It’s been something that I’ve been considering now for a little while. I bought my current dining table nearly 10 years ago and at that time, I wanted something quite contemporary and sturdy looking. It was probably one of the first “real proper adult furniture” purchases I’d ever made and I remember saving around £600 so I could buy the whole set (the high back leather chairs have long been replaced). Despite the fact it was purchased nearly a decade ago, I still see this table style around and even West Elm sell a remarkably similar version.

However, there is an issue with it which drives me mad. Because the ‘legs’ are closer together than on a table with 4 legs at each corner, when you are sat on the side of the table closest to the mantle, you feel a bit squashed. The chairs sit quite closely together and so to get out of  the table, you have to do a bit of acrobatics/be okay with flashing Paris Hilton-style. It’s not easy when you haven’t got the room to back the chair all the way out. And as ‘my seat’ (yes the one I tend to sit in all the time) is one of those chairs, it’s been doing my head in for far too long.

And so the hunt was on for a dining table that really liked. Harder than it sounds. Because, in my heart of hearts, I would have loved something like this…

Or like this…

Yeah, while it’s nice to have dreams, I had to get realistic. I don’t have £10k to spend on a dining table and even if I did, I’m not sure my dining room could really handle so much glam. So I started looking on my Delicious Dining Rooms Pinterest board to see if there were other options that I would be happy with.

Sense the theme here? Ahhh yes. White.

So the hunt was on to find the perfect dining table. I wanted white – not shabby chic chippy finishes (of which there were plenty) but pure unadulterated white. And it had to have either a pedestal or the legs on each corner. And it couldn’t be round or oval because while they look great, the space accommodates a rectangular table better. And it had to work with the Chippendale chairs I worked so hard to source. And I wanted something a bit more contemporary but with a traditional slant. And it needed to fit the space I had (no point looking for tables that extended to seat 12 when I’d never use it as such) and possibly a little narrower than the one I currently had. Oh and it had to be under £400. Hmmm. Yeah. Not asking for much then.

For the last few months, I have scoured the internet for affordable options. While there was no immediate urgency (ie., the table, while a bit of a pain, was still useable), if I was spending that kind of cash, I wanted something that we’d have for a long time. This was a decision I was going to take my time over.

Well, during my daily browse through Joss & Main, I spotted it.

Pure white? Check. Contemporary but with a traditional slant? Check. Fits within my dimensions and wasn’t an extending table? Check. Within my budget? At a reduced price of £368 (I’ve seen it elsewhere for £1300!), check check check. By George, I think we’ve found it.

It’ll be a few weeks before it arrives but I’m quite excited. While it’s not sassy brass and glass, it’s a practical option that will hopefully work really well in my deep blue dining room.

Next up? Replacing the existing seat cushions on the side chairs to an upholstered seat in a fabric that works better with the orange/pink end chairs. Oh and refinishing those floors to a similar colour to my current table (so it’ll still be warm with wood tones)! Ahh yes, even the rooms you think are mostly done are still a work in progress…

Don’t miss a thing!

Image credits: Fiona Leahy Design via Coco & Kelley / Tompkins Lloyd Interiors via Mimosa Lane / Lonny / Lonny / Nuevo Estilo / Joss & Main

All others my own.


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