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Trust Liam Hardman's expertise: Over a decade in the handmade furniture industry, ensuring quality and reliability. Our business is regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority for your peace of mind.
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Our products are built for you to enjoy for generations. But we've got you covered - just in case; so each piece comes with a 5 year warranty.
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Hardman Design can build your dream piece, You will be involved throughout the production process and your unique piece will be manufactured in a material, design, and size for an individual look and an exclusive finish.
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So, you want to buy a dining table. It might sound obvious, but one of the most important things to consider is the size of your desired piece, and how it will look in your room.
There are numerous factors which can shape your decision, such as the size of your space, the positioning of your table, how much space the legs take up and where they are positioned, and how you plan to use your table - from small family meals to large social gatherings.
It’s certainly not a decision which should be taken lightly; picking the right dimensions is fundamental to creating the best visual and practical balance for your room.
One of the biggest considerations is knowing how many people will generally be sitting around your table, and how many seats you want to accommodate.
As a general rule of thumb, these are the rough sizes depending on the number of seats:
2 Seater |
4 Seater |
6 Seater |
8 Seater |
10 Seater |
12 Seater |
Minimum 24 x 28 inches | Minimum 47 x 28 inches | Minimum 71 x 32 inches | Minimum 87 x 35 inches | Minimum 106 x 35 inches | Minimum 130 x 35 inches |
These dimensions are based on rectangular tables. Hardman Design’s dining tables are hand built in this shape, but we can custom-build tables for a bespoke shape, size and finish.
Rectangular tables have multiple benefits; great for their practicality, functionality and comfort.
A rectangle table generally fits well into the design of a room, and can typically accommodate more people and more space for dishes - especially compared to a circular table.
Benches, too, work well with a rectangular table and are a great idea to maximise this space, as they enable people to squeeze up, if necessary.
A rectangular table can also be a versatile solution within a room, looking great against a wall or window, or taking pride of place in the centre of a room.
Rectangular tables tend to have their legs positioned on the four corners - instead of in the middle like many circular tables - helping to give each diner more comfortable leg room underneath the table.
Generally speaking, a standard table is 27.95 to 29.92 inches in height, so when it comes to seating, opt for a chair or bench from around 16.93 to 22.83 inches from floor to seat.
Knowing how the table will fit in in your room is another key consideration. For instance, how it will work in relation to other pieces of furniture, its proximity to doorways and walls, and allowing enough passing space.
As a general rule of thumb, you will need a minimum of 30 to 36 inches (76cm) for clearance space, measured from the nearest obstruction - whether it be a wall, door, window or furniture - to your chairs.
Where relevant, allow 120cm square for an entrance or doorway. If you’re putting your table into an open-plan area, this isn’t something to factor in.
To ensure you do not choose a dining table size that is too small, don’t leave more than 6ft (183cm) from the edge of the room, at least on one side.
Perhaps one of the best ways of selecting the most appropriate-sized dining table for your room is mocking up how your furniture will look. This will really help you experience the feel of your table and how it will work in your space.
There are a number of ways that this can be done, including using masking tape or cardboard to replicate the size of your desired table.
For a more complete picture, you can even fill this space with books/newspaper to gauge the height and mass of the table.
Aside from recreating the look and size of your table, you can also map out the room to scale on paper, including walls, walkways and other furniture.
It is important that you don’t just measure the size of your table; instead, think about how it will work in practice. Questions you need to be asking include, have I left enough room for doorways and drawers to open? Have people got enough space to push their chairs out? Can they walk behind pushed-out chairs?
This type of planning will create a clearer picture and help ensure you select the right-sized table for both the look and functionality of your space.
Extendable dining tables are a great option.
In fact, this type of furniture has enjoyed something of a revival in recent times.
And when looking at the benefits, it is easy to understand why extendable dining tables are en vogue.
Highlights include:
Selecting the best-sized table takes some well thought-out planning, considering how you plan to use it and the space you wish to place it in.
But with some quick calculations before purchase, you can ensure you choose the correct piece which really sets off your room and becomes an important focal point of your house.
View Hardman Design’s dining table collection, with all pieces handcrafted from locally-sourced and sustainable materials. Each item can also be custom made to provide you with a bespoke solution for your needs.
Alternatively, contact us to speak to our team for some advice.
At Hardman Design, we take pride in building handmade quality dining tables from locally-sourced and sustainable wood.
Our furniture is most commonly crafted from oak, walnut, and ash, although we do custom-made pieces, too.
These three natural wood types are quality choices in their own right - combining strength with gorgeous aesthetics - but which one is best suited to your needs?
It is an important question. After all, a dining table is a big purchase: a long-term investment, a focal point of your dining room or kitchen, and a gathering spot for your family and friends.
To help you decide, this blog explores the unique characteristics of oak, walnut and Ash.
Oak is timeless, versatile, and naturally stunning, fitting seamlessly into both modern and traditional decor. Its long-standing popularity in home use highlights its enduring appeal.
Oak is a particularly good choice for families, and ensures maintenance is minimal.
Oak's notable durability, resulting from its dense growth, makes it ideal for long-term use, outperforming woods like walnut and cherry in resistance tests.
Oak's color range, from light beige to red, suits various décor styles. Its color deepens subtly over time, adding character. This is caused by exposure to oxygen and UV light. However, this shift is subtle, and can, in fact add to the character of the piece and even enhance its appearance over time. Depending on your preference, we can apply a UV protection finish to our oak tables, when requested.
Thanks to its natural beauty and hard-wearing nature, oak is gorgeous in its natural state, especially with character pieces filled with knots.
However, oak’s light tones make it great for adding a variety of finishes; whether that is stained or with a clear, natural finish. This makes it ideal for both modern and traditional furniture.
Oak has a swirling or striped grain. It also rates as open-pored, as it has wide, large cells, and many pores.
Oak can vary in detailing, with wild oak, for instance, having plenty of knots in varying sizes.
Walnut, known for its strength and rich colors, is a top choice for quality furniture. Hardman Design crafts furniture from European walnut, with American walnut available for custom requests.
Walnut is a strong, hard and durable wood that carves well and holds a good shape for much longer. This makes it ideal for statement furniture that requires a high level of craftsmanship.
One of the most distinguishing features of walnut is its vast and textured colour palette, stretching from light brown to dark chocolate. American walnut tends to have a darker, richer colour, while European walnut is lighter in tone, sometimes interspersed with wisps of delicious blonde, cream, or yellow, and the occasional note of red.
The middle of the walnut tree (known as the heartwood) produces the darker wood and the outer layer of the tree, just beneath the bark and known as the sapwood, produces the lighter wood.
The distinctive tones of walnut is perfect for making a statement and is ideal for a modern and contemporary look.
Walnut polishes to a very smooth finish.
The walnut tables handcrafted by Hardman Design tend to be finished with a matt hard wax oil. This enhances the natural colour of the wood, intensifying the walnut tones and drawing out the grain detail and the varying shades of brown.
Walnut wood can be straight grained, but can also have waves or curls, helping to enhance the character of the piece and creating a lively, textured look. Our walnut tables tend to be handcrafted from wavey-grained wood.
This beautiful grain pattern can be further enhanced by pairing it with furniture with clean lines or unique details.
The grain pattern makes this the perfect choice for a room where the furniture can take the centre stage.
3.94" x 3.94"
European White Oak
(Other materials can also be selected for customized products)
Ordering wood samples is a practical and worthwhile step when purchasing a new piece of furniture.
Reading this will help you navigate the initial steps to ordering your beautiful new piece of furniture. Here are some of the most frequently asked question from our clients.
All of our furniture can be customised in all offered wood sample and finishes. If the design you want isn't offered in a specific wood type or finish, just get in touch for a customised quote. Quotes are usually made and sent via email ion the same day.
Our wood samples provide the confidence you need when ordering a table, ensuring that your final purchase meets your expectations in terms of quality, aesthetics. Order your wood sample today and take the first step towards your dream table.