Even though many of us are increasingly rare to use the dining room to sit and have meals together, we still expect a lot from dining tables and chairs. This is especially true at this time of year when holidays often bring many guests. We want a place to accommodate family and friends comfortably, with plenty of space to serve food and snacks. We want a table that is stable, with support posts, or well-placed legs, so we can use it without worrying about unwanted incidents.

Chairs in the dining room should also be comfortable for long conversations and they don’t creak or sound as if their legs are about to break. And they should be able to be pulled comfortably close to the table without bumping our thighs.

Everyone wants the table surface to be strong enough to hold lots of food provided by family and friends, and not easily affected by sharp cutlery, hot casseroles, candles, spilled milk, and other things that might happen at the dining table.

If we live in a small space, we also want versatility, with a table that can expand to accommodate multiple people, then fold or slide together when dinner is over, turning into a sleek console or compact table.

Besides all that, we all want our dining tables and chairs to look good, be shaped, and be able to fit into rectangular or square rooms, or that are part of a larger room. They should be a stylish companion that matches the surrounding furnishings, whether a china cabinet, credenza, or entertainment center.

A lot goes into such basic furnishings, and not surprisingly, dining tables and chairs can represent a large financial investment.

–sh