Are You Ready to Host Thanksgiving?

With Thanksgiving fast approaching, you may be turning your attention to your dining room, imagining your family sitting around the table, enjoying a beautifully roasted turkey, and the loving company of each others’ company. In the next instant, you may be wondering if your table will seat everyone, if it will look the way you want it to, and ultimately wonder if this is the year you will finally replace your first Ikea dining table with one that you’d like to have your family sit around for years to come.

Thanksgiving Table Shop

But buying a dining table can feel like a daunting task, and let’s face it, it’s not an inexpensive investment. Because of this, it helps to first determine your budget, and then begin looking for the various types of materials and sizes fall within in it. You’ll be surprised how many options there are out there no matter how much you want to spend.

Once you have some idea about price, your next step—and probably the most crucial—is size. For many, the dining table will most be used by those who actually live in your house, and unless your family is the Brady Bunch, you may not need seating for 8 every night of the week. Depending on the size of your space, an extension dining table might be the right way to go. Most extension tables begin by seating 6 and then work their way up to an ample 10. An extension dining table gives you flexibility to use your dining space how you want to use it.

Of course, you may fall in love with unusual materials, like concrete or metal, most of which don’t offer an extension as an option. If this is the case for you, you should measure your space, and go with the largest option the room can afford. To do this, block off the measurements of the table, and then place chairs (or even empty boxes) to see how much room is left around the table. Remember, your tables will be pulled out to allow people to seat themselves, and extra room is necessary. Also take into account any other furniture you might have in the room, like sideboards or a bar cart. If you find that it’s feeling a bit cramped, go down a size.

You may end up having to go back and forth between a few different tables until you find one that’s the right size, and the right look, but in the end, the time and effort you give will be well worth it. Just imagine how you’ll feel on the next holiday, sitting around your beautiful new dining table.

Check out some of our favorite Dining Room Settings for Thanksgiving Dinner.