If the table isn't the heart of a kitchen then it's certainly the heart of the home. Our kitchen table is not only where we eat, but it's the epicentre of our home. Where we share meals with loved ones, drink tea with friends, cool cakes, paint pictures, cut and paste, roll out play dough, blog and numerous other tasks during the day.
We've always coveted those very long, old refectory style tables. Showing their age with beautiful marks and dents as testament to a lifetime of use by previous owners. But these tables were never quite right :: too short, too narrow, too wobbly or too pricey.
But this week we were very excited to finally bring our own whopping dinning table home. It's simple, sturdy, two metres long and should easily seat ten adults, ahem, once we find some more chairs. We had it on lay-by for ages at one of my favourite local stores. The store owner Stef made it from some aged celery top pine that was in his stash :: I love how blokes have a timber stash :: so it is pretty special.
The table is a bit newish looking for me. Brand new. And is yet to earn its patina of a well used family table. But then, I like the idea of a fresh starting point that will, in time, develop a patina made by us.
And our old table? Made by a very dear friend years ago, it came with two sets of legs, one set at dining table height, and one set at coffee table height. So now we have a gorgeous massive big coffee table that you can just see in the top photo. It is used for stacking library books, painting pictures, cut and pasting etc etc...
Now the hunt for chairs begins. So tell me, are you for all matching or mismatched dinning chairs?
Wow I love this! Know what you mean, we were after a table very similar to this, but they were never quite right. I'm sure it will age beautifully with your family. Love celery top, can't wait to show Rob, it's his favourite timber too. Is that the place in Huonville? Heard a bit about it, might have to pay it a visit!
ReplyDeleteWhat a lovely post! I so totally 100 percent absolutely agree with you!
ReplyDeleteAnd I also LOVE your kitchen! I can feel the love that goes on in that space!
Our table is also the hearth of our home.
I totally understand your excitement at getting the table of yr dreams!
I was lucky enough to inherit the massive 12 seater table that I once sat at as the youngest of 5 kids- now my 5 kids are sitting around it!
Such joy!
oh and I forgot to say- I am ALL for mismatched chairs.
ReplyDeleteAnd you clearly have a lovely eye- so I am sure you will pick winners! x
Ah so true it's amazing how much power the table holds. I've noticed that the few of my friends who have family problems don't have a dining table or don't use it and never had dinner together.
ReplyDeleteReally good idea about the two sets of legs for the table.
Only matching chairs! Extras don't have to match :D
That is one lovely dining table! I'm all for mismatched chairs. I'd love six bentwood chairs of differing designs. The Mr is not so sure though. For now we are stuck with the six matching wooden Ikea chairs we brought when we brought this house. The metal legs stick out on funny angles and always get caught on the legs of my antique dining table, or on the legs of the chair beside them. So annoying. So next time I buy chairs, I will be inspecting the angle of the legs!
ReplyDelete:)
It's great with the mismatched chairs, I like our kitchen!
ReplyDeleteYour home is lovely.
ReplyDeleteDefinitely mismatched chairs for me.
beautiful.
ReplyDeleteenjoy the new epicentre!
xx Amy
I am DYING for the day I can have a dining table in my kitchen. I want it to be the epicentre of my home.
ReplyDeleteWhat a lovely post. Our table is made out of old timber from a barn. It is well loved now.
ReplyDeleteMia
Great table!
ReplyDeleteThere is a cafe in the Upper Hunter Valley that used to be called " Crazy Chairs" that had old wooden mismatched chairs. I loved the eclectic feel.
Your Table looks great with the beginnings of a mis matched collection. Gorgeous Michelle'
ReplyDeletePS Saw your story in the ANZ mag. I picked it up yesterday to flick through while waiting and there you were. congrats.
you have such a lovely space here, that goes for the kitchen and the blog.
ReplyDelete....too late for another vote? i think matching...and did someone else suggest bentwood...red?
ReplyDeletelovely, lovely kitchen.
If I ever get our table cleared I'll finish Hugo's pants! I've not forgotten....some Sunday soon I'll drop them in!
ReplyDeleteI love your table and your kitchen table philosophy.
ReplyDeleteI wish you many happy gathering with family and friends and the special,aged patina that will come. Definitely love the mismatched chairs. Sometimes I admire smart new sets of chairs but have always managed to collect chairs like friends. All different. All attractive in different ways and easy to be with.
Chrisartist
Mismatched!!!!! I have a slow growing collection and am still regretting the $8 oldie that I left at a certain vinnies last year...that's what happens when I had scored the previous (slightly wobbly) one for $2 haha!
ReplyDeleteFor a long time our kitchen table was our most treasured possession, purely because it was the nicest thing we owned and could afford.when It has the marks of all our years as a family, the texta, the playdough in cracks the scratches from my sewing machine's missing rubber feet. This table and my mismatched colourful chairs are the heart of my home. I love your table and your kitchen.
ReplyDeleteHmm, not just blokes that have a timber stash, my mum has a huge timber stash :-)
ReplyDeleteWhat a lovely table. That would be my idea of heaven. Made by someone you know, and long enough to fill with a whole lot of love, conversation and awesome food.
Just came across your lovely blog. Lovely, lovely...
Your kitchen is my dream kitchen!! I absolutely adore it and your blog~ which I just discovered. Also I must say that I love your children's names as well. :)
ReplyDeleteWhat a beautiful piece of Celery Top Pine! I'm going to be boring and vote matching chairs (just to accentuate the beautiful table even more)
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