The Best Dining Tables for an Open-Plan Kitchen-Diner

The best dining tables for an open plan kitchen diner combine a hardwearing surface, a shape that keeps walkways clear and a style that bridges the kitchen and living areas. For many homes that means an oval or rectangular table with rounded corners in wood, sintered stone or high gloss, sized for everyday use and preferably extendable for guests. Open plan rooms ask more of a dining table than a separate dining room does, because it sits on show at all times, gets used throughout the day and must relate to kitchen cabinetry, worktops and sofas at once. In this guide we look at how to choose the right material, shape and size, where to position the table in relation to the island and the garden doors, and how to use lighting, rugs and chairs to define a dining zone. We also cover common layouts found in UK kitchen extensions and knocked through terraces, with practical advice for each....