I think there would be as many different preferences as there are quilters on this one! I guess my "dream" table would be one that went around all sides except for the back but that's not possible for me. So I keep my sewing machine at the right end of a banquet table and use the rest for cutting. When I'm sandwiching the quilt I take the machine off and use the whole table, I also have it pulled away from the wall with enough room to sit between the table and the wall and also so that I can move all the way around it while doing the sandwiching part. But I do have a computer desk to the left to hold various tools, cup of coffee, TV remote, etc. and on the other side of the room a drafting/art table that usually holds piles of fabric, batting, etc. The only time-saving thing I don't do is have the iron anyway near me, so it's up and down and a few steps but that probably keeps my a&$ from becoming permanently welded to the chair!

Well, my dream cutting table would probably be the size of a piece of plywood (4' x 8')! lol The more surface space the better!

But in reality, I have a small banquet style table (28" x 60") that I share with storage drawers, tool basket, sewing machine, and cutting board!

My biggest recommendation is, if at all possible, to have a table that you can walk around at least 3 sides. It'll make cutting so much easier.

I really do have a pretty nice setup but I'm too messy to make it work as well as it should. The sewing table/ironing table/L-shape works great, but the large cutting table I have in the same room is always full of stuff with no room for cutting big pieces of fabric. I end up either using the kitchen table or setting up a folding table in the sewing room for big cutting projects. My sewing table is the size of a large office desk, so I have room on it for two sewing machines and a good sized cutting space. Perfect for just doing lotto blocks or trimming while putting a quilt top together.

Kate