Dining table trends have changed more than any other furniture for the home in recent years. With changing lifestyles, demands, and needs, dining tables have seen a shift from perfunctory tables to ones that have a lot more personality. Today there’s more choice in shapes, colors, materials, and more, than ever.
The overarching interior design trends we’re seeing elsewhere in the home apply to the dining table, too. Softer, more fluid forms are a welcome addition to a dining room, where furniture has a tendency to fall back on boxy, rectangular designs, while bolder materials are also being embraced in design-forward projects.
With that in mind, we turned to our interior designer contact book for their thoughts on the dining table trends inspiring them right now.
10 DINING TABLE TRENDS 2023 TO WATCH OUT FOR
Of course, it’s not all about aesthetics. A dining table can be an expensive investment, so you will also need to take your time in your search to tick off the key criteria you hope the table will satisfy at home. ’Post pandemic, there is an increase in the number of people entertaining at home as we all try to reclaim the lost social opportunities of the last few years,’ say Pashmin and Satyajeet, founders of Amoeba Design. ‘While aesthetics play an important part, one of the most important dining room ideas we are seeing is increased versatility.’
‘The dining table also works as a study/work desk as needed. Eating together with family and friends is one of the most intimate experiences of our lives in any house. It bonds people together and becomes a place of extended conversations.’
The dining table is, undoubtedly, at the heart of this space, so how do you make this piece of furniture feel special?
1. CASUAL SET-UPS
Using benches alongside dining tables isn’t your typical formal set-up for a dining room. However, designers are turning to benches for this casual feeling they evoke in the design of big and small dining rooms alike.
‘What we observed recently was that benches are a great ‘democratizing’ piece of furniture; 75-year-olds would enjoy it as much as a 7-year-old would,’ says Barbora Vokac Taylor, founder of Barbora Vokac Taylor Architect Inc. ‘It makes for a wonderful experience during family gatherings and our clients really loved how it would instantly make for a more comfortable and casual atmosphere.’
‘Benches tend to lend a casual feeling to more formal spaces and easily transition dining areas into work tables for kids and adults alike to do some work around a communal table,’ says Barbora. ‘We like making all of the spaces in a home work a bit harder. The dining room can provide more than one function during the day, especially in more urban homes where space is at a premium.’
2. BOLD COLORS
Dining tables tend to live in neutral color palettes – whether it’s wood, marble or glass, the most common tabletop materials are subtle additions to your space. However, a new approach designers are taking with dining tables is to go unapologetic with color, making this piece the statement of the space.
For a luxe modern look, make sure you keep the surrounding dining room colors minimal and muted if you choose a bold and bright table, as this is the largest furniture piece in the room and has maximum visual impact.
3. SURFBOARD TABLES
Ovals, oblongs, pill-shapes, whatever you call them, these soft-edged, demi-rectangular are the go-to shape for modern designers. Rounded dining tables provide plenty of space to fit guests around, but visually seem to occupy less space because of their rounded corners.
‘Surfboard dining tables have been popular for some time now,’ says Brooklyn Brownstone designer Jarret Yoshida. ‘I think we’re all used to seeing a rectangular piece but given how dining rooms aren’t closed-off spaces anymore, the need is for pieces that make it easy to get around in the space. The rounded corners create less of a visual block. They also allow for comfortable end table positions which most oval dining tables do not allow.’
These types of tables are also well suited for homes that have small children or seniors. The rounded edges reduce accidents and offer softer surfaces for people to move around in. Round-edged tables, as opposed to rectangular tables with sharp edges, visually look less bulky
4. STRIPES
Tabletops aside, there’s also a growing popularity for alternative table bases creating sculptural forms, as seen in this dining room by interior designer Kelly Wearstler. The bold spherical legs give the furniture an eye-catching look, however, it’s the bold use of stripes that really sets this space apart.
We’re seeing stripes come through as a design trend across the home, from striped walls to textiles and wallpaper. Dining tables are perhaps the most unexpected instance of the trend, however, they’re a signature of Kelly’s style, while designers like Patricia Urquiola have re-imaged marble tables using bold stripes, and Brooklyn furniture brand Fort Standard has an incredible striped oak table set that’s sure to inspire.