keeps them looking their best through years of family dinners.
Ask About the Details
Edges, inlays and metal accents are where a bespoke piece shows its quality. A Hamilton dining table in dark tinted oak with brushed brass feels entirely different to the same form in a paler timber.
“The right dining table should feel inevitable in its room, as though the whole space was designed around it.”
Pairing Chairs With Your Table
Chairs are the part of the dining room you actually touch, so comfort should lead. Check that there is around 30cm between the seat and the underside of the table, and allow roughly 60cm of table edge for each person.
- Upholstered chairs such as the Hartley dining chair add warmth and soften the acoustics of the room.
- Carvers at each end give the table a sense of occasion.
- A statement chair at the head with quieter side chairs keeps the look relaxed.
Why Go Bespoke?
A made-to-order table can be sized to the centimetre, finished to match existing joinery and built around the way you really live. It is the difference between a table that fits and one that belongs.
- Share your room plan and how many people you want to seat.
- Choose your form, timber and metal finish with our design team.
- Approve drawings and samples before anything is made.
Explore the Elystan, Grace and Paris dining tables for inspiration, or get in touch to start a commission. For fitted pieces, see our bespoke joinery.
