A beautiful mistake?

Because my birthday is coming up next weekend, my wonderful hubby told me that I could go get a new table either for the breakfast area or the dining room. As much as I would like to have a table for the dining room, we wouldn't use a formal table as often so I decided that I wanted a new table for the breakfast nook. I have been patient for a long time to get a new table. I bought the old one from my grandmother not long after I graduated from college. We relocated the old table to the dining room as seen here:



I set out on my quest for the perfect table. I went to several stores to look around but none could beat the table I found at Gallery Furniture. For those who are unfamiliar, Gallery Furniture is a massive warehouse of furniture that used to carry lower end furniture only. They have started carrying a lot more higher end furniture in the last several years so I have started shopping there more.

I drove there after work and walked back to the area where they display the tables. Instantly I fell in love with a certain line of tables they carry that are made of Mango wood. I'm in a mode of trying to be more eco-friendly and the wood that they use in these tables is supposed to qualify (although I will admit I didn't research it so hopefully they aren't lying to me).

So I bring the hubby back in to make sure he likes these table too and he does. The tables I considered are bigger so that I can can get a lot more people around it. We regularly have more than four people at our dinner table these days since four actually live here and then the college student's boyfriend is here often as well. I've always loved the pub height tables so I was leaning towards those but still considering regular height tables too

Each of these tables are solid wood with no wood veneers. Rather than finishing the table to be smooth, the company that makes these tables do them all by hand and leave the beauty of the wood evident. After lots of hand-wringing over which of these beautiful tables I wanted, I chose the 58 inch square pub height table with eight leather chairs. Yes, I said eight. We have a lot of space in that breakfast nook and I'm not afraid to fill it!

Another reason I love Gallery Furniture is that they guarantee same day delivery and this works well with my need for instant gratification. We bought it Saturday morning and as promised they delivered it Saturday evening. The delivery guys bring this table in and they struggled with it because is just that heavy. They put it where I wanted in the breakfast area and it's BIG! It looks bigger than it did in the store but I love it anyway. You can see it in the picture below:



Sunday evening was our first family meal at this table and tonight it was just the four of us. I wasn't prepared for the feelings that I had when I got ready to set things on such an expensive real wood table. I put all of the food on silicone trivets to protect the wood from the heat. Then the teenager sat down and promptly set a soda can on the table. I just about came unglued inside and got a coaster to put her drink on.

We all decided on a new spot to sit and plopped down to eat. As I sat there across from the teenager I found that I was very sad that she was nearly five feet away. I realize now that I enjoyed the more intimate feel of that little old table.

Have I made mistake? Only time will tell. As I sit here looking at it, I think I know what must be done. I need to put the new table in the formal dining area and continue to use the old table. At some point in time I will have the money to buy a nicer table for my breakfast area. The next new one will be a good bit smaller and much more abusable than my birthday gift is.