Choosing Materials for your Dining Room Furniture

Dining room furniture is made of various materials.  Wood, of course, is still the primary material used.  However, as new manufacturers have erupted in the industry, new ideas were incorporated.  This led to innovations in creating dining furniture.

Here is a review of the materials used in producing dining room furniture.

The oldest and universal material used for any furniture is Wood.  Oak, mahogany, pine, teak are just some of the types of wood used.

Positive aspects:

• matures with the time and scratches fade away in general
• sturdy, hardwearing and resilient
• has germ-fighting features particularly the unrefined type
• finishing can be done in various forms

Negative aspects:

• some wood types are heavy making it difficult to transfer furniture from one area to another
• costlier especially the good quality ones
• can get disfigured

Looking like wood is Veneer.   

Positive aspects: 

• costs lesser than wood
• unlikely to be deformed
• liquid resistant
• varied styles

Negative aspects:

• shorter life span and easily breaks off at its borders

A common material used for contemporary furniture is Glass.

Positive aspects:

• reflects light making a room to look bigger and livelier
• fashionable and modern
• matches any types of furniture
• heat and scratch resistant
• easy to clean

Negative aspects:

• pose danger for its sharp edges
• collects dust and dirt

Another modern material used for dining room furniture is Plastic.  The plastic material used is not the ordinary thing that you know, as technology has improved its quality.

Positive aspects:

• cheaper than other types of furniture materials
• easy to clean and durable
• available in a myriad of styles, colors and finishing

Negative aspects:

• becomes yellowish in the long run
• intolerable to heat
• scratches cannot be repaired

Wicker is another material used for dining room fitment. Tropical liana rattan or willow sticks are used for these types.   They are actually created from wood with the addition of wick elements.  This combination makes them easier to decorate, cheaper and most of all, durable.

Modern dining furniture is also made of Fabrics or Leather.  This pertains to the seat where leather or fabric is used.  This offers more convenience and is available in different colors.  Fabrics can also be available in different patterns.  Leather may be expensive than fabric but is more durable.  The good thing about these two materials is that they are both easy to clean.

The above information can assist you in your choice.  Remember, however, to include your preference, the people who will use it and your purpose on buying the dining room furniture.

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Child-Friendly Dining Room Furniture

Although it is important to look into the aesthetics of furniture, it is more essential to check its quality.  This is especially true if you have children, as you need to assure that the furniture is safe for their use.

Here are some elements that you need to include in your list when buying child-friendly dining room furniture.

Select materials that are child-friendly.  Children are known to play wherever they are.  They create a lot of mess and your furniture will not be spared from this.  When they eat, expect a lot of crumbs falling on the table and chairs.  They would even wipe their dirty hands on the table and chairs to your dismay.  Spills are also to be expected, which can leave permanent blotches on your furniture.  Therefore, choose furniture materials that are easy to clean.  Lacquer wood is an excellent choice since they are stain resistant.  If you want your dining chairs to have upholstery, then choose leather.  They are resistant to stains and dirt and easier to clean.

Get good quality materials so they can withstand the “beatings” of your children.  Materials must be sturdy.  Examine them well.  Pay extra attention to their screw, bolt, nuts and hinges.

Do not select dining room furniture that has sharp edges and corners.  This will only injure your children.  Plastic furniture would be a good choice.  They come in different designs, styles and colors that children would love.  However, choose those that are good quality plastics.  You can also buy furniture made of metal but put cushions to make them comfortable as these are hard materials.

Use vinyl covers for your furniture.  Vinyl will safeguard your dining room furniture from scratches and smears.  They also thwart your furniture from making any squeaky noise. 

Choose upholstered furniture.  Children love to seat on soft and comfy chairs.  A wooden chair makes them uneasy as well as a metal one.  This causes them to fidget all the time when seated.  A good cushion will prevent them for turning around and will keep them in place.  The upholstery will also prevent your furniture from gathering dirt.  Nonetheless, choose materials that are easy to maintain such as fabrics or leather.

Use furniture covers as these also safeguard your furniture from dust.  Using them will lessen your cleaning time.  Choose stain resistant and easy to wash furniture covers.

Your children’s safety must be given priority.  Do not just choose furniture because of it chic style and designs.  Settle for those that are not harmful or damaging for your children.

Clean Your Dining Room to Keep Furniture Longer

One of the rooms in the home that can be full of mess is the dining room especially if there are children around.  Spills cannot be avoided which can trickle on the chair onto your floor.  Food crumbs can also fall off on your floors and can leave sticky marks on both the dining table and floors when not attended to immediately.  The inability to do regular cleaning in the dining room can make it look disastrous.

Adding to the spills and food crumbs are other items that are left on the dining table and chairs such as books, magazines, pens, papers, dress accessories, etc.   These things are left especially if the dining table is used to finish some office work, make homework, or projects in school.

To put order in your dining area, you need to observe cleanliness procedures strictly.

Give your dining room a regular cleaning.   Pay attention to air ducts and change old air unit or air heating filters.  To decrease the entry of dust, close your window.  Change your curtains twice a week or once a month.  Door entrances must have doormats to let people coming in to wipe their shoes on it.  Give your 

vacuum a regular vacuuming to reduce dust.

Wipe off drips and spills immediately, as they are harder to remove when they have hardened.  The marks left by the spills are also damaging to the furniture.  Mix a few amount of soap in lukewarm water to clear them off the dining tables and chairs.  On the other hand, make use of a good quality carpet and upholstery cleaner for cushions and rugs.

Dust your ceiling fan’s blades habitually.  Use a mixture of soap and tepid water to wash them.  If they are made of wood, use a good furniture polish.

Do not wait for another before cleaning your dining table.  Make it a habit to clean it after every meal and include the chairs.  This will eliminate food crumbs to stick on your furniture.   Buffet table, shelves and cabinets can be cleaned when storing your hand towels and table linens.  When you clean your living room floors, include your dining floors, too.

Assign tasks to each member of the family.  This will make cleaning easier, systematic and at the same time will make each family member to be more responsible.

Maximize the Use of Your Buffet Table

Having a buffet table can prove to be a wise furniture investment.   It does not only function as a decorative piece.  You can use it as a dining table on casual occasions and on big gatherings.

Ways to maximize the use of your buffet table

Use your buffet table as your main dining table for small gatherings.  Just have additional chairs for your visitors.

Buffet tables are usually long, so you can use it as a service table during parties.  You can display the different food you have to offer from appetizers to the viands, deserts and drinks.  Your guests will take pleasure in choosing the food that they want since it is all there on the table.

It can be your accent wall in the dining room.  You can have an impressive table runner on its top or put a flower arrangement.   Have some floating or scented candles on one side and light them while having dinner with a small group of friends.  Let the scented candle stand on a stylish glass or on its own if it has attractive decorations.  Even your family can enjoy this candlelight dinner every 2 weeks or once a month.  This will change the usual dining atmosphere that you normally have.  

Modern buffet tables are made with the combination of wood and glass.  Hence, it is an excellent unit to display your dining ware.

Make use of your buffet table’s shelves, drawers and cabinets.  Put your china, silver and dinnerware in order in your buffet table’s shelves.   Keep your napkins, table runners, knives, placemats and serving spoons in the drawers.  

With the varied sizes of buffet tables these days, you can be certain that there is one suitable for your home.  Get one for your dining room now and you will have no regrets.  It is one of those dual-purposes furniture. 

Materials for Dining Room Furniture: Pick Your Choice

When buying furniture for the home, it is practical to put some important factors. One of these is the budget because much as we wanted a specific kind of furniture but if we cannot afford it, then it is not a wise decision to still insist on buying the said fixture. Therefore, if we want our furniture to last longer, we should look into the details of the materials used for it.



The design and style may be lavish but if the material is not of good quality, there is no reason for you to buy it. Let us take a look at dining room furniture. These pieces of fitments must be sturdy especially if you have children around. Not only are they regularly used for dining; they are also used for small conversations, doing homework or office work, etc.



There are different materials used for dining room furniture. Let us go through each of them and list down their good sides and bad sides.



The common material used for dining room furniture is wood. So what is in the wood that makes it a good choice? Resilient and tough, it ages with the time and blemishes or scratches can be removed by repainting it. It has attributes that can defy bacteria and offers a wider selection of finishing. On the other hand, the bad sides of wood are it is heavy making it hard to relocate and pricey particularly the superior kind of wood.



Another type of material used for dining room furniture is veneer, which looks like wood. Among its good sides are it is cheap, can resist drips or fluids and has a variety of styles. However, it is not as enduring as wood, as it is inclined to detach at its ends.



There is also the dining room furniture made of glass. A big concern of most homeowners with glass fitment is its safety. Dining room furniture made of glass materials is modern and chic. It can create an illusion of bigness especially for a small space, as it mirrors the light. It is also heat and scratch resistant and easy to maintain. Its bad sides include the sharp edges and it collects dust easily.



You can also have plastic furniture for your dining room. They are not exclusive to fast food chains anymore since they have been given a new look that is suitable for the home. Furniture made of plastic is strong and easy to maintain, has a myriad of colors, patterns and finishing and most of all, it is cheap. Nevertheless, they turn yellow once they age, blemishes are hard to remove or repair and it cannot be exposed directly to the sun.



Some dining room furniture has cushions made of leather or fabric. Just make sure that the leather is of good quality. Both materials are easy to clean though.

Lastly, you can use furniture made of wicker. These are strong, durable and easy on the pocket.

You can pick your choice from the above selections; but always remember to blend the furniture with your dining room theme.

Easy Cleaning Tips To Keep Your Dining Room Clean

Blame it on the modern times, which give us lesser occasions to clean the home. The daily rush to the office, getting our hands full with errands and other things to do seem endless that we neglect the most important thing our home needs – cleaning.



It may be that the living room and bedroom do not get a lot of mess; however, the dining room and kitchen are areas where tidying is needed the most.

If you feel like you are up to your head with other tasks, try these easy cleaning tips to keep your dining room clean.



A systematic and organized dining room is easier to manage. What do you mean organize? The dining room sees so much clutter. Stuffs like papers, bills, books, pens and other school or office items are mixed together with dining ware, food and kitchenware. Coming from work and seeing this can make you feel dizzy and can cause you headaches.



The best way to do this is to remove all of this mess by returning these stuffs in their proper places. However, this will take much of your time, hopping from the dining room to your living room or study room. Make it easier for you by having a shelf right in your dining room. It does not need to be a big one, just enough to store these items.



A buffet hutch will serve this purpose. It has shelves and drawers where you can store dining ware in an orderly manner. Likewise, books can also be kept in one of the shelves. A magazine rack can also be placed in a corner for easy use.



Filters in the heating and air units must be regularly changed. Air ducts must be cleaned, too. Open just a few windows and when necessary. Change curtains regularly, as they are good dust collectors. Have a mat on each door where everyone can wipe their feet prior to entering the room. Your rug or carpet must be vacuumed regularly, too.

The fan’s blades collect most of the dust from the ceiling. Habitually clean it with warm water mixed with a little soap. On the other hand, use furniture polish if the blades are made of wood.



Drips and spills must not be left even just for a second. They must be wiped at that very instant. They can damage your dining furniture if it will be left to dry on the furniture so take care that these are attended to right away. Again, a mixture of warm water and soap can remove them. Those that have left a mark can be washed by using a superior upholstery cleaner.

Make the habit of wiping the dining table after every meal. Try to squeeze in that few minutes to clean the whole table and chairs. Give your buffet a wipe while putting away your table napkins, cloth and chinaware. Likewise, if you have just finish vacuuming the living room, go straight to the dining room – it is not much of a task anyway.



Doing bits and pieces of cleaning can lessen the bulk of dirt and clutter in the dining room. Once you get accustomed to it, then you will find cleaning the dining room a very easy job.

Making the Right Choice for a Dining Table

There are a lot of factors to consider when buying a dining table. You have to make sure if it fits the size of your dining room, if it suits the shape of the area, and if it complements the look of the other furniture in the dining room. You also need to bear in mind the number of people who usually dine in the room. If you have a small family then you may not need a large dining table but if you often entertain guests, you may have to acquire a larger one to accommodate all of them.



You will know if there is enough space in the dining room if there is a standard 32 inches span between the wall and your dining chair. With this, people will have enough space to move and walk around the dining room. This will also be enough for the person sitting to move his chair forward and backward. A standard 28 inches should be allotted for elbow space between the people sitting so they would not bump with one another while dining. This will not restrict their movements because of limited space.



You have to follow the shape of your dining room when choosing your dining table. If your room is rectangular in shape, then a rectangular dining table is most suited. If you have a bigger dining room, you may acquire a round dining table which takes up much space. For more private dinners, a square dining table is more preferable.

However, square dining tables will only provide a small seating capacity. This will only suit a small dining room for a small family. If you often host parties, a square dining table will not fit your needs. Better buy a buffet to accommodate your guests.



A buffet is perfect for serving a large number of people. It sits 8 to 10 persons or more. They may be used as a dining table where all your guests gather together on a single table. Food and drinks may also be served here and utilized as a self-service area. Buffets are also great storage areas for your dinner ware, napkins, utensils and other dining material.



Round dining tables are great for more sociable gatherings. Guests would be able to converse easily with one another. Oval dining tables do not take up much space but are rather unceremonious for parties. Both tables are fit for large dining rooms and large families.

Contemporary dining rooms must have modern dining tables while traditional dining rooms require conventional dining tables. Your dining table must complement the style, color, and mood of your dining room. If your furniture is mostly wood, acquire a wooden dining table.

Your dining table is a vital part of your dining room. It is the focal point of the room and therefore must look good. However, do not sacrifice the comfort you deserve from it. Make sure that it serves its purposes well. Choose sturdy and durable materials.

Use Your Furniture to Maximize Dining Room Space

It has been a growing trend of today to live in rather smaller houses. This goes true to people who live on their own, or with their partner, or with a small family. Some even opt for condos and apartments rather than houses which is also a way to save more money than buying a house and lot. With the small space though, people often experience problems as to how they would design their dining rooms. They think that normal furniture would not fit the limited amount of space. But there have been innovation on furniture which save space and are especially made for small dining rooms.

You can put a variety of materials to furnish your dining room and make it seem bigger than its actual size.



Mirrors are very effective for this purpose. With them reflecting light in the room, more can be seen and appreciated. You could also put them in front of each other so they reflect the image of the parts of your room. This way people would not notice how small the room is. They would be under the spell of this simple illusion.

Short curtains are also effective measures especially if they are of light shades. Dark-colored curtains will only emphasize the small space of your dining room.

Avoid having much clutter in your room. Do not put many decors such as vases and figurines which take up a lot of space in the room. It is a must to buy the most important items only.



Your table should fit the size and suit the shape of the room. If the room has four corners and is more like a box, a square table best fits this room. A rectangular room should have a rectangular table not a square one because having the latter would result to too much space being occupied.



For really small dining rooms, opt for a round table with a single leg base so more chairs could be placed and to have more area for the feet and other things you may want to put on the floor.

Disregard the use of chairs with armrests. They are wider and will occupy more space than those without arms. It is better to have armless chairs instead. Put cushions and pads which you can tie on the chair for a more comfortable dining experience.



Get yourself a small buffet table. The buffet tables of today are now incorporated with drawers and shelves so you would have more storage areas for you china and dining ware. They will also serve the purpose of a party table whenever you entertain your guests and host parties.



For condos, foldable furniture is the fashion. They really save up a lot of space and add to the smart look of your room.

Plan the look of your dining room carefully. Remember that you want it to look good and be purposeful at the same time.