Please read the following recall before you buy EA. Ethan Allen "American Impressions" and "New Country" rectangular dining tables Could collapse and cause injury. Products: 7,071 wood tables sold from 8/03 to 1/05 at Ethan Allen furniture stores nationwide for $1,069 to $1,199. "American Impressions" table bears model number 24-6414; "New Country" table, model number 33-6404. Model number is stenciled on underside of table. Hazard exists because table may be missing some of the eight small wooden blocks that are supposed to be located on its underside to add stability. Ethan Allen has received 33 reports of incidents in which tables may have collapsed as a result of missing blocks. No injuries have been reported. What to do: Inspect underside of table for stability blocks. If there are fewer than eight, call Ethan Allen at 888-339-9398 to arrange for free in-home repair. For information, go to www.ethanallen.com or e-mail company at recall@ethanalleninc.com. Ethan Allen says it is sending recall notices to all known customers who bought the tables.

The plan separates each living space with access from a central hall. It would work well for an office building but not so much for a house especially f you plan to entertain. I find that trying to make a good plan out of a bad one is usually a waste of time and effort. Its like renovating a house that hasn't been built yet. Decide what you think an entertainment space should look like and develop the house around it. But I would not design a house around an occasional use. The interrelationships of family members should be the dominant theme of a house. And I would never put a level change in a living space unless there was an alternate wheelchair route. If you plan to entertain, the front door should have wheelchair access too. An accessible half bath would be good too.

Buy five or ten cans of BriWax. Heat a canfull in a pan, and slather it on with a paint brush every night before you go to bed and buff off . This is not what the directions will tell you, it's what an antique dealer used to to do to the Irish pine in her shop. Do it until no more will absorb. Comes clear or brown tints. the table will still be rough, but it will not look so "dry" Do it .........whenever. You can't hurt the table. PS...... "warm and memorable family meals" have zero to do with the table top. Only the folks and the conversation AROUND it. It's just as "dry" brand new btw.............all you needed to do was google: ) "with a reclaimed wood top repurposed from 100-year-old solid elm doors". Meaning the door was solid, and this a shaved off slice of the door, slapped on fiber board. Bet me on that, hon. In a word, junk.

Thank you all! I love the pictures and links everyone posted. They are what I am thinking I would like! I would love to refinish something, but it seems that everything old that is of any quality gets snatched very quickly. I have tried antique stores, garage sales, online sales etc with no luck. :( I'll keep looking. I just know with two boys (age 4 and 1.5) and all their friends over the years using this as a kitchen/dining/game/whoknowswhat table I need something that is rustic or at least something that I won't cry the first time I see a scratch! (Honestly, this is about self-preservation, I need to limit the Mommy melt down opportunities!) Paint is always washable so that is not a concern! ;) Rule #2355 of parents...always washable paint/marker! Thanks again!