Good Questions: Round vs Square Dining Tables?

Hi there AT:SF-

We are fascinated by round pedestal dining tables, we imagine festive and intimate dinner parties where our friends can all see each other and noone is left hanging at the end of the table... But are they practical? Are they stable? Will our toddlers try to climb on them and send everything tipping over? Will our guests be constantly passing serving plates around the circle, or will we be in lazy susan hell, dishes spinning around endlessly?

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Kathy is considering the Batavia Table by Eclexion Design

We'd love to hear from people who've lived with them and can tell us what they love or hate about them!

And if you love your round table, where did you get it? We're looking for something dark and elegant (maybe even ornate?) that would fit into a San Francisco 1920's interior.

Thanks,
Kathy

Dear Kathy,

We love round tables for all the reasons you described (we bogged this one some time ago), but we do have to issue a warning about them: the smaller the diameter the better they score as conviviality-inducers.

Think about sitting at the big round table at a wedding reception or Chinese restaurant: you wind up talking only to the people seated beside you, since you can't hear the ones facing you across that grand diameter.

And about the pedestal option: it's all in the proportions. A well-designed table, which the Betavia looks to be, will have a pedestal with substantial girth and/or weight to keep the table from tipping. Test out any candidates by leaning on the edge with your full weight. If the table readily wobbles it's not the one you're looking for. Also: if your toddlers weigh more than a typical stuffed Thanksgiving turkey, it's probably best to keep them from climbing aboard.

Anyone else?

Comments (9)

While I try not to do "I have no answer, but I love your chair..." postings -- that is such a beautiful room in the photo that I cannot resist telling you so.

We have a rectangular table in the kitchen and a round table in our living room, and for some reason we tend to carry all of our food into the living room and eat there. The round table is just cozier when there are two or three people eating. We got ours on craigslist, and it is plenty sturdy. I think it's probably from the 50s. It does have extra leaves, which is nice when we have people over. Pictures are here if you are interested.

Room and Board

There are ROUND extension tables like the one above from RoomAndBoard.

I like round tables myself!

I do love round tables, I get it from my mother.

As for stability, I have a table which has wide feet, and matching wide "buttresses" to support the table top. This results in a stable top even though the middle column is slender.

Sadly, can't find this style online quickly. My table was found on craigslist.

The shape depends on the room. I have a square table with two extensions but when I moved I thought a round shape was better so I made a round top to sit on the square. Needs a table cloth though as its not too pretty.

My parents have a round extension table and it works like a charm, I can't recall ever toppling it over as a wee little thing, but it is quite sturdy and I doubt was ever a worry. And if you are worried about a lazy susan, just don't get one, we never used one and it is fine. I don't think there is really any difference from sitting at a round table vs. a rectangle one with regards to passing around dishes of food.

A round dining table is a great idea. They come in MANY styles, and configurations. A number of them expand, some via insertion of leaves that turn them into an oval, others have interesting mechanisms that expand their circumference. I suggest before you make a decision on one, see as many of them as possible, starting with the highest end manufacturers and working down.

I have an 80 year old oak craftsman round table. The first time most people enter my apartment they comment on it. Some call it the Charlie Rose table (but it isn't that big.) I love a round table. Most people have so many rectangular things, the round is a nice contrast. One caveat. My table can be tipped. I think that is because the table top is solid oak and very heavy. Also, I have noticed people are a bit lazy and want to use the table to lift themselves from their seats. I was too strictly brought up to do such a thing.

We recently bought a round table for our kitchen and we are extremely satisfied with it, it's solid and, since the leg is quite heavy, it doesn't tip easily. 1 meter (~1 yard) of diameter is ideal for 4 people dining on it, but it has got extensions.
Here you can see it: http://www.ton.cz/p4dbimg/ton/frame1024/421273.jpg
and how it looks like in my kitchen (at the time messy):
http://farm1.static.flickr.com/217/472540739_ccb7ad4de9.jpg?v=0