How We Gather - Part 1: Setting the Table

Gathering doesn’t necessarily start at the dining table but it often finds its way there.

It’s the place where conversations stretch long after the plates have been cleared and where the moments in between courses sometimes become the most memorable. A well-designed dining space supports that naturally, blending comfort, flow, and beauty in a way that encourages people to linger.

Choosing the Right Table

Selecting a dining table is about so much more than the footprint of the room. It’s about how you live, how you host, and how the space interacts with the surrounding areas of your home.

A long rectangular table creates structure and encourages conversation along its length, especially for larger families or frequent entertainers. A round table, on the other hand, fosters closeness and eye contact. This is perfect for intimate dinners or smaller rooms where movement needs to remain fluid.

Expandable tables deserve their own moment. For many homes, a table with a leaf offers the best of both worlds: everyday comfort with the flexibility to stretch for holidays or gatherings. When we design a first floor, we often look ahead to these moments, ensuring there is concealed storage for leaves, room to extend the table without blocking pathways, and chairs that can be borrowed from an adjacent room without feeling like an afterthought.

Pulling Seating From Adjacent Spaces

One of our favorite ways to make a dining room work harder is to intentionally select multifunctional seating throughout the first floor. Beautifully upholstered chairs in the living room can double as a captain’s chair at each end of the table. Accent chairs chosen for the breakfast nook can be pulled in seamlessly when guests arrive.

These choices aren’t accidental, they are part of a holistic design plan that considers how a home actually functions when people gather. When the pieces speak to each other in style, proportion, and materiality, your home gains the ability to expand and contract around the people in it.

Built-ins, Banquettes & Storage That Supports Hosting

Thoughtful storage can transform how you entertain. Built-in cabinetry or a buffet along the dining room wall gives you a place for serveware, table linens, and seasonal dinnerware while also adding architectural interest to the room. Banquette seating can bring a sense of coziness, maximize seating, and add an elevated, bespoke touch that makes the dining experience feel special.

These additions support functionality and create a dining environment that feels effortlessly pulled together when hosting a gathering.

Elevating Your Table Setting

After a renovation, many clients feel inspired to refresh their dinnerware and serving pieces and we encourage it! When your home has been reimagined, your table deserves the same level of attention.

Curating a cohesive collection of dinnerware, linens, and serveware eliminates the familiar holiday scramble of mismatched plates and last-minute paper products. Instead, your table becomes an extension of the design itself: layered, intentional, and inviting.

Think natural textures in linens, a mix of ceramic and glass pieces for depth, and centerpieces that complement rather than compete. We love minimalistic candle holders, and thoughtful fresh floral arrangements. Candles are a lovely addition to any dinner party, creating a relaxed, intimate atmosphere. When selecting florals consider how they influence conversation across the table. We recommend an arrangement that sits low on the table and does interrupt eye-contact between those sitting across from each other.

The details matter, they tell your guests that this moment was created for them.

Takeaway

Gathering for a meal is a rhythm that happens throughout the home, but the table is where it naturally settles. With intentional furnishings, adaptable layouts, thoughtful storage, and a prepared collection of dinnerware and linens, your dining space becomes more than just a dining room, it becomes the setting for the memories you hope your guests carry with them.