Gather Around the Perfect Dining Table

My husband Jason, master shuffler, at our first
Cribbage game on the new table.

Finding the perfect table for our tiny dining room was the biggest challenge we faced when furnishing the castle, and it was, to me, the most important.

Often the only time my husband and I have to give each other our undivided attention on an average weekday is at breakfast and dinner, so we cherish that time solving Mensa puzzles over granola and discussing our days in the evening. 

The table is not just for dining, either. It sees a lot of board and card game action, including our weekly Sunday morning Cribbage brunch, which we had on tray tables in the living room for the first month we lived in the castle. 

The table also serves as an occasional workspace, and I needed to be able to see over our living room furniture on those Saturday afternoons when I'm grading student projects with the Alabama game on the television.

Choosing the right size and shape

The latter meant the table needed to be tall, and it needed to be wide enough to lay out an Iron Dragon board. Yet because we had a space of only 72x86 inches to work with, it couldn't be more than 42 inches wide if we also wanted to have chairs and room to navigate around the set.

Apartment Guide and Houzz recommend choosing round tables for small spaces, with the added benefits that round tables encourage conversation and afford more room for guests, especially when expanded with a removable leaf.

Placing the order

The table set for our first dinner guests.

We looked at a number of styles online to get a sense for what we liked, but we had to check them out in person to make sure we found the chairs comfortable enough to sit for long periods of gaming, writing, or lingering over a cup of herbal coffee with a magazine. Ultimately, we one saw at Ashley Furniture that we could see ourselves at every day for years to come, and we liked their financing and delivery options.

If I had known how long furniture takes to be delivered, though, I would have ordered it before we moved. We had donated our old dining set to a local charity because it was too big for the space (and it was a hand-me-down my husband had since his first college apartment). Therefore, we spent weeks without a table. The picnics on moving boxes were cute at first, but the novelty wore off quickly. 

Caring for your table

My youngest child, Topaz, goes wherever she pleases
because I can't say no to that face.

I've been a tad obsessive about protecting our purchase (though not enough to enforce the "no cats on the table" rule). Per tips from Guardsman, I dust it off regularly with a microfiber cloth, and I use a pad under my centerpiece, coasters under our glasses, and linens under our plates and serving dishes. 

Because the table top is so lovely, I don't want to cover the whole thing with a cloth. As SFGate Home Guides suggests, I use a runner and place mats instead, only at meal times.

What are your favorite memories around your dining room table?