One of the things I love about a well built hardwood table is that it lasts a long time. Solid hardwood can handle real life and gets more beautiful with age. A hardwood table purchased today is one you’ll enjoy for many years to come.
Why Solid Hardwood?
Walnut, Maple, Ash and Oak are all beautiful hardwoods that are used to make tables. Each wood species has its own unique grain patterns and characteristics that give the table its personality. Some tables you’ll find only use hardwood as a veneer over particle board. While this does let you enjoy the beauty of the grain, it doesn’t wear well. Scratches and dents often go deeper than the veneer and can’t be repaired. We prefer solid hardwood construction where these scratches and dents aren’t a problem because it’s walnut or oak all the way through. Any marks can either be left alone to help tell your family’s story or the table can be sanded and refinished. This is why a solid hardwood table is worth the investment.
Timeless Styles
Solid hardwood tables typically lean into timeless styles. A Parsons table is a good example of this. With a Parsons table the 4 legs are in the corners and are attached to the table and each other with a skirt. This makes for a very robust table. We make several versions of a Parsons table: the Carson, the Beaumont and the Pinette. Our family had a Carson table in the kitchen for many years. This was the home for family dinners, homework, kids birthday parties, pumpkin carving, Easter egg decorating, work from home, etc. After 25 years we recently decided to change it out for a Pinette as a refresh, but our Carson table was still in great shape to be passed down to one of our kids.
Another timeless design is our Murray table. We build this as a round or oval table on wooden legs. The round and oval shapes are great for facilitating conversation around a table. And because they don’t have any corners, they are easy to walk around.
Adding Leaves
One consideration for a table that you will use for years is if you want to add leaves to it. As you think about using your table over time and through different stages of life, it’s not hard to imagine wanting to have flexibility with the size of your dining table. Most of our tables can be designed to be extendable. With the Murray tables, the leaves are added to the center of the table. With the Carson or Pinette they can be added either at the ends or in the center.
If you’re looking for an heirloom quality table that can be part of your family’s story through all of its stages of life, a solid hardwood table is the way to go. Our team would be happy to help you find the one that best fits your needs.
