“Did you know that it says ‘Lucy was here’ on the dining room table?”, my husband, Tom, asked one day last weekend.
“Yes, I do.”
“It’s not wiping away.”
“I know. She carved it with her school scissors,” I shared as we shook our heads and ended this particular parent dialogue.
So, without a doubt, we need a new dining room table. Where to start? Our current table was purchased in 2001 at Chicago’s Lincoln Park Crate & Barrel. Nothing particularly amazing about the table, other than it has been the perfect place to fold laundry, do homework, and complete crafty projects. It has been the perfect dining room table for a family with two kids. And it has all the scratches, scuffs, and imperfections to prove it.
And, when grownups come over, I throw a tablecloth on to cover up the evidence. I am pretty sure some of them have the same dining room table issues we do.
A few years back I pondered a major investment piece, a Warren Platner oval table on a bronze metallic base. That table is now gracing the dining room of some other lucky family–but it is still in my 1stdibs favorites, with a big ‘ole “SOLD” label on it!
I’m not in a big hurry since I know we are moving in the next year and I am not making such a big purchase without having a sense for the new space. Even so, there are several dreamy options that I have run across that I am excited to share.
- This English Elm table on 1stDibs.com looks plenty big enough for lots of friends and family.
- Design Within Reach has gorgeous offerings for those of us that love Modern and Mid-Century pieces. While I tend to like rectangular dining tables, the Saarinen Table features an iconic design and the oval shape of my dream Platner table.
- As I am obsessed with the combination of white and gold, this ultra-accessible table from cb2.com also fits the bill.
However, I can promise that school scissors will not be allowed…
