Buyer’s guide DINING TABLES

One of the home’s hardest-working pieces of furniture, a dining table is justifiably a big-ticket purchase – you’ll want want to choose once and choose well. “It’s typically an investment item, something that people hang onto for years,” says interior designer Lynne Bradley, principal of Lynne Bradley Interiors. And with homes getting smaller and open-plan living on the rise, today’s dining tables double as food prep and work spaces. As such, you’ll want a design that goes the distance, says Jane Novembre, marketing director at Domo. “Lifespan will depend on quality, usage and environmental factors such as direct sunlight, but a table should last between five