• 10 Years of Trust

    Trust Liam Hardman's expertise: Over a decade in the handmade furniture industry, ensuring quality and reliability. Our business is regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority for your peace of mind.

  • 60 Day Money Back Guarantee

    Enjoy our hassle-free return policy: return standard items up to 60 days after delivery for free.

  • 5 Year Guarantee

    Our products are built for you to enjoy for generations. But we've got you covered - just in case; so each piece comes with a 5 year warranty.

  • Custom Made Your Way

    We can build your dream piece just how you want it. Every aspect of the design can be customised. Just get in touch to start your design project with our experianced team

  • Free Shipping & Returns

    We ship your furniture free of charge. We can also assemble your item on arrival and remove the packaging (extra charge applies). Additionally, returning your item is also free.

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Hardman Design can build your dream piece, You will be involved throughout the production process and your unique piece will be manufactured in a material, design, and size for an individual look and an exclusive finish.

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Custom Made Furniture | FAQ

What Is The Process Of Ordering Custom Made Furniture From Hardman Design?
What Is The Lead Time On A Custom Made Piece Of Furniture?
Which Pieces Of Furniture Can Hardman Design Custom Build?
Which materials can be used in a Hardman Design Custom Build Piece Of Furniture?
What type of oil is used to finish off a Hardman Design piece?
Does My Custom Built Piece Come With A Warranty?
Does my custom made piece come flat packed or ready built?

Size Guide:

So, you want to buy a dining table. It might sound obvious, but one of the most important things to consider is the size of your desired piece, and how it will look in your room.

There are numerous factors which can shape your decision, such as the size of your space, the positioning of your table, how much space the legs take up and where they are positioned, and how you plan to use your table - from small family meals to large social gatherings.

It’s certainly not a decision which should be taken lightly; picking the right dimensions is fundamental to creating the best visual and practical balance for your room.

The Size Of Your Dining Table: Number Of Seats

One of the biggest considerations is knowing how many people will generally be sitting around your table, and how many seats you want to accommodate.

As a general rule of thumb, these are the rough sizes depending on the number of seats:

2 Seater

4 Seater

6 Seater

8 Seater

10 Seater

12 Seater
Minimum 24 x 28 inches Minimum 47 x 28 inches Minimum 71 x 32 inches Minimum 87 x 35 inches Minimum 106 x 35 inches Minimum 130 x 35 inches

A rectangular table can also be a versatile solution within a room, looking great against a wall or window, or taking pride of place in the centre of a room.

Rectangular tables tend to have their legs positioned on the four corners - instead of in the middle like many circular tables - helping to give each diner more comfortable leg room underneath the table.

Generally speaking, a standard table is 27.95 to 29.92 inches in height, so when it comes to seating, opt for a chair or bench from around 16.93 to 22.83 inches from floor to seat.

Choosing The Right Size Table For Your Room

Knowing how the table will fit in in your room is another key consideration. For instance, how it will work in relation to other pieces of furniture, its proximity to doorways and walls, and allowing enough passing space.

As a general rule of thumb, you will need a minimum of 30 to 36 inches (76cm) for clearance space, measured from the nearest obstruction - whether it be a wall, door, window or furniture - to your chairs.

Where relevant, allow 120cm square for an entrance or doorway. If you’re putting your table into an open-plan area, this isn’t something to factor in.

To ensure you do not choose a dining table size that is too small, don’t leave more than 6ft (183cm) from the edge of the room, at least on one side.

How To Estimate The Size Of Your Dining Table

Perhaps one of the best ways of selecting the most appropriate-sized dining table for your room is mocking up how your furniture will look. This will really help you experience the feel of your table and how it will work in your space.

There are a number of ways that this can be done, including using masking tape or cardboard to replicate the size of your desired table.

For a more complete picture, you can even fill this space with books/newspaper to gauge the height and mass of the table.

Aside from recreating the look and size of your table, you can also map out the room to scale on paper, including walls, walkways and other furniture.

It is important that you don’t just measure the size of your table; instead, think about how it will work in practice. Questions you need to be asking include, have I left enough room for doorways and drawers to open? Have people got enough space to push their chairs out? Can they walk behind pushed-out chairs?

This type of planning will create a clearer picture and help ensure you select the right-sized table for both the look and functionality of your space.  

Extendable Dining Tables

Extendable dining tables are a great option.

In fact, this type of furniture has enjoyed something of a revival in recent times.

And when looking at the benefits, it is easy to understand why extendable dining tables are en vogue.

Highlights include:

  • Dynamic Use Of Space: One of the biggest advantages of an extendable dining table is its dynamic change in size, starting in a smaller form before easily increasing in size, when needed. This functionality is a big space saver and means that a larger dining table does not dominate your room; but can be expanded, when needed, and can be easily put back to its original form. Of course, take the size of the extension into consideration when deciding which option to go for, and factor this into any measurements pre-purchase.
  • Plenty of space: Hosting a social gathering or entertaining extra family members? Then extend your table for extra space. And that’s the great thing about this type of furniture, extending dining tables enable you to expand the table when you need a couple of extra seats. And the dynamic increase in space isn’t only beneficial for meal times or gatherings. It can also be useful for other functions, such as if you require your table to double up as a desk as part of a home office, or if the kids need extra space for homework/hobbies.
  • Available in different sizes: Hardman Design’s extendable tables are available in a range of sizes, providing you with plenty of versatility. When picking the size, consider how many you want to seat and how often you are likely to extend the table. For instance, our Mira Dining Table can have extension leaves of 60cm or 70cm - or can be custom built - so the size of the extension depends on your needs and your space.
  • Beauty: Extendable Dining Tables are attractive additions to the house. Typically, the leaves or extension panels are either hidden within the fabric of the table, or can be added by sliding the leaves into place at each end of the table. This is certainly the case with Hardman Design’s extendable dining tables. What’s more, our signature collection tables can be built to convert into an extendable table, ensuring you benefit from the aesthetic beauty of our handcrafted, best-selling pieces, as well as the functionality of an extending dining table.

How To Choose The Right Sized Dining Table - Summary

Selecting the best-sized table takes some well thought-out planning, considering how you plan to use it and the space you wish to place it in.

But with some quick calculations before purchase, you can ensure you choose the correct piece which really sets off your room and becomes an important focal point of your house.

View Hardman Design’s dining table collection, with all pieces handcrafted from locally-sourced and sustainable materials. Each item can also be custom made to provide you with a bespoke solution for your needs.

Alternatively, contact us to speak to our team for some advice.

Best Wood For Dining Tables

At Hardman Design, we take pride in building handmade quality dining tables from locally-sourced and sustainable wood. 

Our furniture is most commonly crafted from oak, walnut, and ash, although we do custom-made pieces, too.

These three natural wood types are quality choices in their own right - combining strength with gorgeous aesthetics - but which one is best suited to your needs?

It is an important question. After all, a dining table is a big purchase: a long-term investment, a focal point of your dining room or kitchen, and a gathering spot for your family and friends.

To help you decide, this blog explores the unique characteristics of oak, walnut and Ash.  

Oak

Classic, strong, versatile, and naturally beautiful - you can’t go wrong with oak.

This renowned wood has long been associated with use around the home, dating back many centuries, and is just as popular today.

As such, oak’s timeless nature looks as comfortable in contemporary settings as it does in traditional décor.

Durability

One of oak’s most distinguishing features is its durability; renowned for its strength and resistance to decay, liquids, heat, and surface blemishes. These characteristics make it a firm favourite, especially for people looking for a long-term investment. Oak is also a particularly good choice for families, and ensures maintenance is minimal.

Oak’s durability is a result of the trees’ slow growth, making the wood extremely dense, adding to its quality. 

In fact, oak performs well in the Janka hardness test, which charts the resistance of different wood types to denting and wear. Or to be more specific, it measures the force required to partially embed a small steel ball into the sample of wood. 

The results of this test show that oak is more resistant than woods such as walnut, teak, and cherry.  

Colour

Natural oak can take on virtually any hue, from light beige and yellow through brown and red. This colour diversity makes it easier to match the colour palette of your dining room and kitchen.

Over time, oak pieces have a tendency to change colour, adopting more darker, amber tones. This is caused by exposure to oxygen and UV light. However, this shift is subtle, and can, in fact add to the character of the piece and even enhance its appearance over time. Depending on your preference, we can apply a UV protection finish to our oak tables, when requested.

Hardman Design also builds smoked oak tables, such as the Carolina Smoked Oak dining table. We use a special manufacturing process to fume the oak; causing it to darken and draw out the rich detail of the grain.

Finish

Thanks to its natural beauty and hard-wearing nature, oak is gorgeous in its natural state, especially with character pieces filled with knots.

However, oak’s light tones make it great for adding a variety of finishes; whether that is stained or with a clear, natural finish. This makes it ideal for both modern and traditional furniture. 

Grain And Detailing

Oak has a swirling or striped grain. It also rates as open-pored, as it has wide, large cells, and many pores.

Oak can vary in detailing, with wild oak, for instance, having plenty of knots in varying sizes.

Eco-friendly

Oak trees grow in abundance, with around 450 species worldwide. Oak wood is generally considered to be an eco-friendly furniture choice because it is durable and long-lasting, helping to prolong its usability and keeping it out of landfills.

Hardman Design has also committed to a tree planting campaign, to ensure sustainability, and we use locally-sourced wood, where possible.

View the Hardman Design oak dining table range.

Walnut

Walnut is one of the most highly-sought after types of wood; prized by woodworkers and revered by fine furniture lovers.

Indeed, walnut adds a touch of class and style to any décor, and as such, it generally comes with a higher price tag.

Its strength, grain, and rich tapestry of colours make it a popular choice.  

Hardman Design handcrafts its furniture from two types of walnut, European walnut and American walnut. 

Durability

Walnut is a strong, hard and durable wood that carves well and holds a good shape for much longer. This makes it ideal for statement furniture that requires a high level of craftsmanship. 

Both North American Walnut and European walnut are more durable than cherry, but not quite as resistant to denting and wear and tear as hard ash or white oak, for instance.

Colour

One of the most distinguishing features of walnut is its vast and textured colour palette, stretching from light brown to dark chocolate. American walnut tends to have a darker, richer colour, while European walnut is lighter in tone, sometimes interspersed with wisps of delicious blonde, cream, or yellow, and the occasional note of red.

The middle of the walnut tree (known as the heartwood) produces the darker wood and the outer layer of the tree, just beneath the bark and known as the sapwood, produces the lighter wood.

The distinctive tones of walnut is perfect for making a statement and is ideal for a modern and contemporary look.

Finish

Walnut polishes to a very smooth finish.

A natural walnut piece is rarely stained, as this process tends to wash out the grain and remove bits of character. However, walnut furniture is more likely to receive a clear coat finish; such as a wax or oil.

The walnut tables handcrafted by Hardman Design tend to be finished with a matt hard wax oil. This enhances the natural colour of the wood, intensifying the walnut tones and drawing out the grain detail and the varying shades of brown.

Grain And Detailing

Walnut wood can be straight grained, but can also have waves or curls, helping to enhance the character of the piece and creating a lively, textured look. Our walnut tables tend to be handcrafted from wavey-grained wood. 

This beautiful grain pattern can be further enhanced by pairing it with furniture with clean lines or unique details. 

The grain pattern makes this the perfect choice for a room where the furniture can take the centre stage.

Eco-friendly

Walnut is ideal for investment pieces and furniture you want to stay in your family for generations; therefore reducing the burden on landfill.

That said, while not endangered, the number of walnut trees around the world has certainly reduced and they can take a century to mature. That’s why we select our walnut from local and sustainable sources.   

View the Hardman Design walnut dining table range.

Summary

Oak, walnut and elm are all great choices for a dining table, offering the perfect mix of durability and beauty. 

As all three for quality options, the type of wood you choose will likely come down to preference.

At Hardman Design, we involve you throughout the production process, including sending you samples of your preferred wood, to help ensure we build you the perfect table. For more information, contact us.

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About Hardman Design

Hardman Design: Since 2012

Founded in Berlin in 2012, Hardman embodies the rich heritage and craftsmanship of Liam's English roots. Growing up in a family of builders, designers, and carpenters, Liam honed his skills from a young age and mastered the art of handcrafting. This foundation in traditional craftsmanship, combined with a keen eye for design, formed the basis for Hardman's unique approach.

From the beginning, Hardman set the bar high in the German market, a place known for its demanding standards in design and production. Every step in Hardman's process—from the initial concept development to the final delivery—reflects a commitment to excellence. This ethos of precision and quality has become a hallmark of Hardman.

Inspired by diverse European influences, Hardman's journey mirrors Liam's own travels. After successful beginnings in Berlin, Hardman expanded to England in 2018, to France in 2020, and most recently to California in 2024. Each expansion brought new perspectives and ideas, enriching the brand's design philosophy.

For six years, Liam handcrafted every piece of Hardman furniture personally, embedding his passion and meticulous attention to detail in each creation. Since 2018, Hardman has worked with an experienced team of carpenters and metalworkers who continue to bring Liam's designs to life. This dedicated team, now numbering over 60 employees, maintains the high standards and authentic craftsmanship for which Hardman is known.

With Erika's arrival, a new chapter began for Hardman as she led the brand's launch in France and now in the USA. Together, Liam and Erika drive Hardman's growth, expanding its reach while staying true to their roots. Each piece of Hardman furniture is a testament to their shared dedication, offering a blend of German precision, British craftsmanship, and a welcoming touch that brightens every space it adorns.

Hardman Design Founders

Liam Hardman

Liam Hardman is an entrepreneur and the creative mind behind Hardman Design, a furniture design company that creates beautiful, high-quality pieces that are both functional and stylish. Liam's passion for design began at a young age, as he was raised in a family of builders and carpenters who instilled in him a love for craftsmanship and attention to detail.

After studying design, Liam moved to Berlin to immerse himself in the world of design and architecture. There, he fell in love with the principles of Bauhaus design, which emphasize simplicity, functionality, and clean lines. Inspired by this philosophy, Liam began creating his own furniture collection, combining traditional woodworking techniques with modern design elements.

Liam's commitment to quality and craftsmanship is evident in every piece he creates. He carefully selects the finest materials, from sustainably sourced wood to high-quality fittings, and personally oversees every step of the production process to ensure that each piece meets the highest standards.

What sets Hardman Design apart is Liam's dedication to creating pieces that are both beautiful and functional. Each piece is designed with the user in mind and is meant to be used and enjoyed for years. Whether it's a sleek and stylish coffee table or a comfortable and inviting sofa, each piece is crafted with the utmost care and attention to detail.

Today, Hardman Design is a thriving company with a loyal following of customers who appreciate the quality and beauty of Liam's work. But for Liam, the most rewarding part of his work is seeing his designs come to life and being enjoyed by people in their homes and offices.

Liam's passion for design and craftsmanship is evident in every aspect of his work, from the materials he selects to the care and attention he gives to every detail. He is a true artist and a visionary entrepreneur, and his work is a testament to the power of creativity and dedication.

Erika Hardman

Erika Hardman was born in Lithuania and grew up in a small town surrounded by lush forests. She was always fascinated by the beauty of nature and the power of the human spirit. Erika's interest in people and their behavior led her to earn a master's degree in psychology, which she completed with distinction.

After completing her studies, Erika embarked on a journey of exploration and discovery. She lived and worked in six different countries, immersing herself in new cultures and learning from the people she met. Erika's extensive travels and diverse experiences gave her a unique perspective on life and helped her develop a deep understanding of human nature.

Erika's professional career began in human resources, where she honed her skills in marketing and sales. She quickly became an expert in this field, helping companies around the world to find talent and foster their development. However, Erika always had a passion for art and design and spent much of her free time exploring this interest.

Erika's desire to help independent businesses grow was instilled in her at a young age, as she watched her family work tirelessly to build their small business. She saw firsthand the challenges they faced and the rewards that hard work and determination could bring. This inspired her to use her skills and knowledge to help other entrepreneurs succeed.

In 2021, during a trip through the Basque Country in France, Erika met Liam, a talented carpenter and owner of Hardman Design. She was immediately drawn to his passion for his craft and his dedication to his business. Erika saw an opportunity to combine her love for art and design with her expertise in marketing and sales to help Hardman Design reach new heights.

Today, Erika is an integral part of the Hardman Design team, working alongside Liam to create stunning, unique furniture pieces. Her unique perspective and expertise in marketing and sales have contributed to the company's growth and success, and she continues to use her talents to help other independent businesses thrive.

Erika's life is a testament to the power of hard work, determination, and a passion for helping others. Her journey has taken her around the world and provided her with valuable insights into human relationships. She is a true inspiration to those around her and a shining example of what can be achieved with a little perseverance and a lot of heart.

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