Cast your mind back and try to remember some of your happiest times spent with the family and friends and the odds are that a lot of them involve sitting around the dining table gossiping, eating and celebrating.

Visiting relatives, Christmas dinners, birthday parties and drunken nights with friends talking into the early hours of the morning about nothing you could remember the next morning, the dining room table might not seem to be important but once you start to think about it you'll realize it actually plays a very significant role in your life.

That's why it's such an important decision to make when choosing a new one for your home. Here are a few tips to guide you in the right direction so you find something that will hopefully last until your old age and bring just as many happy memories as past tables have done.

The best oak dining tables are those made of solid wood and the best way to look after it is to keep it away from too much heat such as open fires and other excessive temperatures, including directly in a window for instance where the sun shining on its surface every day could result in it fading in certain areas.

Solid wood furniture, although strong and hardly likely to break unless run over by a ten ton truck, still requires a little love and attention now and again, just as we all do. Regular care is necessary if you want your wood furniture to retain its good looks, and this will entail it lasts for a lengthy duration, it doesn't take much to keep it in good shape for future generations to enjoy. Just like us humans the cold and damp, and the heat and dryness have unfavorable results on our appearance.

Dark wood dining sets are susceptible to water marks, heat marks and moisture rings as they are used for dining most days and really there is no way to avoid that unless you never eat off them! Any family home with kids is likely to acquire a few dents and scratches in the wood too over a period of time; it's simply something that can't be helped when you have youngsters around. However this isn't particularly a bad thing as the more worn in oak is the better it can look.

Square dining tables are pretty versatile and if you only have a small family but like to entertain then you should look out for sets that feature a table with leaves, they can be added when required or tucked away again when there are no guests to make room for. This allows any number of people to be accommodated for and gives you room when you need it.

The chairs are just as important as the table you select for your home as they have to be strong but comfortable to sit on too. Dining tables are often sold as a set so you get the table and generally 4 chairs for the price, depending on the size of the table you might get 6 chairs included in the package. It's also possible to order more chairs if required. Check out suppliers of oak furniture for a wide range of options and prices.

Make sure if your chairs are picked separately from the table that they are the right height and will be comfortable to sit for long periods of time, don't be afraid to test them out in the shop if you want! The type of fabric or material is also important as if you have kids you might prefer something that can be wiped clean of spills or stains, or if you are planning on sitting at the table for long periods then padded seats might be preferred.

Look online for well-established manufacturers of wood dining sets or suppliers with all the best products available.

David works for Oak Furniture Solutions, a family managed oak furniture company which is based in Bristol, UK, highly committed to providing customers with reclaimed, environmentally friendly and ethically produced products whenever possible. Currently sourcing products from a variety of manufacturers from the UK and around the world, Oak Furniture Solutions has become a premier UK provider of pine and oak furniture. Stocking up to 120 product ranges, they are continually looking for new furniture ranges for customers that are made from timber from sustainable sources or reclaimed wood. For high quality yet affordable furniture in oak and pine such as square dining tables, sideboards, sofas, wardrobes and chest of drawers, Oak Furniture Solutions is the ideal place for you, having contemporary as well as traditional dining sets which would fit many kinds of décor in any room, with a mission to offer excellent customer service throughout your experience with them. Find the best dark wood dining sets today.