The Sims 3 Objects Buy Mode Guide

The Dining Room Furnishings & Items

Dining Rooms are non-essential to the average home. In general it'll suffice to have a table, or even chair, to eat a meal when it's done. A dining table is good for Sims to enjoy food together, as they can talk over the meal and build their relationship. Dining areas should be decorated. If they're part of another room or an open section of the house they can benefit to and from other areas. This is the sort by room area where you'll find statues as a decorating option. I recommend a stereo near your dining area to help entertain guests.

The Table
Tables can seat multiple Sims. In fact, the extra-large 3-tile table ($1100) can hold 8 dining chairs around it. This can accomodate the largest family The Sims 3 offers. Tables' only bonus is the environment score. You should probably shop based on aesthetics and household size. Having a couple of extra seats will help when entertaining. It's generally a good idea to place the table near the kitchen so Sims don't have to go too far to clean up or take their meal. The Phobic Dining table for $450 gives a room rating of 3 and seats 6. This is probably the best value if you don't need the seating of the larger table. This tables section also features a buffet table which can be stocked with decent food to feed the largest of parties.

Chairs
Dining Chairs should be chosen based on how much comfort you want to give Sims using them. For basic funcionality, the cheapest chair you the player can bear to look upon should be bought. If you want the room rating to be higher, or you expect the Sim to be seated a lot, the comfort rating comes into play. Nice chairs can provide a large portion of the room rating in a dining room. The $115 Final Contribution dining chair is likely the best value, bringing a +2 comfort rating for only $115. It also comes in a variety of colors to match your other decor.

Bars and Stools
Bars and Stools are found under the Dining Room buy tab. These weren't used nearly as much in the past as they are today. The Sims 3 Late Night expansion brought a ton of functionality to bars. In Vanilla Sims 3 they only offer a few options for making drinks for guests. They can be helpful at parties but without the expansion are decidedly non-essential. Still, it's one more way to prep up your pad and make it a better place for entertaining Sims.