Consider the family. If your family has small children or pets that are still being trained not to chew things, don't invest in an expensive dining room set at the time. Look for furniture that is appropriate for the age and needs of your family. Buy a less expensive, more durable table that will withstand spills and broken dishes now, and buy the more high-end furniture in a few years when the kids are older.

Plan ahead for special occasions. Your dining room will be used for regular family dinners the majority of the time it is in use, but for special occasions, holidays and parties there will be more people gathered around the table so plan ahead for this when buying your dining room furniture. Look for dining room tables that have removable leaves or wings that can lengthen or expand the surface area of the table to accommodate more diners.

Get plenty of seating. Purchase the number of chairs that your immediate family will use when having dinner. Then consider the number of extended family members likely to be invited to holiday functions and special occasions and plan seating for them as well. Buy a dining room set with an adequate number of chairs for everyone, or buy enough for your everyday use and purchase less expensive extra chairs to be stored when not in use.

Find a place for storage. Dishes, glassware, placemats, napkins and other dining room necessities must be stored somewhere when not in use on the table so consider this when purchasing your dining room furniture. Look for dining room tables that feature built-in drawers that can be used to store place settings and silverware or invest in a small corner hutch for storage to keep your dining room stylish and uncluttered.

Inquire about warranties. Many furniture companies have warranty coverage that will repair any scratches or damage done to your furniture. Since your dining room furniture will likely see a lot of daily wear and tear, it's worth your time to find out about repair options when buying your dining room furniture.