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I've thought about glass but then what do I do with it when I need to add the leaves? It would be too heavy for me to lift and there isn't anywhere to store it. Plus my table has curved sides, so it would end up needing to be a very expensive custom piece. I like the idea but I am just not sure it's feasible.
I never have any covering on my dining room table, unless I'm setting it for dinner, a few times a year.
I will be in the market for a new kitchen table soon, and I intend to get some kind of hard surface like copper or stone, so I don't need to be careful of the top.
I'm still reading all the replies (thanks!) and mulling it over. I think a concern for me is that this will be our only eating table and we will be using it on a daily basis. If it was a table that got minimal usage, I'd leave it uncovered and then put the pads and a cloth on when I was having company. But for every day use, it's more of an either/or decision.
I'm still leaning towards a table runner and placemats but to start with, I'll go with the tablecloth, while I start shopping to see if I find a runner and mats I love. And maybe that will give some further clarity, like when I see how dirty the table cloth gets, and how many times we spill stuff in the first few weeks...
What's the point in owning a beautiful wood table if you never see it?
What's the point of even protecting beautiful wood if you never see it?
Yeah, I definitely have those thoughts which is why this is not a clear choice for me. But this is also a table being moved into a new home with a new configuration. When I bought it, it wasn't with the intention of daily use. Now, 7 years later in a new house with a different floor plan, I would not have bought the same table. But it's what I have and there are too many other things I need to buy to replace it.
Another possibility is to refinish the top with a stronger sealer, to provide a bit more protection. I need to look into how much that would be as I'm not sure I would do a good enough job myself to be happy with it.
I have my mother's dining room table - drexel heritage from the 1950's. It was covered (pads) every day of my childhood, and we put a cloth on it for eating fancy meals. (We ate normal meals in the "eating area", simpler table, no pad, plastic table cloth).
I keep the table covered (pads, usually a cloth) because of Cats. And also because its how I grew up. I am always impressed when I polish the table, how truly beautiful it is. In addition to having goregeous wood, it looks just out of the showroom.
If we didn't have cats, I'd think more about leaving it less protected (although sunlight/uv will fade wood, so its not just scratches we're protecting against) - but a moot point in our current situation.
As far as not enjoying it all covered up, it still looks beautiful with a table cloth, and I know how pretty the wood is (I have the matching china and server) - so its not as though I feel I'm missing something. Besides, with the china and server, the table being covered actually stands out a bit. Otherwise it might be wood overload.
I keep ours uncovered, and have some decorative candles sitting on a runner down the center.
For most regular meals, we will eat at the kitchen table, or when the kids are at school, we sometimes sit in the family room and have dinner there. The dining room table gets used on holidays, for which I have specific tablecloths during meal time. Otherwise, I have various holiday themed / colored runners during the seasons.
Right now, both my husband's and my laptops are on our dining room table since I'm in the middle of redoing our computer room. They will be out of there soon with Thanksgiving just around the corner.
[quote=Colorado^;37284603]Nice things are meant to be used...
We love this table. A single slab (9ft x 4ft x 4") of rosewood ~ 1,000lbs from a 300 year old tree. It was a lot of work to get this in the house.
We even let our little kids draw and do craft at the table.
Maybe in 10 years or so I will sand it back and refinish it if needed.[/QUOTE
It is gorgeous!!!
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