Thank you for your responses everyone, all are very helpful. We always use a very nice tablecloth for a large party because that is when we have kids of all ages, older folks, someone who might have had an extra drink or two etc. And with a large crowd in the house who is going to look at the table anyway. The tablecloth goes to dry-cleaners and is then stored untill the next occasion. But you guys are right, for a nicer table I might have to get some padding to put under the tablecloth. For every day use or for a small gathering I want to see the table. Tracie and everyone else with the glass covers, I am with you on that and would love glass but we need a table with leaves to accomodate DH's large family when we need it. That means removing the glass, taking it to another room and then putting it back. I don't think that would work, would it? Does anyone here do it? I am going to look into waterlox very seriously as it sounds like what we might need (mondragon, I love your table, it came our great. I am thinking of something like this but darker) and also will check the Antique Tables Made Daily shop (thanks amberley) and the Cost Plus Market (thanks beschenbach) cawaps, sorry about the acetone accident. johnliu, wow, those are some cool choices, so creative Sweeby, RH has some great things. I really like RH Camden Trestle Table but the larger one is too large and the smaller one doesn't extend. And even that one says "veneers". They do have salvage wood tables but that would be way too rustic for us.

Thank you all for the advice. I am hoping that someone will be able to help me, I am looking for a rectangular area rug and found one that I really like, but I am really having trouble with the size. According to some of the comments I am supposed to make sure that the rug is 24 inches past every end of the table... so if I follow that guideline it looks like I will need a rug that is 7x11. Since they don’t make that size, it’s either I choose 8x10 or 9’6 x11’6. The issue with the 9’6x11’6 is that my room is only 13’ long... so it will cover most of my floor and I’m worried it would be overwhelming... the 8x10 would work well for all of my side chairs, but the end chairs would be almost hanging off of the rug. Please help!! Thank you!!

Hmm that is minimal very geometric LED lighting....the other ones are so minimal they look like they would be used in a warehouse..sorry that sounds snotty! Don‘t mean to....it visually reminded me of warehouse lighting.....I really think you can take it up just a notch...aNd still have a minimal look..... Or go with the round Kuzco fixture..make sure it is the right diameter for your size table.

IMO the same direction as the light unless you can easily change that to whatever you like From what I see there seems to be a bar in the way hung like the light so change the direction of that light and it also seems to be too high.