When you’ve produced elaborate events for high-profile clients like Katy Perry, Stephen King and Jann Wenner, as Jung Lee has, you know something about dining tables – and what it takes to make people feel comfortable sitting elbow-to-elbow for hours. But Ms. Lee, 43, a co-owner of the event-planning firm Fête, pointed out that finding the right table to use at home can be just as challenging as choosing tables for a wedding on the beach at St. Barts or a party at the Brooklyn Botanic Garden. And if you live in a big city, where most people don’t have lots of space, it’s even trickier, she said, because then “a dining table needs to do a lot of things – you might need them to expand and get smaller, to serve as a cocktail table or to double as a worktable.”
Her advice? Before you go shopping, consider a few things:
• If the table will be used strictly for dining, what’s the maximum number of guests you’ll have? If you have big dinner parties, expandability should be your first concern.
• Will you be using the table for other things as well – as a work space, maybe, or as a buffet? Think about getting a freestanding base with an interchangeable top, so the table can be moved around and modified easily.
• How long do you plan to keep it? “You have to ask yourself,” Ms. Lee said, “‘Can I see myself, five years from now, having Thanksgiving or a dinner party on this table?’” If you’re not ready for a long-term commitment, budget accordingly.
The following are her suggestions for a range of priorities and commitment levels.
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THE QUICK FIXSilverado Brass Rectangular Dining Table
With its two-part metal base that can be arranged in a cross shape to hold a small circular tabletop, or spread apart as T-shaped supports for larger rectangular tops, the Silverado is as functional as it is affordable. CB2 sells it with a 72- or 80-inch-long glass top. “I love the flexibility,” Ms. Lee said. If a different size was needed for a party, she added, “I’d just get plywood made to the right size, and throw a tablecloth on top.”
From $399 at CB2; (800) 606-6252 or cb2.com
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THE FUTURE HEIRLOOMEarly 19th-Century French Walnut Extending Table
This antique walnut table is nearly 200 years old, and it would be an ideal piece to keep in the family for another two centuries. “Walnut is one of my favorite woods,” Ms. Lee said, noting that the quality looked beautiful and that this would be the ultimate party table. “It’s crazy how big this can get. It has so many leaves that it goes up to 22 feet long” – enough room to seat at least 24 guests comfortably.
$68,500 at the Decorator Source on 1stdibs; (011-44) 1255411024 or 1stdibs.com
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THE OBJECT OF THE MOMENTDogtown Industrial Loft Cast-Iron Glass Table
With a rugged machine-age look, this table epitomizes the trend of using industrial-inspired furniture in residential settings, and it also offers extra functionality. “Instead of expanding, it goes up and down,” from 26 to 32 inches high, with a crank of the wheel, Ms. Lee said. “Sometimes you don’t want to sit down and would rather have everyone standing up – I love that casualness.”
$5,225 at Kathy Kuo Home; (888) 908-2925 or kathykuohome.com
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THE CLASSICNewman Dining Table
The simple, clean lines and the oval-shape swirl mahogany veneer top make the Newman a versatile performer that will never go out of style, Ms. Lee said. Equipped with a leaf that can be stored underneath the top when not in use, it offers expandability and convenience, she added, and is an ideal shape for topping with a tablecloth. Though it would be a shame to cover up the delicate, curvy legs, she said: “I love those legs.”
$5,115 at Theodore Alexander; (646) 293-6628 or theodorealexander.com
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THE CURVEBALLThe +Table
The integrated bench on one end makes the +Table from the furniture company Speke Klein a dining table like no other. “It’s like if you said something wrong, you’d need to sit over there by yourself,” Ms. Lee joked, adding: “It’s an easy place to put extra water and napkins and things. And it’s a fun conversation starter.”
From $3,800 at Designlush; (212) 532-5450 or designlush.com