OT: What type of kitchen table do you have?

[SunshineWedding]

We just moved and I am searching for a new kitchen table for everyday use, am I crazy to purchase a wood table and use it everyday with the kids and no tablecloth/glass to protect it? What does everyone use? I want a good quality table that will last but I also don't want to have to worry everytime DC pick up a fork KWIM? Just wondering what everyones solution to this is - TIA

Lisa

[mamica]

I didn't want to have to deal with tablecloths all the time, and I didn't want glass. I wanted something functional for everyday yet nice to look at, good quality, and preferably hard, solid wood. I bought a wood table that is made of pine and slightly distressed. Any of the nicks we have just add to intended look of the table. It's pretty good quality, and definitely sturdy since it's hard wood.

[kelly ann]

Well, we bought a wood table and after 2 years of procrastintation I finally bought pads to go on it. It does seem kind of silly to me that I bought a wood table and it is covered up with table pads and sometimes a tablecloth.

We went with a Canadel table (Dinec is a similar brand). You can pick a bunch of different legs, shapes, stains, etc. It is almost like you can customized your table. Anyway, they had options to have a solid surfaces (like corian) for the table top. Looking back, that may have been more practical - but a lot more money at the time. However, I really like the few times I have the pads off and just see the pretty wood top. Ummmm...this is like maybe 2 times a year though :(

[farleygirl]

Bought ours from Bassett furniture, and just love it. It's all wood, which was hard to find because so many are also veneer. It has some crazy protective finish on it, though, so it cleans up so well.

The table and chairs are customizable, you pick a paint or stain finish, the table size/shape/leg, and also chair style and leg.

Love it, and always get tons of complements.

<http://www.bassettfurniture.com/Home/SimplyYoursCustomFurniture/tabid/367/Default.aspx>

[crl]

We have IKEA and plan to dispose of it when kids are older. (It's actually held up quite well, btw.) But if I'd had the money when we got it, I would have gone antique. Then the wear the kids put on it would just blend right in!

[o_mom]

We have a random wood table that I bought in about two days of looking because we were having Thanksgiving that year and needed a table. I am not attached to it in any way, so I really don't care about what the kids do to it. It has some natural and some painted wood, but really hasn't sustained much damage.

My friend has a Corian topped table, which she thought would be great for kids. The table has been great, but the edge of the top is sharp and so she has dings on all the chairs where they touch the table. If you go with something like that, make sure to look at how they finish the edges where the chairs will meet it.

[Lovingliv]

I was going to suggest IKEA as well. I have found that some of their furniture is 5 year furniture and some is much better. In any case, it is short money....if you choose to get rid of it in a few years you are not out a ton of money.
To answer your question, we got a crate and barrel table. It is OK...cost like $400 plus chairs. The chairs are falling apart now! ugh.

[kijip]

Well, I figure we have to have a table to eat at and wood is just going to age nicely, whereas glass could break. We do not use table cloths every day and our day has held up to Toby just fine. I did get a dark finish that hides marks well. He did manage to do a number on one of my chairs but I managed to repair it.

[jeminaal]

We have a round, wooden table that my DH inherited from his grandma. Very sturdy, well used and well loved.

To protect the table top, we use this:

http://www.improvementscatalog.com/Parent.asp?product=143921x&dept%5Fid=1

HTH!

Jeanette
(formerly known as jeanmick, member since Feb 2003)

DD Born Christmas Eve
DS Born Valentine's Day

[Marisa6826]

This is the one we have in our kitchen:

http://www.oakfurnituremaker.co.uk/images/FrenchCountry/pix334/21414_teinte5.jpg


You can't really see it in the photo, but it has a planked top. I have two leaves for it - they slide into these little tracks on the short ends of the apron.

Because it's kind 'antiqued' to begin with, you can't see the small dings/scratches that are inevitable when living with kids. ;)

I got mine at ABC Carpet and Home, btw.

-m

[fauve01]

I have the Chianni Trestle Table from the Ballard Designs Catalog. It's a pedestal table and has a distressed finish.
http://www.ballarddesigns.com/jump.jsp?itemID=1763&itemType=PRODUCT&path=1%2C2%2C5%2C38%2C191&iProductID=1763

the only thing i don't like about it is there is a groove all the way around the top of the table; decorative i guess. we didn't see this in the photo or description when we ordered so it was a little surprise. it seems silly to put a groove in a tabletop, it just catches crumbs!! my BIL said he could fill it in with some kind of wood epoxy so i'm fine with that.

the table i really wanted was a pedestal from pottery barn, but it is just too long to fit in the space in my kitchen.

we do use placemats, but since the finish is distressed it's ok when DD makes a mark.

BTW, we also got the Coventry Benches from Ballard designs. LOVE those!
http://www.ballarddesigns.com/jump.jsp?itemID=2293&itemType=PRODUCT&path=1%2C2%2C5%2C34%2C216&iProductID=2293

ours are the red print you can see in this photo, the one that says "kitchen":
http://www.ballarddesigns.com/jump.jsp?itemType=CATEGORY&itemID=34&path=1%2C2%2C5%2C34

HTH!
Anne + DD 10-03

[dules]

We have my grandmother's "rock maple" table and I don't think you could dent it with a knife. It's great, though I don't know how to find that type of wood in a new table.

Best,
Mary

[ChunkyNicksChunkyMom]

Another vote for something with a distressed top so you can not see the nicks and scratches, I have had this for over ten years and it still looks like new, but because it never looked new.

http://shop.arhaus.com/ic280_Collection.asp?COMBO1=DINTABLES&PRODCAT=&CollectionID=ARAB-COPP
Susan

#1 Nick 11-18-04
#2 Kate 04-26-06

[anamika]

After innumerable days of discussing, researching etc, we too went with IKEA for precisely the same reasons as OP. It looks presentable and will hopefully last till DD is old enough to be more careful around furniture. And since we wasted so much time deciding, it was nice to just pick everything up in store and have a brand-new table in one afternoon - instead of waiting 8-10 weeks.
We bought an IKEA coffee table 4-5 yrs back and it has survived 3-4 moves and much abuse from *us*. We were sure for the price it would last 1yr tops. We dislike it but we're waiting for it to die before we buy a new one. We sic DD on it as much as we can ;)

[Twins2000]

We bought the Farmhouse Table from Ethan Allen a couple of years ago and love it!! To protect the wood (maple), and especially the grooves on the top of the table from my 3 little girls, I have a cloth tablecloth on top, covered by a thick piece of clear plastic (easier to clean by just wiping off after each meal/snack). I figure that we'll be able to use the table without the coverings in about 10 years, knowing how my kids are!!!!!


Leslie

[LBMommy]

We have a smaller house, so we use our dining room table for everyday meals (no eat-in kitchen or beakfast bar) - it is from Room & Board with a steel base and black granite top. (You can "make-your-own", they have all different bases and tops... they have a website, catalog, and a few B&M stores) It's beautiful, cleans up nicely, and we don't worry about it being destroyed. You wouldn't want to drop a glass on it (obviously, breaking the glass, not the table...), but we're a plastic-cup kind of family anyway! :)

Good luck,
Jen
Mommy to Avery 8/23/2004

[CiderLogan]

Our kitchen table is from Bassett too. The protective finish is super, and I loved being able to pick out the legs, size, color, etc.

Jenny
Julia, 8/03
Clara, 5/06

[clc053103]

WE just got a Pottery Barn table and I would have to say, avoid PB at all costs! It's painted and after 1 month of use (not even by DS who is still in high chair- just me and DH, and we use placemats) it is totally chipped up. Very poor quality- having difficulty getting 4 chairs that match - one even had a short leg. And the kicker- was to be delivered by 6pm, and the truck pulls in, unannounced, at 9:30 pm. REally fantastic when you have a sleeping baby!

You can get better quality at a more "disposable" price at Ikea!

[holliam]

Right now we have an old rubberwood-esque one that is super annoying. Hate the chairs too. So, I have just told DH that it is moving to the dining room to be used as a craft table instead. We never use the dining room so it will become our place for messy crafts instead.

So I am going to be brave and move our dining table into our kitchen. It is really informal but solid wood and wrought iron base. Love the chairs too. We got it at Ethan Allen. I may use an oilcloth tablecloth or not. It has the distressed look to it.

Holli