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Planning Your Dining Room Around the Braai
In most South African homes the dining table is not just for dinner. On a braai day it becomes the salad station, the place where the meat is carved, and the spot where everyone ends up long after the fire dies down. So when you plan a dining area, it pays to think about how you really entertain. How many people usually come over? Do you eat inside, outside on the stoep, or both? And how far is the table from the braai itself?
Start with flow. The path between the kitchen, the dining table and the braai area gets a lot of traffic on a busy afternoon, often with hot trays and full bowls. Keep that path clear and at least a metre wide. If your dining room opens onto a patio, place the table so the sliding door can open fully without anyone having to stand up. It sounds obvious, but many homes have the table squeezed right up against the door track. Moving it half a metre can change the whole feel of a gathering.
Table Size
Braai gatherings tend to grow. Someone brings a cousin, the neighbours pop over, and suddenly there are ten people where you planned for six. A rectangular table of about 200 cm seats six comfortably and eight at a squeeze. If you often host bigger groups, an extending table or a long bench on one side gives you flexibility without eating up space the rest of the week. Allow roughly 60 cm of table edge per person and at least 90 cm behind each chair so people can get up easily.
Think about the top as well. A braai table takes a beating. Hot pots, wet glasses, sticky marinade and the odd dropped pair of tongs all land on it. Solid oak with an oiled finish is forgiving, because small marks can be sanded and re-oiled. High-gloss lacquer looks smart but shows every scratch. Glass tops look light in a small room but need wiping every few minutes during a meal. Whatever you choose, keep a few thick trivets and a wooden board near the table, and use them.
Seating Choices
Chairs matter more than people think, because braai meals are long. If guests sit for three hours, hard stools will send them to the couch early. Look for chairs with a shaped seat and a proper back, and check that the seat height suits your table, usually about 45 cm for a 75 cm table. A bench is great for children and casual lunches, and it tucks right under the table when you need floor space. Mixing a bench with chairs also looks relaxed.
Finally, plan for the switch between indoors and outdoors. In a Cape winter the braai often moves under a covered patio, and Highveld summer storms send everyone rushing inside with their plates. Keep a sideboard or cabinet close to the table for serving bowls, tongs, napkins and spare cutlery, so nobody has to dig through kitchen drawers. A good sideboard also doubles as a buffet surface on busy days. At Furniture, many customers choose the Stellenbosch Sideboard for exactly this reason, because it holds a surprising amount.
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Cape Town,
Western Cape 8001
