Round vs. Rectangle Dining Tables: The Great Ontario Showdown.

Waterloo Harvest Table

When it comes to the heart of the home—no, not your dog’s bed in the sunniest corner—it’s your dining table. This sacred space is where spaghetti is flung, water is spilled, and those deep, post-dinner debates over whether pineapple belongs on pizza happen.

But if you're in the market for a new table (especially one proudly made right here in Ontario), you're probably facing one of humanity’s oldest and most heated dilemmas:

Round or Rectangle?

Ontario is known for a lot of things—beautiful forests, unpredictable weather, and being politely opinionated—but choosing the right table shape? That’s a uniquely Ontario domestic debate. Let’s break it down.

The Case for the Round Table: Peace, Love, and Elbow Bumping

There’s something timeless about a round table. It whispers of equality, like King Arthur’s famous round table—except yours will have fewer knights and more casserole.

Pros:

• No corners = no bruised hips. You know the pain. One wrong turn and boom—corner to thigh. A round table says, “Relax, friend. I value your circulation.”

• Conversation game is strong. No one gets stuck at the far end yelling, “What did Aunt Linda say about the lasagna?” Everyone is equally close (and equally exposed to Uncle Jerry’s poor puns).

• Perfect for smaller spaces. If your dining room doubles as an exercise studio or a “home office,” round is your friend.

Cons:

• Limited seating. Try cramming eight people around a four-seater round table and it quickly becomes a game of Human Jenga.

• Leaves you vulnerable to the Lazy Susan Wars. You think it’s a civil dinner until someone spins the bean dip away mid-scoop.

• Harder to fit in corners. Literally. If you're a fan of efficient wall placement, this may bug you.

The Rectangle Table: A Classic Power Move

If the round table is a "friendship" circle, the rectangle is a boardroom. It says, “We make decisions here… and serve gravy with authority.”

Cambridge Live Edge Table

Pros:

• More seating, more power. Ideal for families, dinner parties, or if you’re just really into displaying your 12-piece candle holder.

• Great for long rooms. If your dining room is shaped like a train car, the rectangle was basically built for it.

• Clear head of the table. Perfect if you want to establish dominance or pretend you're hosting a dramatic Victorian dinner party.

Cons:

• Corners. The sworn enemy of knees everywhere.

• Conversations can turn into long-distance shouting matches. “What? No, I said pass the salt, not ‘It's your fault!’” You might need opera-level-projection.

• Inconvenient food placement. You might need arm extensions to get the food to the next person.

What About the Ontario-Made Factor?

Oh, we haven’t forgotten that. Whether you go round or rectangle, choosing a table handcrafted in Ontario means you’re getting quality, sustainability, and enough solid wood to make a lumberjack jump for joy.

Many Ontario Mennonite woodworkers still use traditional joinery techniques, locally sourced materials, and the kind of craftsmanship that makes your table the star of the room—until your aunt brings her five-layer dip.

And bonus: Buying local means you're supporting small businesses instead of mega-corps that treat furniture like fast fashion. So go ahead and brag at your next dinner party: "Oh this? Just a custom rustic maple piece from a little shop in Clinton."

So… Round or Rectangle Dining Table?

It depends.

• Got a small, square space and value inclusivity and thigh health? Go round.

• Hosting the entire extended family for every holiday? Rectangle’s your guy.

• Want to flip a coin and blame fate? Classic Canadian neutrality.

• Or just get both. One for the kitchen, one for the dining room. Live your best Ontario-furnished life.

Either way, just remember: it’s not the shape of the table that matters—it’s who’s gathered around it (and how good the snacks are).

TL;DR:

Round = friendly, space-saving, zero corners.

Rectangle = classic, more seating, slight power trip.

Ontario-made = always the right choice.

Now, go forth and furnish responsibly. And don’t forget coasters. Your future self (and your table) will thank you.

~ revised (with chuckling) by Katherine