Are you thinking of changing your dining room set, but cannot find exactly what you are looking for? I just might have the perfect solution for you: a custom dining set that will match exactly all of your décor, space and family needs.

BrandSource Canada is pleased to introduce the new Eastside Collection by Canadel. Canadel is a Canadian company that manufactures custom-made dining room sets that combine solid construction and inspired designs.

Advantages of Custom Dining Order

Canadel offers you 6 compelling reasons:

1) Order the exact shape and size your family’s needs.
2) Select from over 200 table designs.
3) Over 1,000 chair designs available.
4) Plus many colour and fabric options.
5) Simple and convenient – make your selection from home without the need of special software.
6) All this from a Canadian company that offers the latest in styles and trends.

Steps to Create Your Custom Order

Here are the 3 steps to custom ordering, along with some suggestions on how to best arrive at your decision.

Step 1 – Measure Your Space

First, beyond the size of the table, also consider the table shape. There are three basic shapes: square, rectangular and round. The table shape you choose will be a matter of personal preference and available space.

Here are some suggestions on how to determine what size is best for your space:

• Use masking tape or even better, a tablecloth as a template to determine the minimum and maximum table size your room can accommodate.

• As a guideline, there needs to be 36 inches of space between the adjacent walls (or another piece of furniture) and the table.

Step 2 – Define Your Family Needs

Next, let’s talk about your family. No, no we’re not asking for skeletons hidden in the closet! Simply how many seats you require on a daily basis and how much space you might ideally need for entertaining.

Some basic rules to consider:

• Allow 24” minimum for each person at the table, 30” minimum across the table and 36” will be needed for serving dishes and centrepieces. Allow 12” from the table to the back of the chair, plus 30” of traffic space around the table and chairs.

• The number of chairs you can seat will be determined by several factors, such as table design, shape, traffic flow, and available space. Depending on the position of the table legs, recessed or right at the edge of the table top, you will be able to fit between 2 – 3 chairs on each side, plus 1 on each end for a total seating of 6 – 8 people.

With a pedestal or trestle leg table, you could add extra seating on the corners if need be. Also, adding a bench in place of chairs eliminates the problem of table and chair legs bumping into each other.

• A round table (or oval with an added leaf) can typically sit up to 6 people; however, if the legs are on the outside edge, someone may have to negotiate a table leg, a less than ideal situation. Solution: consider a pedestal leg table to maximize seating.

• If you have a small space, consider a square table that has a self-stored or butterfly leaf. This design provides maximum flexibility for space-challenged homes.

Step 3 – Be Creative

Selecting the shape and maximum /minimum size doesn’t need to be a chore. Canadel actually makes it fun!

Using Canadel’s U design program, you can browse through and look at a multitude of styles to spark your interest. Inspiration won’t be wanting thanks to Canadel’s huge variety of styles, which range from traditional, to urban and beyond, to ultra-modern.

Once you have chosen a table and chairs, you can then move on to selecting a finish, a colour, a surface type, and a fabric pattern in the case of upholstered chairs.

Take your time, reflect and review the styles again in a few days. Once you are close to making your final decision, it’s time to head on over to a BrandSource Store to confirm your decision and peruse swatch samples of glass, wood, and fabric.

One other thing: I suggest you bring along swatches of your paint and floor colours to make sure the colours match or coordinate the way you would like. While at the store, don’t hesitate to ask to move the swatches to somewhere where there is natural light.

Let’s get you started with U-design and remember, the key is to EXPRESS YOURSELF!

Alex, Your Furniture Expert