I've always loved round dining tables best because they make it easy for everyone to see and talk with each other. Most of the time, when a round table has leaves, it becomes oblong, which gives you those flat sides. But this one ...

... turns into a larger round table. Brownstone's Sienna Table goes from a 56-inch diameter, which seats four to six people, up to a 72-inch diameter, which seats 10. The style is so simple and classic it will work with traditional or transitional decor. Individual soft felt bags are provided to protect the extensions from scratches while stored.

Is contemporary more your taste? Roche Bobois is known for its sleek styling. Its Astrolab glass extension table has integrated leaves and an exposed system of gears that would make a Swiss watch proud. Operated by a battery-run motor with remote control, you simply push a button to extend this table. The remote operation is so cool, you may be able to entice the sports enthusiasts from their death-grip on the TV remote and football watching long enough to come eat dinner.

Do you regularly throw large dinner parties? Hickory Chair's Newport Dining Table is available in several sizes, including a behemoth that starts at 10 feet long and expands up to 18 feet, which would seat 20 people. It uses three pedestals rather than the two you see here. Casters on the pedestals make it easier to maneuver it into a different position when you want to expand to the full size — a nice feature on such a long table. I'm sure I'm not the only one who expands my dining table from the dining room into the living room when I need to seat more people.

Did you notice there are no legs on the edges of this table to get in the way of the chairs? Selecting a dining table with a pedestal base keeps your knees bruise-free. Click on this photo and follow the green tags for resource information.

Vanguard's pedestal dining table is the essence of warm contemporary style. The slim pedestal assures that nobody will have to sit straddling a table leg.

Many tables with legs at the corners have extensions that add on to the ends while the legs stay put. I don't like those because it means someone gets stuck with a leg pressing sideways into a leg; or worse, they have to sit with a table leg between their knees. Calligaris was smarter than that when it designed the Airport Extra Long Extending Table. The legs stay at the corners when the table is pulled to its full length, an impressive 102 inches seating 10 people.

A few other things I love about this table are the self-storing extension leaves, which eliminate the need to find a place to keep part of your table the rest of the year. I also love that one person can open or close this table, thanks to its telescoping mechanism. A video on Calligaris' website shows how easy it is to use. Another real plus is that this table compacts to 51 inches long. That will fit in the smallest dining areas leaving you with plenty of space when the guests go home.

This dining table designed by yours truly also keeps its legs at the corners when extensions are added to the middle.

How big should your table be?

A good rule of thumb is to allow 24 inches per person, but that doesn't always work. Notice that the chairs around this table are all armchairs. To keep people from having their chairs banging in to each other's, I allowed more space.

The side of this table is 6 feet long, and you can see that only two people can sit on a side because of the larger armchairs. With armless chairs, three people could sit on each side. Also keep in mind who is coming to dinner. If you've invited your local football team, then they will need space for those broad shoulders. If children are present, then you could sit two on an end using a bench or banquette.

Tables with extension leaves aren't the only way to handle company for holiday meals. What if you bought two matching square tables with a flat edge like this one from Brownstone that could sit side by side?

You could use one as your regular kitchen table, and the second one might normally serve as a game table in the family room. Although I wouldn't recommend this solution to someone who has dinner guests often, it could be a perfect solution for those who have a dinner party once or twice a year.

If all else fails, the magic of a floor-length tablecloth will let you combine just about any tables to create one table for your whole party.

I don't know what's under this tablecloth, and that's the genius of it. It could be a very high-end table or it could be six folding card tables end to end.





Here is my most important tip on expanding your dining table for a successful dinner party: Find a way to seat everyone together comfortably — even if that means folding tables or putting your table in the living room temporarily — and let everyone know how glad you are they came. Pour the wine and relax!

Tell us: Have you come up with an innovative way to seat a large group at once? As always, I love to hear about your solutions and see your photos.

Browse more extension tables in the Products section