Get a rustic wood table. The more the kids destroy it, the more character it gets.

My kids have destroyed our pottery barn table

Craigslist for sure. Kids DESTROY tables.

Go cheap. Our pre-kids table is a mess now and constantly covered with a tablecloth until I can invest in the perfect, custom, solid wood table. I know what I want and kids are old enough (10&11) but a new table is now down the list behind several other big expenses.

Formal dining room, sure, go for the good stuff. Kitchen table, no way. That's where you and the kids will be doing art projects, homework, cupcake decorating, pumpkin carving - think of all those markers, crayons, pen marks, and food coloring messes on your $2k table. IKEA, baby.

We went somewhere in the middle. Got a table for $1100. It has more personality than an ikea table and I really wanted solid wood (not veneers) because everytime I've bought furniture with veneers it ends up looking crappy. Ikea does have some solid wood tables but they are not my taste, YMMV.

Anonymous wrote:Get a nice sturdy piece off craigslist for the Ikea price.

This is what we did.

Kitchen table = definitely cheap. we have a $75 ikea table that is still going strong with all sorts of dings (and did I mention the pencil scribbles on the underside)?

I might be willing to invest more in the dining table if it's not your daily table although I'd keep it covered up if (like many dining tables it becomes a respository for crap.

In the dining room, then sure. In the kitchen where the kids eat every day then I would go cheap. I love nice furniture and home decorating but our kitchen table is $500 from JC Penney until the kids get older. They are gross, messy eaters who also color on the table, kick things, etc. etc.

My kids are 6 and 3, and i don't think we have anything even close to a $2k piece of furniture. I'd definitely be reluctant to get something for that price that you're using every day. But if you have a separate dining room that's off limits to them then it might work.

Ikea table for the next 5 years, then upgrade.

What is the difference in price?

I bought a nice table because we host a dozen people for Chrustmas every year and I wanted a good table that could expand to handle a group that large. About 362 days of the year, it's hidden under a big table pad and a thick vinyl tablecloth. And the chairs have seat covers. I have dreams about living with it uncovered in another 15 years or so.

If we didn't have hosting duty, I'd have probably gone with something "nice enough" until the kids were older.

Get a nice sturdy piece off craigslist for the Ikea price.

We need a new dining table and my husband thinks we should just get a cheap IKEA table b/c the kids will ruin it. I'm leaning towards wanting a nicer all wood table that is more of a statement piece. Not really a statement but pretty and sturdy. I have two kids under 3 and hope one day we'll have a third. Thoughts?