Welcome to the Vale Furnishers glass dining tables buying guide. This guide will give you an insight into the pros and cons of buying a glass dining table, and help you select the right one for your home. If you have further questions, please call us on 01252 325525 and we’ll be happy to help. Our complete collection of glass, wood, stone, ceramic and travertine dining tables can be viewed here: Dining Tables & Extending Dining Tables. So, let’s get stuck into the essential glass dining tables buying guide:
Clear creates space, coloured adds character, and if you’re looking for a coloured glass dining table, it means other materials like ceramic could be more appropriate.
How many people you need to accommodate around your table — and how often — helps determine whether you need a fixed or extendable dining table.
Glass dining tables are known for their versatility. A table with a glass top is well placed in traditional, vintage and contemporary interiors alike. Clear glass has the added advantage of working well with all decor themes and colours. So if your dining room is full of wood or lacquered furniture and you can’t find a dining table to match, a clear glass table is the perfect solution.
Still, if you’d like your dining table to match your room colour, opt for a frosted or lacquered glass top. Frosted glass means clear glass that has been acid etched or sandblasted to become translucent, and often comes in several colours. Lacquered glass is just clear glass with a coating of lacquer on its underside, and tends to come in even more colours.
Clear glass has the added advantage of working well with all decor themes and colours.
You might also consider a smoked glass table top. Smoked glass is transparent but with a dark grey hue, bringing a chic and sophisticated look to your home.
Apart from its aforementioned versatility, there are two further advantages of clear glass. The first is that being able to see through it gives the illusion that the table is hardly there, making your room appear larger and more airy. If your dining room is small or your kitchen and dining room are integrated, a glass dining table would really help maximise the space.
being able to see through it gives the illusion that the table is hardly there, making your room appear larger and more airy.
The second is that the reflective surface spreads light around your room and makes it brighter and fresher. Glass dining tables are therefore an excellent choice for rooms with few windows, or rooms decorated with deep, rich colours. Their reflective surface also helps to accent beautiful rugs and ornamental lamps.
A disadvantage of clear glass is that it can scratch. This is another reason why you might opt for frosted glass instead; scratches are much less obvious on frosted glass.
Clear glass will also show up dust, dirt and fingerprints and requires frequent cleaning. Again, frosted or lacquered glass will not show up fingerprints or dirt as obviously. Furthermore, glass dining tables are very easy to clean, and you don’t have to worry about food or wine staining the table. They just need wiping down, whereas a solid oak dining table is susceptible to stains and requires much more intensive maintenance.
A disadvantage of clear glass is that it can scratch. This is another reason why you might opt for frosted glass instead; scratches are much less obvious on frosted glass.
Glass is naturally not as strong as wood or stone, but most glass dining tables are now made from tempered glass. Tempered glass has been heat-treated to increase its strength and thermal shock resistance. It also means it won’t shatter if it does break, which is important if you have children.
Choosing a fixed or extendable glass dining table depends on both the space in your room and the number of diners you want to accommodate. If you sometimes cater for extended family or throw dinner parties for friends, you might prefer an extendable table. It’s an inherent space-saver, giving you back the space in your room when the table is no longer in use. Those who always need the extra space might find a large fixed dining table more appropriate.
Choosing a fixed or extendable glass dining table depends on both the space in your room and the number of diners you want to accommodate.
You’ll often find that an extension mechanism on a glass dining table is more interesting and innovative than on an oak dining table. Take a look at our wide range of Italian-made glass dining tables from Calligaris. Most are extendable and some have really striking and unusual mechanisms. A lot of people avoid buying extendable dining tables because of the extension mechanism, but Calligaris turn theirs into must-have features and visual spectacles.
If you’re looking for a characterful coloured glass dining table, you might be open to the option of a ceramic one instead. Like glass, ceramic dining tables have a reflective surface that spreads light around the room, brightens surroundings and highlights nearby objects. But unlike glass, ceramic tables are scratch-resistant. They’re generally more expensive than glass, but if you have lots of hustle and bustle in your household and you’re worried your table could get scratched, a ceramic table is certainly worth considering.
Various glass dining tables are displayed throughout our Ash Vale and Farnham showrooms, and even more can be viewed on our website. Our website has details on sizes, shapes, colours, mechanisms and finishes, and if you have any questions not covered in this glass dining tables buying guide, please feel free to give us a call on 01252 325525.
You might also benefit from an at-home consultation with a member of our Farnham-based interior design team. They will provide you with bespoke advice on what kind of dining table would best suit your home and complement your existing furniture.
If you have any questions on Tempered Glass Table. We will give the professional answers to your questions.