VERY pretty nook -- such a wonderful way to dine!! :)

Perhaps use a design element from one of these tables?

Here is a link that might be useful: world market dining tables

There is a New Yankee Workshop video where Norm is making a trestle table. Lots of good ideas on the construction to make it easier.

We made ours out of old pine flooring and laminated the pieces together, made it real easy making the mortises!

After we got it all done, realized we got the length wrong so this top is going in my sewing room, and we used a left over chunk of Ikea Oak Countertop to make a new top for the trestle. I'm painting the ceiling right now so the top is in the basement.

This shows the "stock" we used to form the parts.

and another "in process" picture.

We wanted something very basic to go with our old farmhouse - not a "showpiece" table that would compete with other elements in the kitchen.

Thanks teacats. I'll take a look.

Wow macybaby...beautiful job on a beautiful table. Such a lot of work! Thanks for posting it.

Why not have it made very similar to the one you have now without the angles. Have the inside arched instead of the angles and possible the outside of it too.

I love banquettes--and found a couple of links to images that remind me of your layout--though I think your idea of a trestle style will work well. These have some interesting elements I thought that might be of use. First link Scroll down her webpage to see more images of the first one (though it's also at the very top). And below is another one.

Here is a link that might be useful: Second image is similar to your layout

Do you absolutely need the outside edge to be straight for traffic flow? I'd prefer symmetry. I would also like an oval more than a coffin shape.

the shape of your banquets is super as well as your
iron chady over the table...

The first thing I thought was a cast iron or wrought
iron base, antiqued to match your chaddy.
I did a search and saw some awesome iron bases.

Also, I think that table top is wrong for the space,
It's not complementry to the banquet at all.
Try mocking up an oval table top. You could also
cut in the four corners.
Are you making this table yourself?

It's just a suggestion... we have a wrought iron base
that was in our backyard secret garden for years, it
actually belonged to hubby's grandpa. We sanded it,
spray painted it a dark bronze, and made a walnut top
for it...it looks very nice in our bay window.

Think about going on a table base adventure and hitting
the antique shops.

Is your heart set on a trestle base? I would think a nice beefy pedestal base might be more comfortable on the knees.

Joann, first let me apologize - I referred to you as Joan in a previous post - oops. When you said you did a search for iron bases, was that at one of your fav ebay spots or local antique shops. In anticipation of our kitchen remodel, many moons ago, I bought a 2' X 4' X 6" old butcher block which I just loved. The iron base however, was beyond repair. Since we have yet to start the remodel I am not in any rush, but it is always in my mind to find a base for it so... if there is any favorite spot on ebay you can steer me to, I would appreciate it. Lynn fr CT

I second the idea of an oval. That could allow for three chairs on the kitchen side in a pinch, and would be a more traditional look.

Hi lynn, i just did a google 'rectangular iron table bases'
there are hundreds and hundreds...

I found a place 'lonestartrading company'
this is another I like from lonestar
{{!gwi}}

I would also try CL..

another lonestar table base.

look at this unique beauty...wouldn't this be awesome
(with an oval or round top) in front of a banquet ;)

{{!gwi}}

The current table top is 70 1/2" x 32". I'm concerned that anything less than a full trestle will not be supportive enough of the top. We thought about a beefy pedestal (I love pedestal tables!) as kaijutokusatsu suggested, but again, it's a matter of giving the top the necessary support to hold up across nearly 6' of surface. Perhaps we can look into two pedestals? or would that seem overkill for the space?

The iron bases are beautiful, but I'm concerned with them about knees and skootching room to slide in and out of the banquette. if you look at them, the S shape bulges out exactly where someone's knees want to go as they are trying to slide into the banquette. I'll do some more investigating as it would be a lovely solution....and we can still use our narra wood for the top.

marcolo, we only have 28" between the straight edge of the table and the narrow 9" bookcase which we use as an end table for the sofa. That 28" has to accommodate walking and chairs being pushed out for seating, so it is a very tight dimension....that's why we came up with the straight side. Sorry, but I don't see a "coffin" shape...it's a hexagon.

sujafr, thank you for posting those links...there are several good examples of just what we are looking for. Apparently we aren't the first to run into this. Unfortunately it's hard to see the bases in those.

The beauty of the hex shape is it is most comfortable for the person sitting there as you have a surface that matches the seating. It also is most efficient as we can seat 7 around the existing table top if need be. If we did an oval, part of the table would curve away from the diner and leave uncomfortable gaps, or curl in too far making it hard to get around or feeling uncomfortably close. And given the space, it would be a really long and narrow oval.

I love all the thoughtful suggestions! Please keep them coming. We will be meeting with a custom woodworker on Friday.

I take it this is something like what you are recommending...

DH says how does the person on the angle sit comfortably? Especially since I am the one who sits there almost every morning for breakfast (nook is southern facing so I pick up the eastern day break too). Also, he (engineer by background) feels the trestle is a more solid table base than the double pedestal. He's big into form follows function....

Many people think a pedestal doesn't support a tabletop well but IMO it depends on the quality of the construction. I have a single pedestal table that has a 48" round top with 2 leaves that becomes 72" and it's still very solid, as it was 30 years ago when new. I just went down and gave it a good shake and it's very solid after many years of constant use. It wasn't an inexpensive table and the top is 1 1/4" of solid wood with a substantial apron below. Two pedestals would definitely be even more solid.

I understand the rationale for having an angled table over an oval one but would it work to have the table wider so it could be a symmetrically angled oval? I think your current table template is too narrow which makes the angles look a bit 'off' and if made wider the outer side could also have angles the same as the banquette side.

I agree with luckygal, the above oval table top
is great looking ... it's never a perfect situation to
have a banquette in a 45 degree angle window.

You can make the most of the situation by making the
table a little longer and a little wider than the
pictured table you posted.

Your chopped table design is 'off' as well as too narrow.

You're compromising the entire look
of your banquette in your quest to get the end seats close to the table...
you can get closer by making the table a little longer and wider.

This may be a goofy idea...but...maybe you should take a weekend to stop by 20 or 30 restaurants and check out their booths and table shapes....you might get a better sense of looks, how things feel when sitting, and get some ideas.

I would consider something more rounded than the sharp angles you have now, as those seem limiting, too, and hard to slide around when getting to the inside seating.

I don't know if you would consider this, but a round or oval table with a dropleaf on the outside would control the space most of the time, but allow for more seating when needed.

I'm not sure what you mean by "off". The angle looks wrong in the picture, maybe, because I wasn't standing in the center when I took it, but the angle in the table top does match the angle in the seats and the table is symmetrical left and right.

The table is 30" deep now, and the one we want to make would be 32" deep...we want to make it a tad wider. But the aisle way behind it doesn't allow us to go any wider.

But does this look so terrible? Are you reacting to the shape or the execution of our particular table which was made out of scrap wood.

I'm really surprised by all this as I had no trouble with the table top and was only looking to design the base. Early on I was thinking oval as many of you seem to be, but DH proposed this design and we went with it and the practicality has proved itself. I guess I got used to how it looked, so this is great getting fresh eyes to see the space.

I think this may be what you are talking about...cutting angles into the straight edge, even if they don't match the angles on the window side, yes?

But from a practical POV that would mean losing an extra seat at the table.

The entire great room is more transitional than traditional, so I don't mind having a less traditional table in the nook.

Suggesting we look at banquettes is a great suggestion, and we have already done that...but many restaurants don't have the bay window like we have.

I only have so much narra wood and so much money, so I want to make sure I get this right. I really appreciate everyone's input...even if I'm dense at wrapping my head around it all.

Maybe we need to go with an asymmetrical base as well as a top:

The table you're getting your inspiration from, is
much deeper than yours and the banquette is much different, it is a
five section banquette, as opposed to your three
section banquette, thus that table
design fits comfortably into each seat. Again, it's deeper
(wider) which also softens it.

When I go back and look at your table, in order to
be seating in front of the cut off part of your table
(on the end) you have to be sitting on the crack of the cushion...
that is part of what I mean as 'off.'

My DH is also an engineer, he instructed me in the 'golden
mean' and we follow it closely in all our DIY furniture
and cabinet designs. You also have to take into consideration
how many people you need to seat on a daily basis.

Before we made a round table, we made a octogon top with
a glass center...I kept it for one year, and talked the
DH into making a round one...so I can appreciate your
concern about getting it right the first time.

I think the octagonal top is eminently practical and the pictures you posted of the "real" tables, Annie, look great. There are problems with oval shapes as well as rectangles and squares when it comes to those extra people who sometimes need to be seated.

If you can do an iron base, i think it would look wonderful. My SIL has a 10 foot long trestle table with a very cool forged iron base. They commissioned the base from a blacksmith in Georgia and her DH made the top. It looks rustic and modern all at once!

OK, thanks Joann...that is from the angle of the picture, not the table. when I sit on the end cushion...which I do daily....the angled side of the table is exactly in front of me and a comfortable width and distance from me. A birds eye view would show the table edge lining up exactly with the edge of the seat. No crack sitting.

I can get some cardboard and try to mock the table top up with it a little wider and maybe rounding the corners to soften it....

Thanks kswl. I think the iron base would look great.

Another alternative...we had to tear down the old house before we built this one. We salvaged a bunch of beams from the house...hand hewn from 1790s, white or red oak and maybe a chestnut or two. We could look at making the posts out of them...but then they'd have to be smoothed out so would lose the charm, and the cabinet guy said we would have to live with black marks left by the old nails in the wood...he says they never come out.

We did use the beams to make a mantle behind the woodstove. (the woodstove area is part of the great room)

Reread joann's message. I think this is a case where what you think you see is obscuring what you actually see. In addition to other differences from your inspiration, your table has straight right and left sides that are perpendicular to the front and do not match any angles in the banquette. The only place that happens in your inspiration pics is a table that also has clipped front corners and so is symmetrical along its long axis.

How about if I went with 2 of these....

table bases
(sorry can't paste image link)

or 2 of these...

Here is a link that might be useful: Iron table bases

I like that Bruni 2 x2 iron base! I think it would look better than two pedestals.

However, may I make a suggestion? I think the trestle is going to create a legroom problem, as would two pedestals. The size of your tabletop can easily be borne by a single larger pedestal (for greater stability, larger than the iron pedestal pictured). Why not look on CL for a nice wood pedestal table and canabalize it for the base. Get a large, pretty pedestal and paint it as in some of your examples and the wood top then really stands out. Or just buy a painted wood base...

Kswl, I know DH will never go for it...he doesn't even want two unconnected pedestals...he's really pushing for trestle. Our temporary table is trestle and it works fine.

I really appreciate your input and everyone else's too...it helps me see the table in a new light.

We will meet with table maker on Friday and get his input too.

Cottage Home Maine makes custom tables. You can click on any of the trestle tables to see even more styles.

Here is a link that might be useful: Trestle Tables

I figured out what the problem is. It's not the design at all, as proved by your inspiration pictures above. It's that your make-shift tabletop is so thin it makes the whole thing look off in the picture.

I think it's going to be beautiful when you're fiished! I didn't think that until you showed the last grouping of pictures.

quandry, thanks for the link!

oakleyok, I think you're right that the temporary table does look odd because the top is very narrow...I'll definitely put an apron on the new top to give it some real heft.

sujafr gets full credit for the inspiration pics linked above...thanks for providing those links! We were just "seat of the pants" before that.

Hi Annie

On GW kitchens did you see this recent post by 6inthefarm. She has a trestle table in her nook with a top a bit similar to what you are proposing.

(By the way, I think the non symmetrical top will be fine in your kitchen if that give you the best function. Our round pedestal table in our L-shaped banquette area looks charming but certainly does not maximize seating and function. Since we are usually only 2 or 3 at the table, it doesn't matter for us.)

{{!gwi}}

Here is a link that might be useful: 6inthefarm's breakfast nook

Even though single pedestal tables may seem to be the easiest to sit at
(only one pedestal should make for lots of leg room),
I've found that when pedestals look like this one (picture below)
they are much less functional that one might think.
Those cute high arching legs on the pedestal
really get in the way of the people sitting on the chairs and the banquette.
See how the chair legs have to awkwardly straddle the legs on the pedestal?
Your diners will have to do the same thing.
This is not something I thought about when picking a round pedestal table for our nook.
Maybe this is only a problem in our family because of our longish legs!

In designing your trestle or pedestal base,
I'd recommend that the supports on the floor should be as close to the floor as possible
so that they don't interfere with people's feet and legs.

{{!gwi}}

And here is a picture of our table and nook to show how the legs on the pedestal get in the way:

Thanks francoise! Your breakfast nook is lovely...the light you get from those windows is fantastic!

DH and I were talking this morning about the table and he agrees with you that the higher pedestals interfere with sitting.

I showed him this design which I really like and he is ok with it. (His taste runs very country and mine does not so we're always in design tension finding that middle road.)

I really like it as it has the "broken arch" shape in the trestle which is a theme in the house...would be neat to repeat it here. Plus the low feet and the high trestle will probably make it easy to sit at. The feet also are very similar to the feet on the dining table he had growing up, so it will feel familiar to him.

Comments anyone? Can we put an apron on the top to give it more heft? Or do you think if the furniture guy doubles up the wood...gets it over 1" thick...it will work?

Hi Annie,

That broken curve trestle idea looks great!
It is beautiful and functional.
I wouldn't do an apron with that style.
I'd just do an extra thick top -- maybe 1 3/4 to 2 inches?

Do you have pictures of the rest of your kitchen to share?

We salvaged a bunch of beams from the house...hand hewn from 1790s, white or red oak and maybe a chestnut or two.

Have you thought about creating the top from some of the beams? Could look pretty cool with an iron base.

Yes! I Love that (walnut) broken arch table; it's gorgeous.
It also goes with everything...
Not sure about the apron, perhaps not.
I did an apron on our previous table, and thought it
looked heavy...
My current table, no apron and I like it much better.

BTW, our kitchen table top is 1-1/4" thick walnut.

What wood are you using, Anne?

Joann and Deedee, we have narra wood which we've kept in our barn for over 50 years...it was brought back from the Philippines by a family friend who worked overseas during WWII. They are beautiful wide plank boards whose warm reddish tones will go well with the room.

Here's a pic of finished narra wood:

The left over beams are pretty rough...a lot of nails, cut outs, etc. so DH decided against using them for this and he wants the table to be all of narra wood.

We'll have to talk to the furniture maker though as the boards are not that thick and he may have to laminate them to build up the table top, unless we decide on an apron, but I agree it can mess up the look.

That narra wood is gorgeous...
Most likely it will all have to be planed
down. An edge would be fine to add some thickness
as long as it's not to chunky.
If you have enough narra to do the entire table
that would be fantastic.

OMG Annie,
Where did you see that broken arch table?
I am searching for one also and fell in love immediately.
Is it custom made?

Annie, I love your narra wood and also the broken arch. Been lurking here and following the comments and suggestions. The only one I'd add is that I do love the bench on the outside of the table. We recently bought a new table for our lake condo. Being a condo, the space is fairly small, but we needed to accommodate kids and grandkids. We ended up with a bench on one side, which visually keeps the space open to the great room and allows much more seating on that side when we do have a crowd. Ours is Basset and it comes in a variety of finishes (ours is almost black). You might find one that complements your narra wood.

Thanks outsideplaying...I had mentioned a bench to DH before, but he was not for it. We already have the chairs...leftover from the new house...and we are mostly adults who prefer the flexibility of the separate chairs and the back support. Bassett makes nice furniture...we just ordered the sofa for the library from there.

denali, thank you for asking! I just did a google search on trestle tables and came across the image. Never occurred to me to look further than that until you asked. Turns out these guys are custom furniture makers in VT and designed the tables themselves. They do great work and I will definitely follow up with them....I'm already imagining a nice vacation trip to VT to bring up the wood and hike around the mountains! Will have to see if DH will go for it!

Here is a link that might be useful: Dorset custom furniture

That's funny, Annie, because my DH wasn't for the bench either...until we got it, and then he was all in. We don't use it ourselves, but for seating the grands, it is perfect. Even adults can sit on it and face the great room and sort of lean against the table. It offers us more flexibility in the small space and makes it look less crowded. I'll post a photo when I get around to it. Made some a few weeks back with my camera phone and I'm not real savvy on transferring those to my photobucket account.

great...I'd love to see pics!

Annie, this is the table I was talking about. Sorry the photos are not the greatest...made with my phone and there was a lot of bright light.

This is a view toward the great room so you can see the bench really opens up the 'view'.

I love the upholstered chairs...we can roll them into the great room for extra seating if needed. I didn't have any art work re-hung yet when I took these either. Did that when we were there over the holiday weekend so it's looking better.

Thank you.....very nice job. The upholstered chairs look perfect with the wooden chairs and the bench. And the space is very flexible to accommodate a wide variety of entertainment situations...great job!