Two of the factors to consider when you are shopping for a new dining set is how much space you have in your home and how many people are in your family. Size really does matter; you don’t want a dining set that is too large for your room, especially when it’s only you and a spouse. Conversely, a small bistro set would be dwarfed in a large dining room and certainly wouldn’t accommodate a family with more than two children. Adding to the equation is the fact that most of us entertain guests at various times throughout the year, expanding the number of diners sitting down at the table. One way that many homeowners find perfect for accommodating all theses possibilities is using extension dining tables. Here are the facts you need to know as you consider purchasing a new dining set that extends the possibilities.

Think About the Ways You Use Your Dining Table

Whether you need seating for a couple or a large space for spreading out a project, extension dining tables such as this one fit the bill.

It is rare indeed to find a family that only uses their dining table to eat a meal. Often, the dining table also functions as a place for the kids to do homework, parents to pay bills or create crafting projects, family and friends to play games and more. It can be a good spot to wrap gifts, spread out a map, carve a pumpkin or dye Easter eggs. It’s easy to see that the “normal” size of your table will not accommodate everything you use it for. Extension dining tables to the rescue when you need additional space for dining with guests or for other uses.

Types of Extension Dining Tables

This Marie Island Extension Table uses butterfly leaves to save storage space.

There are three basic types of dining tables that allow to extend the available space: traditional leaves, butterfly leaves and drop leaves. Traditional leaves are solid pieces of matching wood that are inserted between the two halves of the table; there are often one or two leaves that allow you to choose the size. A butterfly leaf is much the same, only it folds in the middle. The big advantage of this design is that the leaves are self-stored in the table itself – no need to find extra space to store the leaves when not in use. Finally, a drop leaf table has hinged pieces on each side that can either be flipped up to extend the size or flipped down to make it more compact. These tables are traditionally round in shape.

Customize Your Extension Dining Table

This Isabella extension dining table features a gorgeous glass top and streamlined style.

Unlike the extension dining tables you may have shopped for in a big box furniture store, ours are highly customizable. We call this the “Selection Advantage.” Many of our extension dining tables are available in your choice of wood species and finish color. We even offer glass extension tables and you can select the color of the glass. Many are also available in your choice of height (pub or traditional) and some of the dining table bases can be customized. These are just a few of the ways you can transform a dining table into one that is uniquely yours.

Extension dining tables are a popular option for nearly anyone. Because they can take up as little or as much space as you need and want, they really open the possibilities for using them not just for dining, but for entertaining and all the other ways a dining table fits into your life.