SOLVE CHRISTMAS DINING ISSUES BY THINKING AHEAD

Press release March 5, 2009 Homes & Gardens

Advice on what to look for when buying a dining table that will suit your every need by Karen Broderick resident trend watch expert at Harveys, the furniture store.

It's never too soon to start thinking about Christmas, particularly with furniture order times being anything up to 12 weeks for the most popular lines. With this in mind, Karen Broderick, trend watch expert at Harveys the furniture store, takes a look at the top things to consider when buying a new dining suite that will suit your every need.

Firstly, decide which room you would like the dining set to go in. If it is in your kitchen its style will probably be determined by your existing fittings. However, if the table will be in a dining room, you may have more flexibility.

Think about the maximum amount of people you will have seated round your table and choose one that is flexible to accommodate this number. Many large specialists now sell chairs that mix and match so you can buy enough chairs for your maximum number of guests and then if you buy them in a colour/style to match another room then you can store them away from your dining table.

At the same time as the number of people you will need to accommodate make sure that the table will fit in the room when it is fully extended. Good furniture websites will have all the dimensions quoted so it's easy for you to check before you purchase.

It's also worth thinking about how you will use your table. Hardwearing and wipe clean surfaces such as glass and veneered wood will be less likely to be damaged by a laptop and arts and crafts than a high gloss finish.

The material of the table and chairs can dramatically change the feel of a room. For instance, glass and white woods are great for creating a feeling of space and air in a smaller area.

And finally...think about how much you would like to spend. There is such a wide range available from home specialists such as Harveys, you will be sure to be able to find something that fits with your answers to the above questions.