I just got this table- absolutely stunning. The pictures on the website don't do it justice. I got the natural color and it does seem to have protection- it's smooth with a shine- probably a wax. It's not as rustic as I thought it would be (which is awesome). I do have a kitchen table which was finished with a powder coat from a different company. It didn't have any finish on it. I did put a carnuba wax on that which has lasted over a year with twice a day wet wipe down. I have to say that the kitchen table looks better than when I got it. The patina is beautiful. it's the look that I was after. I think if you go for the rustic look then go with the rustic look. Don't fret. I know I was getting wrapped up in staining etc initially but it didn't happen and any little mark/blemish on it is from my family and from having loving memories around the table. Who wants to live a pristine sterile life? Not me. Enjoy your furniture don't keep it so precious. Be well everyone.

Sueb, that's exactly what I was looking for about five years ago, and I bought the castellet console from Ballard designs linked below. It was the only table I could find whose leaves folded in on each other to make a narrow table. The design has changed a bit since five years ago, the new version is shorter than mine, which is seven feet long. Even though we have plenty of room in our kitchen, I wanted something that would give us the widest possible traffic pattern. Our kitchen is adjacent to our formal living room, an odd design that we've had to work around :). When we are all present I can pull the table out from the windows, fold out the top and have a very spacious table for six. It's very well priced and ours still looks great, which it shoulda, of course, after only five years! Here is a link that might be useful: Console table from Ballard

I'm delurking to possibly add some information about your table. I've been contemplating refinishing our Ethan Allen American Impressions Shaker-style dining table, which I believe has a similar if not identical top to yours. The finish is lacquer. Restoring it could be as simple as re-amalgamating by brushing on lacquer thinner to allow the current finish to sort of melt, reflow, and dry. I will probably give it a try if I can determine how to maintain a dust-free environment in this household. Our top is cherry veneer over some other hardwood (common and not a sign of poor quality). I've read that commercial veneers can be extremely thin, like 1/32 inch. You would have to be very, very careful if you didn't want to sand it off. Good luck! Let us know what you do.

Lemon oil is a popular product which many people seem to like. But there are just as many people who say not to use it. I personally have no information or experience with it, but if I wanted to maintain "bare" wood with only an oil finish, I'd use either tung or linseed oil. Tung and linseed oils are well-accepted and non-controversial for wood finishing. However... that said, if you've been using lemon oil and are happy, then thre's no reason to stop on my account. For anyone interested in learning more about wood finishing, I would highly recommend a book by Bob Flexner called "Understanding Wood Finishing". Here's a quote from an article I found online that mentions lemon oil: WAX THE PERFECT PROTECTION for FURNITURE ?Original article from: Wood Magazine JUNE 1989 From a refinishing pro, a preservation expert, and Furniture manufacturers, the answer seems to be "yes." "Wax is the wear and tear, abrasion layer of fine wood furniture," says Ron Ashby, a professional woodworker, refinisher, lecturer, and owner of Wood Finish Supply in Mendocino, California. "superficial scratches, dings, and dents should happen to the wax layer-not the finish you slaved over." DON'T DABBLE IN DUST Despite the multitude of furniture care products that promise to "feed" or "polish" your fine furniture, Ashby believes high-quality furniture wax is the best choice. "All the other care products available attract dust with the residue they leave behind," he says. At Virginia's Colonial Williamsburg, Wallace Gusler, director of conservation, oversees the preservation of authentic colonial furniture. "Our primary concern with pieces that have an intact, original finish is conservation," he says. "For that, we use wax. And, Gusler believes, all wood furniture, not just historic pieces, deserves wax protection. "Everyone collects furniture to some extent, he notes, "But their collection happens to be their household furniture." What about lemon oil, another popular wood-care product? Gusler says, "The value of oil to wood is folklore. Of course, oil gives a wood finish a superficial shine, but it isn't beneficial. In fact," he elaborates, "Commercial lemon oil has nothing to do with lemons. It's essentially kerosene, and can be harmful to a finish."