Finally, a dining room table to seat everyone at the same time.

Believe it or not, we have crowded 12 people around this tiny table. I purchased this table from HomeGoods in 2001 for $100. It served us well and when I put it out on the curb it was scooped up, in the rain no less, within a couple of hours.

After scouring farmhouse tables on ebay for four years, I found nothing under $2000. I also found out that ten foot tables are rare and costly to ship. I finally found an affordable table, under $1000, at Restoration Hardware. It was on sale and I had to wait two months to receive it, but at ten feet long, it's perfect.

I wanted a table that was one piece without leaves. This table is reinforced underneath with metal rods. It has a rustic and refined feel.

I grew up using these antique chairs and like the mixture of solid and airy space.

I purchased the Parson Chairs, with slipcovers, at IKEA. Each chair was only $79, which is significantly cheaper than any other chair I found online. They can run $200 to $600 for a basic chair. We had problems with the hardware on one chair but IKEA sent us replacement parts immediately and free of charge.

So far, eight people have sat comfortably together for dinner and brunch, but I bet we can squeeze fourteen, albeit small children, around our new dining room table.