When you live in a small space, a dining table can feel like a luxury. It can be difficult to justify the floor space for something you might not use everyday but after the age of 25 it can be depressing eating over the sink every night. The simple drop leaf table is the perfect small space dining solution. By day, with the leaves folded down, it can pass as a side table or console. By night, open it up and throw a dinner party!
• Design House Stockholm Wing Drop Leaf Table from Amazon With two drawers, this table provides enough storage for some dining essentials. $765
• Kensington 63" Gateleg Table Made from 100% recycled Pine, opens to a fairly large 63" diameter. $1,199
• Winsome Wood 42-Inch Round Drop Leaf Table from Bellacor This inexpensive table is perfect for short term use. Spatially, it's the least bulky of all the options. $199.95
• Span Espresso Gateleg Dining Table from Crate & Barrel Folds up to a slim 9 1/2" when not in use, this table extends to 65 1/2" for dinner parties. $299
• NORDEN Gateleg Table from Ikea An Ikea classic – the six drawers provide ample storage and it's at a price that can't be beat. $199
• Slater Mill Drop Leaf Table from Thomasville This table's a little larger than others. It's also higher quality, making it a great investment piece. $1,199
• Drop leaf Table from Shaker Workshops With its leaves down, this table is a bulky 21 3/8" - but it's simple lines make it look much smaller. For DIYers, they also have a kit for building your own. Starting at $1,130
• Shayne Dropleaf Kitchen Table from Pottery Barn A great option for a small eat in-kitchen. With the open shelves it could double as an kitchen island. $499
(Images: As credited above.)
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I received the pine version of the Ikea Norden table as a xmas present while in engineering school, and it still is my kitchen table 3 years after graduating. I might change it's vocation when I get a larger appartment or a house, but right now, I doubt anything else would fit my needs and lack of space better...
Love these! I especially like the Norden's use as a slim endtable the rest of the time, and of course its drawers. If you're in a tight enough spot that you need a dropleaf table, extra storage space is always welcome. Let's hope they never discontinue it.
I love my Ikea Norden table...sort of. I love that I can keep it halfway or all the way folded up, which opens up my dining room as a kids' play area. But if I try to have a large group sit around it for dinner, all but 2 people have a table leg right in front of them. If I had guests frequently, it would be a pain.
The C&B Span's finish is... poor, in both colors. And overall it's just not that sturdy (from what I saw of floor models).
I have the norden and keep it half up most of the time. http://www.flickr.com/photos/38053501@N02/7837811408/in/set-72157631191772510 I use it as a desk and gate food stand:) The nice thing is that when people come over I pull it off the wall and can get 8 chairs around it (tightly). It may not be the most comfortable, but it works in a pinch.