I have a pretty small apartment in the city and I want to put a dining table in it, but I'm not sure if a round one takes up less space than a rectangular one. I've also seen some that extend - are those a good option for small apartments?
It really depends on how you use the space: if you're eating alone or with a partner most days, an extendable one is pure gold because you keep it small and take up little room, but the trick is you need somewhere to store the leaf that comes out (and a lot of small apartments don't have that, so it ends up taking up a corner anyway). Round tables flow better visually and people move with less friction around them, but here's the catch that nobody mentions: they take up almost the same diameter as the length of an equivalent rectangular one, so the real space savings is more psychological than mathematical. My recommendation is that you measure carefully where it's going to go, leave at least 60-70 cm of clearance on the sides so you can move around without stress, and if you don't spend much time at home or get visitors rarely, honestly a tall side table for eating on the go saves you more than anything else.
In my apartment I went through the same thing and I ended up going with a round one because people can move around it better and it takes up less visual space even though the actual area is similar! Extendable ones are great if you're actually going to use them, but honestly most people end up leaving the table extended all the time because it's too much hassle to put it away, so it ends up taking up just as much space anyway. My advice is go for a compact round one or a long narrow rectangular table, that way you maximize your dining space without sacrificing too much of the rest of your apartment!
Extendable tables are your best bet if you don't know what size you'll need later on, because you can use them small for everyday and expand them when you have guests. The real advantage of round ones is that you don't bang into the corners in a tight space and people feel more comfortable sitting around them, but if you think about it, a narrow rectangular table usually takes up less total space than a round one with the same diameter because it doesn't stick out to the sides.
Do you have space to store an extendable table when it's closed, or would you prefer something that's always on display?
Because honestly, extendable tables are the most versatile option if you're planning for the dining room to have two lives: one compact everyday version and another for when friends come over. The thing is, you need a corner where you can tuck the extension when you're not using it, or generous space that can handle the table open without it looking like you live on it.
Round tables have their charm in small spaces because visually they "breathe" more - they don't have those corners that make a rectangular one feel invasive - but they basically take up the same area as an equivalent square table. What they do gain is functionality: nobody gets stuck at the head, people circulate better around it, and you can fit one more chair without it looking ridiculous.
If yours is a really tight apartment and you normally eat alone or with one other person, maybe a small fixed rectangular table is the most sensible option. It takes up little space, doesn't need maintenance, and if you ever need extra space for something occasional, you can always pull out a tray or a side table. Extendable tables sound good in theory, but they require discipline so you don't end up with the extension stored on your living room armchair.
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