Glossary – Find the Best Dining Room Furniture

Looking for the best dining room furniture? It helps to know precisely what you're looking for. Most people are quite familiar with dining room tables and chairs, but there are several accessories, styles and manufacturing materials that leave potential consumers confused about what might offer the best fit to a dining room space and design scheme.

Contemporary/Modern Dining Room Furniture

Most often minimalistic in design, modern/contemporary dining room furniture generally parallels the latest home interior trends, offer few frills, few customizable looks and present lightweight manufacturing materials. Generally, the differing models come in several colors, with many chair and accessory options to complement the dining set. Depending on your desire, lifestyle and home interior design, this may serve as the best dining room furniture option.

Casual Dining Room Furniture

Often used as a 2nd table option in a kitchen, lounge or den space, casual dining room furniture offers an intimate dining or conversational experience. Devoid of pretension, casual dining room furniture fits well into most homes that are designed for comfort over lavish style.

Traditional Dining Room Furniture

Boasting accessories, and fine craftsmanship in the details, these wood constructed dining room sets are most often made from hardwoods, possess substance and style, while lending themselves to a more formal dining experience. Generally, wood finishes are dark, chairs are upholstered and detailed with arms and fabric accessories. Think late 18th century dining sets from contemporary furniture manufacturers.

Hybrid/Transitional Dining Room Furniture

A cross between contemporary, traditional and casual dining room options. Many tables are capable of expanding to accommodate additional guests, or can offer an intimate place setting for 2-4. There are many designs in transitional furniture, making it one of the best dining room furniture options for many individuals, couples and families.

Ranch and Farmhouse Dining Room Furniture

In a word—charming. Generally made of pine or oak, left unfinished, clear-coated or painted, contemporary manufacturers often distress the wood, giving it an antique look and feel. Low maintenance, built for comfort and accessibility.

Tropical/Beach Style Dining Room Furniture

Lightweight, and often made of wicker or low tensile woods, this dining room furniture style is great for sun rooms, or open air patios in the appropriate external environment.

Rustic Dining Room Furniture

Boasting a heavy look and feel, rustic dining room furniture is designed with hard lines and angles. Most often, rustic furniture possesses a thickness in the tabletop and table legs. Chairs are also simplistic in design. Such a dining room set is great for log cabins, as well as open, mortise and tenon home structures.

Breakfast Nooks

For smaller spaces, a breakfast nook can often help maximize space. Most nooks provide an L-Shaped booth-type bench with a back, a table, and a portable bench for the third side of the table. Generally manufactured in oak or pine, there are many sizes and designs to choose from.

Dining Room Hutch/Buffet

Considered by most manufacturers a buffet hutch, these dining room accessories come in all shapes, sizes and styles, and provide storage space as well as serving capabilities.