This Classic IKEA Dining Table Is Perfect for Small Spaces — I’ve Had It for 14 Years!

Nearly 14 years ago, I moved into a cute little apartment with an eat-in kitchen. It felt like my first grown-up space. There was just enough room for a small table and a few chairs, and I dreamed of sitting there in the morning drinking coffee before work or cooking meals for friends in my oh-so-adult kitchen. And, like many apartment-dwellers before me, I headed to IKEA to find just the right piece. 

At the time I wanted something light and bright, and the iconic IKEA DOCKSTA table was calling my name. Fast forward to today, and the table is still with me. It’s been through two more apartments, one condo, and now a rowhome. In each space, the DOCKSTA has somehow fit perfectly; it’s adapted to my evolving lifestyle and aesthetic.

This iconic table is based on a 1956 Knoll Saarinen table that is still a classic seven decades later. Of course, IKEA’s version comes with a more palatable price tag. Back when I bought it, the DOCKSTA was just $199. Inflation has ticked up the price a bit to $279, but I bought my table 14 years ago, so in my book it’s still a deal for a timeless mid-century style. What I loved about it at the time was that the 41-inch diameter fit perfectly in my small kitchen, and the pedestal base gave it a light, airy look that didn’t overpower the space. 

While it’s heavier than it appears (a good thing, unless you’re moving it!), it’s easy to assemble. Place the top on the ground, screw the base into the top, and then flip it over — super-simple. If you have a small family or a few roommates, or regularly host a couple of friends for supper club, it’s the perfect size. It fits four chairs easily — five if you need to pull up an extra.

The DOCKSTA table has been with me through that first apartment, followed by a second and a third, all of which had petite eat-in kitchens. Then it lived in my condo, where it moved around, first gracing a large bay window and then the kitchen, where it had less of a design presence but was used nightly. And now it’s in the basement apartment that sits below my rowhome, providing a cozy little nook for our Airbnb guests to eat dinner or, when the unit is unbooked, for me to get away and work or host mahjong nights with friends. 

Looking back on all these spots is like walking through memory lane via design. From 2012 to 2015 to 2019 to today — it’s all the different versions of design that I experimented with (and will continue to experiment with!). The table is always there, a classic style that molds with its surroundings. But the through line is always its versatility. 

The size is ideal for small-space living. It’s not so small that you feel like you’re sitting at a bistro table with barely enough room for two plates, but it’s not so large that it can’t easily tuck into a kitchen. It’s the right size for dining, although I’ve also seen it used in countless craft rooms and offices. 

Because I’m coming up on the 15-year anniversary of owning this table, I obviously would recommend the IKEA DOCKSTA to anyone. You can’t beat its price, size, and versatility. But the best part is something I haven’t even mentioned yet: You can buy a replacement top. 

When I originally purchased the table in 2012, the top had a slick surface that warped at the very sight of water. But after a half-hearted attempt to refinish the top a few years back, I realized that they had replacement tops available for $79.99 a piece. A few twists of the Allen wrench later, and I had an indestructible top on the table that will hopefully give it another 14 years of life with me.

Buy: IKEA DOCKSTA Table, $79.99