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kingvozzo
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| Posted: Nov 04 2005 at 9:44am | IP Logged
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I'm wondering what types of tables you use in your homes as your main dining table. My husband thinks I'm a bit batty because we've been through 5 table and chairs sets in our 8 year marriage, and I'm always dissatisfied. 
Right now we are using a rectangular pine table in our dining room as our main table--no eat-in-kitchen or breakfast nook in this house---but I'm not happy with the way the seats fit around the table.
I'd like something with a leaf or two, and I like the idea of a bench. I saw this the other day Butterfly leaf table and I really thought that maybe this was IT!! 
Now, someone in town is selling an Ethan Allen Maple farm table with 2 leaves, 6 chairs, and pads for $500!! So I called to see if I can get a look at it!
Maybe my dh is right---I'm just funny about tables
So, what does your family do? And does it satisfy you?
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Noreen
Wife to Ed
Mom to 4 great kids and 10 sweet ones in Our Lady's arms
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Mary Chris
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| Posted: Nov 04 2005 at 9:58am | IP Logged
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We bought an oval farmish style table earlier this year. I wish it was a bit more rustic, but I will never tell my husband that. The table has this really easy chain like thing to add the leaves. We have two leafs for it and it will sit at least 12. I think with the oval you can fit a few little ones in on the end. It also has a super finish on it to protect against chips, burns etc.....I will see if I can find the brand.
I had my eye on the square tables like the one in they link you sent, but went with this instead. I want to be able to sit two families around our table. Although, I admit we do often put the kids at the kitchen table and use the dining room table for adults.
If the Ethan Allen table is in good condition I would be very tempted!
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Blessings, Mary Chris Beardsley
mom to MacKenzie3/95, Carter 12/97 Ronan 3/00 and wife to Jim since 1/92
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Cay Gibson
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| Posted: Nov 04 2005 at 11:19am | IP Logged
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We have two tables.
One was my mother's. It's a plain country rectangle with 4 chairs and one long backed-bench.
The other we bought from Sam's 15 yrs ago. It's oval with a large-leaf and 6 chairs with scroll-etched backings.
The thing I've been through in our marriage is sofas. I'm never satisfied.  We had a country-wooden style, then a blue-tweed sleeper, then a beautiful cream with floral print (my favorite but it wasn't a sleeper/sofa), and now a blue sectional/sleeper. I really thought I wanted a sectional but now I'd like to get rid of it. I don't dare tell dh this. He's tired of buying sofas and thinks it should be used until it falls apart.
My aunt/godmother also gave me a family settee that was my great-great-great grandparents. It's over 100 years old. Dh and the dc don't like it and it is not comfortable but I don't have the heart to get rid of it. It's antique!!! My very own g-g-grandparents sat on this sofa. My father remembers seeing it as the first thing you saw when you walked into their shotgun house. They bought it in New Orleans and were so proud of it because they didn't have much furniture back then.
We had to repair a wall in the living area due to the hurricane pulling out our electicial box. The room is finally back in order. I rearrange it yesterday and that poor settee got moved at least half-a-dozen times. It doesn't look right anywheres. 
Perhaps this coming summer it'll fit in my library that dh's adding... 
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Cay Gibson
"There are 49 states, then there is Louisiana." ~ Chef Emeril
wife to Mark '86
mom to 5
Cajun Cottage Under the Oaks
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Sarah
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| Posted: Nov 04 2005 at 11:35am | IP Logged
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We have a round table with some type of wood-looking formica-type top. I bought the table for $5 at a garage sale. I love that table. You can set hot stuff on it, and the chairs fit great around it because its round. We can fit more people because there is one central post rather than four legs. I'll be sad to outgrow it, which is fast approaching.
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Six boys ages 16, 14, 11, 7, 5, 2 and one girl age 9
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teachingmom
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| Posted: Nov 04 2005 at 4:44pm | IP Logged
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Like Mary Chris, we have an oval, oak, center-pedestal table. I love it! It must be made like hers too because our leaf is hidden under the table top when not in use, and it is very easy to add the leaf because of the chain thing.
I purposely chose this style because it is easy to fit more people around the sides when there are no corner legs to deal with. I was a bit worried about the one pedestal making it shaky, but we've had the table for a few years now, and it's still very stable.
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~Irene (Mom to 6 girls, ages 7-19)
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kingvozzo
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| Posted: Nov 04 2005 at 8:07pm | IP Logged
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teachingmom wrote:
| I was a bit worried about the one pedestal making it shaky, but we've had the table for a few years now, and it's still very stable. |
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This has been my dh's concern as well. Glad to hear that hasn't been your case.
We did get a look at the table tonight. A beautiful maple table--don't think it's Ethan Allen, though--with 2 leaves that have to be fully removed. We decided to get it; it extends out to 98 inches, which will come in very handy this Thanksgiving when we have 17 people. not sure whether to laugh  or cry over that one!!
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Noreen
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Mom to 4 great kids and 10 sweet ones in Our Lady's arms
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Kelly
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Growing up in a family of ten, my mother accomodated us by taking one of those really huge "spool" things the telephone company uses, 6' across, I think, had it laminated with formica, and put legs on it. That table seated us all, and was great for conversation, being round. It's currently in storage at my brothers, and I plan to put it to use somewhere!
Because of the shape of our kitchen (long and thin), we have a long (9'), Mexican table, dark pine with heavy legs, rustic and tough. I LOVE it. We have two end chairs, and four chairs for one side. The other side, we have a long bench with a back. We have sucessfully squeezed 13 people around this table! The bench definitely expands your seating capacity.
We have an antique oak table in our dining room, 10' by 4', really massive (mostly because I have most of the leaves in, I could shrink it several feet, but chose not to, to maximize capacity. Adding the leaf just gets to be a hassle, sometimes.) However, I will testify to the durability of old oak, too. For a "fancy" table, it does very well. I don't worry about it like my sister worries about her mahogany table, but it's still a lovely table, suitable for a "fancy" dining room (not that our dining room is so fancy, it isn't, but the table could cut it in such a room!).
Kelly in FL
family of eight with live-in brother and international student, to boot!
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JennGM
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Kelly wrote:
| Growing up in a family of ten, my mother accomodated us by taking one of those really huge "spool" things the telephone company uses, 6' across, I think, had it laminated with formica, and put legs on it. That table seated us all, and was great for conversation, being round. It's currently in storage at my brothers, and I plan to put it to use somewhere! |
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We had a family of nine and a butcher block round pedestal table, 5' across. We always were able to squeeze in another! I loved that it was so good for conversations, too.
Kelly wrote:
| We have an antique oak table in our dining room, 10' by 4', really massive (mostly because I have most of the leaves in, I could shrink it several feet, but chose not to, to maximize capacity. Adding the leaf just gets to be a hassle, sometimes.) However, I will testify to the durability of old oak, too. |
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Four feet wide?!! That's my dream table! I haven't found the right table for me yet because I think the modern ones are too slim, and I'm partial to the round tables! So I just use inherited furniture. It will do. But I also prefer pedestal...I dislike running into legs of the table. The legs really cut down on how many people you can squeeze in.
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Jennifer G. Miller
Wife to  & ds1  '03 & ds2  '07
Family in Feast and Feria
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4Real Forums : Tea and Conversation
Topic: kitchen/dining tables
