5 Instant Dining Tables

So, you live in a condo the size of a shoebox and you'd like to have your whole family over for Thanksgiving? Not a problem.

You converted your dining room into a home office — now it's your turn to host Thanksgiving and you don't want everyone sitting in your living room balancing plates of gravy-laden mashed potatoes on their laps? No worries.

You have a great dining room with a wonderful table that seats up to 10, but 20 people are expected? Gotcha covered!

Recent innovations in the mechanisms for space saving and super-expandable tables mean you can take a console table and turn it into a dining table that seats ... wait for it ... 10. The five tables shown here all start as compact console tables that will fit beautifully into an entryway or tucked behind a sofa. Then when company heads your way, they twist, slide, or telescope their way out to a dining table.

And to go with those tables I'm including my top three picks for the slimmest of the slim folding chairs. When the company leaves, these can hide in a closet, under a bed or can even be hung on the wall.