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Gorgeous House Style Dining Tables

custom dining table countertop pampano beachThere are times when I don’t feel any older than I did in college. I mean, I still look pretty much the same, right? And who are these two boys who keep calling me mom

But then there are other times (okay, most times) when I definitely know that I have entered into full-on adulthood and my days of being a cool college kid are way long gone. For example, a few weeks ago I celebrated my birthday, and when Donnie asked me what I thought I wanted, I realized that there was nothing that I would like to have more than a new dining table.

Don’t get me wrong: our previous dining table served us well. We bought it at IKEA a few years ago, it had two leaves that we could add in or take out to adjust the size, and it even stood up to the day to day abuse that comes from living in a house with two little boys running around.

When the family gathers to share food and laughter, the dining table stands at the center of it all. Whether handmade, purchased, or inherited and steeped with history, the table holds special significance to families, particularly at holiday time. It’s where memories are made. Here, we revel at the tales from six bloggers who share the origins of their own dining sets and how they make fit within their own homes.

“I like to think the table was made by my dad and me,” says Diana of Our Vintage Home Love.  “He had just learned to turn table legs and made these before he passed away. When I needed a table, I used the table legs he made and created the rest using some of his scrap wood. Family dinners were very important to him, so it’s very special to have a piece of him at our dinner table since he is no longer with us.”

“When the price tag on a block of new, solid wood, the round table was too high, my husband and I came up with our own design,” says CK of CK and Nate. “The octagon shape was slightly easier to build, and we loved how it made the table unique. Plus, it’s built in four pieces—two top and two bottom—to allow us to add expansion leaves. At holidays, that easily fits 12-14 people, but we can still sit eight even when it’s closed.”

“We got the table from Pottery Barn when I worked there in college (and got a discount too good to pass up),” says Aileen of At Home In Love. “We’ve been collecting the chairs from thrift stores and antique malls since then. They’re a mismatched crew, but I like it that way. Our dining set already has the look of having been used for many years—so I don’t have to be concerned about scratches, spills, and dings.”

“My parents run a booth in a local antique mall, and I saw this table in their furniture stash,” says Jennifer at Dimples & Tangles. “The chunky legs stole my heart in a second, and I purchased it from them before they could move it into their booth. I don’t usually hesitate to paint most older furniture, but I wanted the table to stay close to its original condition—even played up its distressed legs.”

Table and bench from scratch” say Aaron of And Then We Saved. “Since we don’t have a work shed, I made all the cuts at the hardware store and constructed it all on our patio using just a few tools. We love the rustic, slightly imperfect, organic look of the table and bench, and how they combine with the elegant, turn-of-the century details of our 1907 home.”

“I painted this dining table for friends—they had inherited the set from other friends who were moving—with a watered down Annie Sloan Chalk Paint in Paris Grey,” says Meesh from the blog Imeeshu. “My friends wanted a look that could stand the test of time. They knew they’d get scratches and nicks, so the shabby look was a perfect choice. And this sturdy table is perfect for this family of 6, which has an open-door policy.”