The Perfect Farm Table

Echelon Custom Homes Beautiful idea book. Here's an example of farm table in contemporary setting:

Mary Ellen Doyle love this!

Katya Popova I love the idea of combining a farmhouse table with a modern setting. Using minimalistic chairs to offset the rustic feel results in a very balanced look. Great ideabook!

zlie17 ive been obsessed with farm tables. fortunately we were finally able to get one by way of CB2, and without breaking the bank! my parents also have one - really it is the ultimate table!

Kristie Barnett, The Decorologist these kind of tables are so much more practical and functional for families today vs. the wax-top dark wood formals that have dominated our dining room for the last century! with tables like these, our children can do homework or crafts without fear of ruining the tabletop. dining tables can do double-duty as office space for adults, as well. LOVE IT!

evolon80 so here's a question I've been trying to answer for the last 6 months...is it possible to find a barn table that can expand from seating 6 to seating up to 12? imy eat-in-kitchen (our only dining area) has the space for a large table, AND I'd LOVE a barn table for my contemporary space, but I am not sure I want to commit such a large table when there's usually only 6 of us.

jan boeckmann Our farm table served our family for 30 years. My daughter got married and her husband refinnished it. It looks beautiful again, even with all the dings and nicks from years of loving use. Now they are in a townhouse and it is just too big for them so I am taking it back till they get a bigger place. YaY! I am now going to use it as a desk, craft table in my family room but it will be recruited back into use as a dining table when we have the whole family over! Best investment we ever made was in that table that just keeps on giving!

beachy To evolon80: Have you looked at Pottery Barn? They have several "extending" tables, even though it isn't indicated in the name of the table. They are a little pricey but could be what you're looking for.

kandy smith You can also have them custom made with "leaves" to make them bigger.
Here is the site of the man I am going to use to make one for our family.

http://www.craftsmantables.com/theolecraftsman/showroom.html

amoebahandmade I have been looking for the perfect farmhouse table at a reasonable price for years. Finally I think I have found one but it's over AU$2000!! A bit much! But maybe I'll just have to save up!..... loving the dark wood table with regency furniture - spot on - and the tressle style one too... that's the perfect one for me... in the centre of the kitchen with everyone working on it.

maryelizabeth OMG!!! what happened to all the talk of "color"?

curlygirl Check out the Stornas table from Ikea. It expands from seating 6 to seating 12. We eat at it everyday with 4 people and have sat 12 comfortably for Christmas. I love this table.

punkinhead I was JUST telling a friend I am still looking for a farm table... Thanks for the inspiration!

Carolina Girl Great ideas! To me the farm table says family gathers here. It feels even moreso paired with the hearth.

kimkosek I love our farm house table with slipcovered chairs!

ellie48 My favorite picture here is no. 3. I love the farm table. It makes a kitchen feel very 'homey'. I like the substantial look of a farm table. Thanks for sharing.

Anita I love a farm table and number 3 is gorgeous. But some of the seating that is shown just looks so uncomfortable. We like to linger around the table and talk. But not in something like those straight back benches. It would be a short chat!

mmkm Just purchased this farm table made from old Minnesota barn wood. Crate and Barrel Marlow chairs ordered to go with it.

snowychris to Kimkosek
I love your table and the slipcovers on the chair - like the little cloths in the centre of the table too.

Oliver M. "Monty" Parsons To answer evolon80's question: Yes, you can get a farm table that seats 6 to 12, anything is possible! I just designed, and had custom built, an 8' trestle table with leaves that can be added to either end. Our "formal" dining chairs are somewhat wide (23") and with two on either side and one at each end the 8' table allows six to dine in grand style (alternately, three chairs could be placed on either side for a cozier feel). Because I wanted maximum flexibility I had two 12" and two 24" leaves made. Only one set of leaves can be used at a time, but our maximum length of 12' will allow 12 people to dine in relative comfort when we add in extra chairs of a more normal width (16"-18"). If absolutely necessary, I figure we could probably squeeze 14 around the table -- especially if there are smaller kids involved.

Certainly, a farmhouse table with turned legs center leaves can work as well -- I've seen base tables of 6' with multiple leaves that could conceivably stretch them out to 12'. In some cases, and this is advisable, an additional set of legs would drop down from under the table at the center point to help support the weight and prevent the table from buckling.

Oliver M. "Monty" Parsons "Amen" to comfortable dining room chairs! Nothing tells your guests "Thanks for coming, we're glad you're here" like comfortable chairs that encourage staying in place after the meal is gone. For those of you looking for a super-comfortable, slipcovered dining chair check out the Slipcovered High Back Campaign Chair from Lee Industries. We bought six intending them to be side chairs for our guests and had planned to find two different "host" chairs to place at the table ends for us, but these are so comfortable and attractive we decided to use them as host chairs too. Another plus is they're on rollers which are hidden by the slipcover so you get the ease of movement without the tackiness of visible wheels. One caveat -- the back is sloped more than a typical dining chair so if you prefer a straight back they're probably not for you (but then neither are long, leisurely dinners I suspect).

beachy Large refractory trestle table that extends: http://www.kincaidfurniture.com/item_detail.cfm?pid=6562