Now that we have a larger dwelling, we’ll definitely be entertaining more often here at the Brown abode (once the kitchen is done). However, at the moment, we only have dining room seating for four people. Seeing as how there are typically about 12 people at my family’s gatherings, a four-person table just isn’t going to cut it. Therefore, we are officially on the lookout for a new dining room table.

In searching for the new addition, we decided to make a list of our wants when it comes to the perfect dining room table for us. This is what the list looked like:

• Modern & Traditional. We love modern lines and design but we also love the warmth and character of more traditional pieces. So we’re looking for something with a mix.  Modern and traditional, but not too traditional.
• Make room for guests. Sure, the dining area is larger than what we had at our apartment, but we’re not living in a mansion here. While we probably can’t fit a 12-seater table in here (no matter how much we’d like to!), we would like to find a table that would be able to seat at least 8 people with a bit of elbow room to spare. We also decided to keep our eyes out for an 8-seater table with a leaf that would expand it to fit ten.
• Take a seat. One thing is for sure, we want to purchase a table that will go well with our current chairs. They are so comfy and durable that we can’t bear to part with them. Obviously we are going to have to purchase more chairs. Luckily, Haverty’s still carries them.

Over the weekend, we set out to find the perfect dining room table for the new space and we’ve narrowed it down to three possibilities:

First off, there is the Angled-Leg Expandable Table from West Elm. We’ve been in love with this table for what seems like forever so it easily made it to our short list.

PROS: Our style is a mix of modern and traditional (“moditional” as Greg calls it), so the clean lines of the table will contrast nicely with the traditional lines of our chairs and tie in with the style of the rest of the house’s furnishings. This table even has a hidden storage drawer which would come in handy when storing linens and maybe even a few small serving platters.

CONS: Though to color of the table and the chairs are similar, the difference in finishes might not flow well. With the addition of the leaf, it only seats 6 people.

Our second option is Haverty’s Copley Square Trestle Table. This is the big sister to our current table  - which has since been discontinued.

PROS: We love our current table and how durable it’s been. So we know this table will be just as durable and loved. It perfectly matches our dining chairs without being too “matchy matchy”. Also, if we purchase this table, we can purchase the needed additional chairs at a discounted price. Yay for package deals! This table seats 8 comfortably, but up to 10.

CONS: It’s very traditional. Maybe even too traditional. Another con is the price tag. It’s double the price of Option # 1, but then again, from our experience with the smaller version, we know the durability and quality justify the price.

Our third and final option is Restoration Hardware’s Avignon Salvaged Beam Dining Table.

PROS: First of all, it’s made from antique pine timbers salvaged from 100-year-old buildings in Great Britain. Who wouldn’t love that?! My mom & dad have a similar table in their dining room and we love it. They also happen to have the same dining chairs as we do. Online, it doesn’t look as though they would go together, but trust me. They do! It’s a great contrast of light a dark wood. As with option number two, this table seats 8 comfortably–up to 10 people elbow-to-elbow.

CONS: It’s the most expensive table on our short list, coming in at $1,299 (marked down from $2,695). However, considering it’s a reclaimed wood Restoration Hardware table, that’s a pretty good price. But is it worth it? Another con is the fact that it doesn’t have a leaf. Even though the table is already pretty large, we’d like to have the option of adding a leaf for expanded seating.

So there we have three very different, very unique table options. Narrowing it down to three was the easy part. Over the next few days, we’ll be deciding which one is going to be the right fit for us. In the mean time, we are going to list our current dining table on Craigslist. Fingers crossed!

Now that the holidays are behind us, it’s time to start thinking about tackling the elephant in the room. You know, the one we’ve been skirting around for a while because it’s our biggest project to date.  Yep, I’m talking about the kitchen.

For the past few months, we’ve been collecting a hefty amount of kitchen catalogs from local stores and online. Greg and I have both marked our favorite features, cabinetry, hardware and so on. At this point, we know what we like, and I thought I would share a bit of our decision-making process with you.

One of the biggest issues we had to tackle was that of our cabinet color. Well, I made it a big issue in my mind, anyway. As you know, I’m dreaming of a white kitchen. However, our house has dark floors and a lot of our furniture has a dark, espresso finish. So to help me make up my mind, I decided to search online for photos of white kitchens with dark flooring.

After a bunch of Googling, I found this photo from the 2010 IKEA Kitchen catalog:

It’s a little cluttered for our taste. (We’re not minimalists, but we do love to have a place for each and every item.) However, on the whole, Greg and I love the flow and “feel” of this kitchen. It’s modern yet rustic with a touch of traditional and a dash of vintage farmhouse chic. Of course it has my beloved white cabinets, and the dark countertops tie in with the dark flooring. There’s even a glimpse of dark furniture pictured in the back of the room.

Some of you might be thinking… “IKEA? Don’t you have to put all of those cabinets together yourself?” Why yes, yes we do. But that’s what makes IKEA cabinets so affordable. We’re not sure what the total cost will be yet, but looking through the catalog, we’re pretty certain it’s going to be a lot less than a kitchen purchased from one of the mega hardware stores or a specialty cabinetry store. For us, the price justifies the tedious installation in the long run.

Appealing as it is, the lower cost isn’t the only factor in our decision. What really makes us excited about possibly going the IKEA route is the combination of price and customization:

Customizing our own cabinets, drawers and storage options to our specific needs/wants will make using the kitchen very convenient and enjoyable. And the cost of doing that sort of customization, as compared to custom-made cabinets, is much, much lower.

The next step in deciding if want to go the IKEA route will be taking a day trip to our nearest IKEA (which happens to be about an hour and a half away from here) to take a closer look at them.

Do any of you have IKEA cabinets? Love or hate? If you could change up your current kitchen and customize something to make life easier, what would you do?