There’s everyday dining, and then there are big family occasions that require some extra elbow room. The best extendable dining tables have the ability to accommodate both in equal measure – without compromising on style.
When choosing a table that transforms, the most important factor to consider is space. Measure up properly to ensure your furniture piece sits well in both configurations, allowing for a pair of dining chairs at either end of your table at its fullest extension.
As a general rule, extending dining tables fall into two camps: those with concealed extra pieces – or leaves – that sit within the structure of the table itself; and those with leaves that have to be stored separately. If you’re going for the latter, it’s worth thinking about the storage space you have available and keeping these extra bits easily accessible.
Think too about functionality and how often you intend to lengthen your dining table. Some of the furniture pieces we tested were wonderfully robust and weighty, but the flip side of this is they tended to be so heavy that extending them was a two-person job. That said, we found some tables with seriously shrewd modern mechanisms that enabled us to go from a four to an eight-seater in one fell swoop.
Made yates 4-8 seat extending dining table, mango wood
With a material as beautiful and solid as mango wood, you wouldn’t want to interrupt its natural swirling grain and rich variations in tone, which is why we loved this design-led dining table from Made. The extendable parts come in the form of two separate leaves, which simply slot in at either side of the piece.
With a hint at mid-century modern, the table boasts strong angled and sculptural Y-shaped legs, drawing the eye as much to the engineering underneath as it does the tabletop. Add to that functional brass accents and you have a heady mix of rich materials and utilitarian design. A stunning statement piece.
Tikamoon mezzo solid sheesham extending table
Crafted from solid and sustainable sheesham, this is a functional furniture piece that really celebrates the natural material. The wood boasts a dynamic and vibrant grain with shades going from pale beige through to rich dark brown, with golden tones in between.
The dining table transforms from a six-seater to a generous eight-seater via an integrated extension panel that sits inconspicuously in the centre. We loved the little brass latches on the outside that keep the panel firmly in place. Pleasingly fuss-free in form, this one is all about the visual texture.
Metro Lane trimble dining table
With its hard-edged industrial surface and strong sculptural stand, this is one stylish extendable dining table that successfully mimics a much more expensive furniture piece. In white and grey, the tabletop and base resemble concrete with its irregular natural patina but the table is, in fact, made from a mix of manufactured wood and laminated board.
This is another table that easily morphs from a six-seater to an eight-seater – this time via a removable central leaf. Its centred V-shaped stand is a clear aesthetic feature but beyond that, it allows dinner guests to sit comfortably without knocking knees on table legs. A chic (and affordable) contemporary statement.
