Table it.

I mentioned earlier in the week that we're having a dinner party on Friday. I've started cleaning the house and made a few of the items on the menu (btw, if you do not have Barefoot Contessa's most recent book, run, DO NOT WALK to your local bookseller and pick it up. The baked chocolate pudding recipe is worth it by itself!), so the next item on my list is moving our furniture around to accommodate our friends.

Wait, what?

Yes, you heard me. Every. single. time. we have more than 2 people over and have to sit at a table together, we have to move a table into our dining room, and move our dining room table into another room.

The reason?

When we bought our dining room table, we lived in 700 sq feet in Washington, DC and we only had room for the teeniest pedestal table you've ever seen. It fits 4 people, max....and a few of their plates.

I  need a remedy, so I turned to my bloglines.com clipping folder for inspiration. Now I'm just confused.

One of the things I do love about the round pedestal table option is that no one has to straddle the legs of the table while they are eating and that everyone can be involved in the conversation. No one is stuck in Siberia next to their unfortunate seat choice stuck in boring discussion.

The Gustavian detailing on these tables is gorgeous...and just shabby enough to take some of the formality out.

Love the lacquer on the Chippendale chairs.

This table isn't much larger than the one we currently have, but I love the mismatched chairs...

And finally, the piece de resistance...my very favorite dining table of all time. While probably not appropriate for our dining room, it's just. so. fabulous.

Windor Smith's kitchen table. Chinese Chippendale, cozy wingbacks and carerra marble.

Swoon.