Young House Love

Home Decorating & DIY Tutorials

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Choosing The Right Dining Table

Who doesn’t love 1,909 words about searching for a dining room table? Here we go.

We’ve been on a big round table hunt pretty much ever since we first set foot in our house. See, as soon as we walked into the small-ish formal dining room that fateful night in late fall of 2010 while house-hunting, John said “this room should be the office- and we can add french doors for you.” Sold.

Since we have a pretty huge family (there are at least 12 of us when we get together for birthdays and even casual movie nights or spaghetti dinners) we knew that room would never accommodate a table large enough for more than around six people (which is what we had in our last house, and it just wasn’t enough). Slowly after lots of floor planning and sketching and arguing passionate discussions we decided it would be awesome to knock a huge 5+ foot opening in the wall between the kitchen and the former living room and turn that room into a casual dining room/library off of a nice defined entryway over by the door. Here’s the original house’s floor plan (look at the room labeled “Living Room”):

Floorplan Original

And here’s a rough future floor plan for reference (now look at the room labeled “Dining Room”):

Floorplan Initial Thoughts

Note: Click here for a lot more floor plan info and the answer to every possible question you may have in the comment section.

Oh and here’s a pic of the future dining room as it looks now (just patiently waiting for a table):

Painted Built Ins2

I’m standing in the middle of the room, so here’s an older shot before we spruced up the built ins to show more of the space (the wall on the left is where we’ll bust through to the kitchen and create a giant 6′ wide doorway):

Day 15 Living Room

And here’s a shot of the other side of the room (where we’ll add a nice defined entryway so it won’t feel like you’re walking into a dining room):

Day 15 Living Room 2

But back to the dining room table hunt. Long story short long, that room is just a lot more accommodating when it comes to a huge table, but to keep it from feeling too formal and wood-riddled I always pictured a nice round table (which just seems softer and somehow a bit more “friendly” than an angular rectangle). I also have a craving for green leather (or faux leather) parsons chairs (like this, but apple green) so it doesn’t feel too formal and wood-riddled. You know, to try to keep it casual and inviting with lots of different textures playing against each other (maybe even a slightly rustic table pared with bright clean-lined chairs). The goal would be not only a table for big family meals, but for kid crafts and after school projects (hence the kid-proof chairs that are easily wipeable).

But the challenge with something round is that it usually seats 4 people. Rarely you’ll find something that’s around 60″ wide, which seats six people. But our goal was seating for eight. Since we’ll be adding an island in the adjoined (well, it will be once we make that big opening in the wall) kitchen, which will hopefully seat at least four people, that should do the trick. Feel free to do the math with me. 8 + 4 = 12. Oh happy day. But math solves nothing.

Of course that’s a false statement. My dad (the math teacher) will probably want to disown me for it. But I’ve always had a flair for the dramatic, so now that I have your attention (or at least the attention of my dad) I’ll revise my statement. Math is nice, but it doesn’t make a round table that seats eight people materialize out of nowhere. That takes a little legwork.

So I let my fingers do the walking and googled my brains out to determine what sized round table I was in the market for (and taped it off on the floor to make sure it would fit). I learned that a 70″ table should easily accommodate eight people (not in giant arm chairs, but it should work with modesly sized parsons chairs). So then I just had to find a 70″ round table. Easy right? Not easy. But that’s ok. I like a challenge. Here’s what I came up with after lots o’ digging around.

This 60″ round table for $998:

Table 1 60

This 70″ one for $1995:

Table 2 Fancy

This 48″ round table (which extends to a 72″ oval) from Pottery Barn for $1299:

Table 3 Pb

This 60″ pedestal version on sale for $1499:

Last Table Fancy

Kind of a bummer, right? Everything was either too small (and still in the $998 – $1499 range) or big enough but in the $1300-2K range. Yikes.

So then we hit up a number of thrift stores and antique shops and even the Habitat for Humanity ReStore. But a 70″ round table is a pretty specific thing. So the closest we got to it was a 50″ laminate table that looked like it hailed from a 50’s diner. Not gonna work. We briefly considered DIYing something, but the idea of somehow crafting a round top that large had us both worried that it would be nearly impossible to find one solid 70″ piece of thick-and-not-cheap looking wood to use, so then it would have to be made of planks which just felt sort of cobbled together and not chunky and solid like the table we both envisioned. So sad. Hear the tiny violins playing in the background? Yeah, me too.

Then John’s sister recommended that we hit up The Dump. Pardon the slightly totally offputting name. It’s actually a discount furniture store here in Richmond that runs commercials all the time about their extremely low prices.

The Dump

So we gave it a shot. And wouldn’t you know it there was a heartstoppingly beautiful rustic yet clean-lined 70″ round table there. And it had a nice non-invasive pedestal base, which was on my “icing on the cake” category. I thought it would be nice to have everyone gathered around it without worrying about table legs that encroach on actual human legs. Not mine because they’re not long enough to have those issues (for which I’m forever resentful since my short stature is always the reason I get assigned the back middle seat in a packed car, which can best be described as slightly more comfortable than sitting on a see-saw for an hour or so). But I do think about our guests’ comfort. And my tall hubby’s. And Clara’s someday. Did I mention my baby is in the 90th percentile for height and I couldn’t be prouder? Literally couldn’t. be. prouder.

Here’s where I’d insert a pic of the beautiful table, but I was too busy falling in love to snap pics. Total brain fart. Sorry! It can best be described as a mix between the top table and the bottom table listed above. It’s rustic and chunky like the bottom table but the base is a bit more like the top table. Sort of.

But the price was $1800. Wop wop. I petted the table. I snuggled up to the base (yes, picture me kneeling under it and embracing the pedestal and sighing). Then from the depths of my sorrows under the table I heard John’s voice from above saying “wait, the $1800 price tag also includes eight chairs.” I swear it was like the voice of an angel. I sprung up from my awkward table embrace, hit my head loudly on the lip of the table, quickly declared that I was fine to everyone within a ten foot radius who was staring at me like I was some sort of weirdo, and then shouted “best news ever!” while fist pumping my way to a standing position. Yes, that really happened.

That news just meant that I would have to sweet talk someone into selling me the table without the chairs (because I was already mentally married to green leather or faux leather parsons chairs and spending $1800 just wasn’t in the budget for us anyway). So I found a sweet lady and asked how much the table was without the chairs. Sweet lady says “they won’t sell it without the chairs.” John gets that uncomfortable look that he gets when he’d rather just walk away but knows that I’m about to make it my personal goal to change this lady’s mind. I followed up with “What if I buy the floor model? Right now. In cash. Well not cash, because I don’t have that on hand. But with a credit card. And we walk away into the night. Will anyone really care if I pay for the table right now and those chairs get snatched up by someone else later?” Compelling argument, right? Sweet lady says “I’ll have to ask my boss but he doesn’t usually split things up that way.”

Long story short, the boss-man agrees to sell us the table for $799 without the chairs after a fair amount of begging/eye-batting (I may have told him that no one will love the table like I will, and as a fellow furniture connoisseur he’d be pleased to know that I vow to give it a great home for years to come). Nope, I didn’t mention the blog or promise a post about The Dump in exchange for a good table price (I’m serious about our no special treatment declaration). But my vow to love the table like my own daughter seemed to work. The moment “ok” escaped his lips I seriously had to resist every urge to hug him while jumping up and down (so I ended up doing some sort of weird handshake/Elaine-from-Seinfeld dance) and then whipped out the ol’ credit card and bought the table before anyone could change their mind. I probably made a face like this while John was in the corner making a face like this:

Crazy Face

So that’s how we snagged an authentic solid wood 70″ round table that will seat at least 8 people and will probably host its fair share of holiday and birthday meals for years and possibly even decades to come. Oh and guess what it’s made of. Sheesham. No I didn’t sneeze. That’s really the name of the wood. According to WikiAnswers, “Sheesham (also known as Indian Rosewood) is a fast-growing hardwood, sourced from sustainable areas. Being a hard wood, it can be used to make functional furniture that copes with the stresses and strains of everyday use.” Isn’t that nice? Durable is absolutely 100% the goal when it comes to our house in general (we want this place to really get used and loved and filled with family and friends while we unwind and enjoy their company instead of worrying about nicks and scratches.

Oh and speaking of standing-up-to-all-sorts-of-abuse, the top of the table is actually really cool. It’s not jagged, but it’s not 100% smooth either. It’s sort of wavy and hand-carved so if Clara’s one year old cousin comes over and smashes his firetruck onto the surface, a nick would be pretty well hidden among all of the natural peaks and valleys of the tabletop. It’s not too bumpy to rest a glass on or anything, just sort of subtly rippled and irregular. And I love it. Growing up we had one of those super glossy lacquered tabletops that was so pristine that you could see every little hairline scratch in it, so this baby strikes me as the polar opposite in a really really good way.

So that’s 1,909 words about a table that we can’t wait to welcome into our home. Pics to come when Woody arrives within a week or so!

Comments

  1. megan says

    Love your blog and I follow it everyday. Wanted to know what you would suggest for ceiling fans… I bought a house and these fans are on my list of things to either make pretty or replace. They are the traditional style Hunter fans with a dark base and ugly wood fan spokes. Would you paint them? maybe spray paint the base and other metal hardware? I just wonder if that would be do-able or if replacement would be easier.

    This is a ‘what-would-young-house-do?’ situation.

    Reply

  3. Ally @ Shabby Princess says

    Congrats on finding the perfect table! And scoring it without the chairs. Nicely done! We had The Dump store in Dallas too and when we bought our house we made many trips there to help furnish our home. Can’t wait to see pictures!

    Reply

  5. Ashley says

    That is so awesome! You guys are really getting things crossed off quickly from your to-do list. I have to admit part of the fun is the hunt so I’m glad you were able to come out with a hidden treasure.

    Reply

  6. karen @ our slo house says

    I grew up with a large round dining room table. There were 6 of us (total) and my parents wanted a table that was more conducive to conversations. Now we’re all married (6 + 4 spouses = 10!) my parents still want us to all to sit together – go figure!

    So, at large family gatherings (not often), they add a LARGE square piece of plywood over the top of the table. The square configuration accomodates more people than the circle. My mom always uses a table cloth, so the plywood is hidden anyways.

    Anyhow, bravo to you and your fenagling (sp?) I would have been crouching in the corner with John, with a beet-red face.

    Reply

    • Steph says

      We did the exact same thing for a New Year’s Eve dinner we had. Just plopped a 4 foot by 8 foot piece of sturdy wood on top of our 6 seater table and *wah-lah* we had seating for 12…everyone fit perfectly!

    • Peggy says

      I agree that a round table makes for better conversations. Everyone can see everyone else and there’s no “head” of the table which can feel kind of stiff.

  7. Micha says

    *does the Seinfeld dance with you* Woot! I love me a grand round pedestal table. It’s so much more comfortable when seasting people around it and nobody will get punished with an evile mother-in-law [which is what is supposed to happen when you end up with a table leg between your knees]

    Reply

  8. Megan says

    I love The Dump (the one in DFW, TX)! My hubs and I have been a few times on the hunt for furniture finds. I also love the names you have been giving to your furniture lately … Ed, Karl, Woody. You are too cute!

    Congrats on scoring a great table! :)

    Reply

  11. Sarah says

    Love, love, LOVE the Dump!!! We got our king size bed there in the back “clearance” room (yes – they have a back room)… and for future reference, they TOTALLY negotiate prices too – although sounds like you got what you wanted without having to buy the chairs!!! We’re planning to hit there this weekend to do some rug shopping…

    Reply

  12. Nicole says

    I love anything green, so I can’t wait to see these apple-green chairs! The table sounds great too – and adored the declaration of “loving the table like your own daughter”! Who could say no to that argument?

    Reply

  14. Rebecca @ the lil house that could says

    Haha we have a Dump by our new house! The first time I saw the obnoxious commercial I was like ehhh? Huh?

    But back to the table, our small round table is from the Ashley Furniture outlet. We had a glass top and just needed a base, but they had a glass top, base and 4 chairs for $199. I told the lady we didn’t need the glass and she was like “for $199? you could roll that glass down the street if you don’t want it and it’s still a good deal!” She was right, we took the glass and we actually use it because it has a nicer bevel than our recycled one, which was safely returned to my mother in law. So good for you that they agreed to break up the set! Not an easy task at those big chains!

    Reply

  15. Amy says

    Awesome choice! We have a small round table from West Elm that we paired with green chairs from Ikea, so I am all about the dark wood/green combo! We would have loved a larger table, but it wouldn’t have fit in our tiny, 1900’s dining room!

    Reply

  16. Barb says

    Yea Sherry and John!!!
    Isn’t it great when you find what you really , really love!!! I know price is something we all have to consider…but as I have gotten older, my philosophy is…..IF YOU FIND IT AND REALLY, REALLY, LOVE IT…WHO CARES WHAT IT COSTS!!! AFTER ALL, YOU DESERVE IT!!!

    Words to live by as life is too, too short.

    You made the right decision, now love it to death!!!

    So thrilled for you and the dining room.

    Reply

  17. Robin says

    Can’t wait to see the photos and go visit the Dump when we move to richmond this summer! So excited to affordably furnish our next place. Thanks & good luck!

    Reply

  18. JenWoodhouse.com says

    Awesome buy! Everything is negotiable! I love when that happens… it makes you love the buy even more because it’s like you had to work for it and “win” at negotiating.

    I’ve been meaning to visit the Dump every weekend, but haven’t gotten around to it. Did they really have a ton of stuff for cheap? Their advertisements sound too good to be true.

    Reply

    • YoungHouseLove says

      They do have some really good deals for some things, other things feel like they’re averagely priced. Rugs seemed really expensive but then we’d see a chair for a really good price. I guess you could call it hit or miss. But it’s huge so it’s fun just to poke around and look for deals!

      xo,
      s

    • Jessica says

      Speaking of rugs… Have you found any good buys on 8×10’s? I’m sure you are searching high and low for one to go under Karl.

    • YoungHouseLove says

      They’re tricky for sure. For some reason 8 x 10 is so much more expensive than 5 x 8s and even 6 x 9s. Like a lot more. Sad face. But we keep checking. We like to hit up overstock.com and places like HomeGoods, etc.

      xo,
      s

    • sarah says

      try eziba.com for rugs. It is a site through overstock. You have to sign up for free and then they will email you daily about the new items that they are dealing. They regularly have really nice rugs offered for very reasonable prices.

    • Candace says

      Still speaking of rugs, they are so expensive! A few years ago we needed a 10×10 rug for our living room space. We ended up getting a carpet remnant from a flooring center and having it cut to size and the edges bound. It’s been awhile, but I think you can usually get the edges bound for around $1 per foot. (For an 8×10 you would be looking at about $36 plus the price of the carpet.) Just another option to check into, and you might be able to find something with great texture.

    • Sara says

      I purchased an 8×10 rug online from Lowe’s for $140. It has a geometric design sort of like your Pottery Barn Moorish rug, but it’s been discontinued.
      Dash & Albert is another site with beautiful rugs that aren’t crazy expensive.

  19. kyla says

    WOW! I love a great deal, but love a great story even more! Congrats on finding a table the makes your heart thump, so exciting!!!

    Reply

  20. Jenn L says

    800 bucks AND sustainable! whoohoo! Great job! Can’t wait to see it in it’s new home =) I like that you were able to rearrange the room’s identities to suit your needs! <3 Way to think outside the floorplan! <3

    xoXOxo
    Jenn @ Peas & Crayons

    Reply

  21. Katie D. says

    Sherry,
    You really brighten my day when i ready your goofy posts. I love how the little things in life can make you freak out with giddiness. Its kinda awesome.

    Reply

    • Hayley says

      That totally must be a “girl” thing, because my 4 month old son immediately grabs my hair, the second I hold him close to my face. He’s going to be that 1 year old with a truck damaging everything.

  23. Donna says

    When Woody arrives later this week? Last time I bought something at The Dump in Richmond, it was cash and carry. And it was a HUGE armoire!

    Reply

  24. Cristen says

    I have been reading your blog for awhile and this is the first time I realized you live in the Richmond area. I live in NOVA but went to college in Richmond. Next time I visit the area I will have to stop by the Dump. The table sounds wonderful!

    Reply

  25. beabee says

    You are lucky! We fell in love with some chairs that they wouldn’t sell us without the table. :( I still mourn those chairs.

    Reply

  26. Chelsea in Richmond says

    What do you have in mind when you say “defined entryway”? Does that mean just with a little paint, accessories etc or are you thinking about adding a wall/ doing some building? Just curious.

    and yes, I hate that they call themselves ‘The Dump”! And the way the announcer says it on the commercial? Gives me the hybygybies (spelling?) every time.

    Reply

    • YoungHouseLove says

      We have some preliminary ideas like using bright colorful art and a weighty console table near the entryway along with a big entry rug to define that zone. We also plan to drop in a giant ceiling fixture above the table to further define the dining area. We’re open to things like half-height built ins or columns to separate things, but you know how much we love open living so things to delineate zones without blocking things off might be the way to go for us. Should be interesting!

      xo,
      s

  27. Laura says

    ” I sprung up from my awkward table embrace, hit my head loudly on the lip of the table, quickly declared that I was fine to everyone within a ten foot radius who was staring at me like I was some sort of weirdo, ”

    I’ve totally been there. Congrats on the awesome find! I wish we had a place like that nearby.

    Reply

  29. Sanja says

    Can’t wait to see the table! I’m usually the one with the embarrassed look on my face, as my Mom is the one to express her opinions very freely in front of salespeople :)

    Reply

  30. Melissa says

    I can’t wait to see the table! I am also a huge fan of big, round tables. Our little 4-person glass-top table is way too small, and I declared to my annoyed husband that I refuse to buy a large rectangular table. Round-tops are so much more friendly. I would also be very happy with an oval Saarinen Tulip, but that’s just a dream. Love your blog.

    Reply

  31. Natalie says

    I seriously, truly, LOVE that you’re naming all of your new furniture that’s coming into the house. Cracks me up!

    Reply

  33. Janice says

    Yippee!! I a a big fan of round tables. I searched for mine for years. Seriously. Years. Finally found it, and I love it madly. Then it took another couple of years to find the perfect chairs…

    OK, totally off topic here, but have you given any thought to moving or knocking out the wall between the laundry/mud room and the kitchen? That weird long space really bothers me. Please feel free to ignore my rambling thought on that subject…

    Reply

    • YoungHouseLove says

      Yup, we’ve given lots of thought to it but it would be incredibly expensive to move the cabinets and appliances back and the room is already huge, so to gain that smidge of space and lose our laundry room just doesn’t make sense to us. We plan to build in a ton of storage and add some charm with paint and accessories so it’s a sweet little pocket of space for dumping shoes and bags and doing laundry.

      xo,
      s

    • Janice says

      Thanks. I know you guys will make what seems like an awkward space not seem that way at all! I was thinking about a rolling shelving system for next to your washer & dryer, so you can still access the back when need be. Clearly, I also need a new house, since I’ve run out of projects for mine and am now thinking about yours!

  34. ashley c says

    I can’t wait to see what the table looks like because I am on the hunt for the same size! We currently live in a small border town so our selection is slim to none but I am not letting go of hope that I will find exactly what I want.

    Reply

  36. Lindsey says

    Would love to know how you mocked up your floor plan. Did you use Photoshop or some other tool?

    Love the new house and can’t wait to see the dining room all complete!

    Reply

  37. Jen @ The Decor Scene says

    Love it or at least the description of the it. Your DR is one of the rooms I really can’t wait to see how it turns out. I just really love that room in your home. And I can’t wait to see the 6ft opening done. That is really going to open the front of your home a lot and then when you make the other opening bigger on the fireplace side, you will sort of be able to see straight thru to the LR. That will be awesome. Very exciting!

    Are you opening the one kitchen wall soon or will you tackle the larger openings once you work on the kitchen as a whole?

    Reply

    • YoungHouseLove says

      The wall opening projects really hinge on floor decisions that we’re just not ready to make yet (or pay for yet), but soon! Maybe in a few months we’ll mentally be ready to commit to something and we’ll have built up our savings to tackle the string of more major decisions and projects that seem to have a domino effect. Let’s just say we’re bracing ourselves and are extremely excited all at the same time!

      xo,
      s

  39. tarynkay says

    Do you have a plan for seating more than 12? Because it seems like if your smaller gatherings are currently right at 12, these gatherings are composed of some younger families which may add more children, you’ll quickly exceed capacity. I ask b/c we are in a similar situation. We have room for 12 max in our dining room- 8 at the table, 4 at the bar, and I’m looking for more elegant less janky ways of seating our ever-growing family.

    Reply

    • YoungHouseLove says

      We’re cross-that-bridge-when-we-get-there kinda people, but we have a few preliminary ideas (like adding a smaller table to the middle of our old dining room turned office to serve as a kids table or building in more seating to the island (maybe 6 or 8 with two or even three sides of stools/chairs) so that’s just a few first-thoughts.

      xo,
      s

    • Kristin says

      When I was a kid, my grandma had a tiny table, slightly higher than a usual coffee table, but ideal for my cousins and me to sit on the sofa and eat, giving all the adults enough space at the large table.
      Although it seems like a workaround or only interim solution, I loved eating there as a kid more than sitting at the table with all the grown-ups.
      As long as the tables are large enough to sit all the adults and too young or older children, a special kids table is definitely an option to consider!

  40. mike @ the lil house that could says

    The Dump is awesome! I love going there and doing the commercial over and over again, “Attt daaaa DUMPPPPAH!” Ok, but when we went, we were a bit disappointed in the selection. But the jingle/saying makes it worth it.

    Can you tell I’m easily entertained?

    Reply

  41. Beth@Just{Heart}It says

    This has got to be one of your best posts ever! Love the story. We have Dumps here in the Dallas area, too. Can’t wait to see pictures! Are you planning on naming every new piece of furniture you buy? Heh heh.

    Reply

  42. Meagan says

    Oh my goodness, one of the most hilarious YHL posts in a while. I’m sitting here reading this on a plane at 30,000 ft (technology, woot) and the passengers around me must be wondering what’s wrong with me as I am literally laughing out loud. Thanks for being hysterical, Sherry! :) Oh, and congrats on the table, of course.

    Reply

  44. Travelstovegas says

    I could really feel your pain as you were talking about finding a specific style & sized table and kept having trouble locating something in your price range. I’ve been looking for a round, black pedestal dining table that has a leaf for ages now, and things are just priced too far out of my budget. I’ve seen some beautiful tables, but I can only spend so much. Craigslist has had a few walnut pedestal tables that might fit the bill, but I’m unsure as to whether it would be possible to paint a dining room table & keep the surface smooth and free of chips. Hmmm…

    Here’s hoping I’ll get lucky like you did! Congrats on the find and I look forward to seeing it!

    Reply

    • Bethany says

      That’s what I did. I bought a round pedestal table with a leaf and 6 chairs on CraigsList (maybe $150?). Then I painted everything black. Most of it has held up pretty well, but I need to repaint the top. I would suggest a couple coats of poly after painting. I didn’t do it because I was impatient to just get it done and now regret it.

    • steph says

      I’m kind of in a similar position, but I was thinking, have you checked out any of the outlet stores to major stores you’ve been looking at? Because they don’t post those prices online and you can usually even haggle them down further at the outlet store.

    • YoungHouseLove says

      Hey Steph,

      Outlets are always awesome! Our experience is that you have to haul things right then and there (many don’t deliver) which is always a hard thing for us to do (we have a small car and a baby with us most of the time, so we like figuring things out like planning to rent a truck or borrow a bigger car from family while one of us is on baby duty- so spur of the moment situations like that can be hard). But we love a good outlet bargain for sure!

      xo,
      s

    • StacyfrPgh says

      @Travelstovegas and others: Another way to preserve the top of a painted table or a precious heirloom is to have a piece of glass cut to order. I went to a mom and pop place and the price was reasonable. I even was able to make a pattern for an old weird shaped piece. Good luck.

  45. Allison says

    Congrats! I love the lesson in waiting until you find what you really want. And it’s so great to buy stuff knowing it will get used and loved. Our current dining room table was passed down from my in-laws and while it’s beautiful, my hubby makes sure we treat it like a delicate flower and it drives me crazy since I just want to live my life!

    Reply

  46. Alex says

    Two noteworthy tidbits:

    our dinning table (also from the dump) needed some assistance when it arrived. It was wobbly and loosing screws. We had to give ours a little tlc to be ready for a lot of socializing. Not sure if this is the norm, so just FYI

    next- when they have their big red tent sale, GO! And be first. Slightly damaged furniture (some more than slightly), or the last of the bunch items are sold for next to nothing. We’re talking headboards for $60, dinning tables for $200, and buffets for $120 (the one we almost bought was missing the pegs for the wood shelves-big deal). However there is no delivery for those items, so you’ll need a way to move what you buy that day

    Reply

  47. Dawn K. says

    As a newer follower of yours, I LOVE all your frugal finds!

    Keep in mind that when you pay with plastic, it usually costs the merchant an average of 3% to process that transaction. For this reason, some merchants may be more willing to negotiate if you actually pay on the spot in cash, because it saves them money. They also get the money right away, rather than waiting a day or two for the credit from the processor to hit their account, which helps their accounts receivable.

    So, if you can pay in cash (which is nothing a quick trip to the bank can’t solve) you may be earning yourself a deeper discount (and possibly the merchant) as well!

    Reply

    • YoungHouseLove says

      Great advice! I totally would have resorted to running to the bank if they said no to my pleading! We actually love using our credit card for major purchases since we pay it off completely each month but earn points towards cash back (which always feels like free money). But if it came to not getting that table without cash, I totally would have run to the ATM!

      xo,
      s

  48. Jill says

    You guys are always so gracious when it comes to accepting all the unsolicited ideas for your new house… I was looking at the pics today and it hit me that it would impactful to paint an accent color on the wall that backs up to the front door and entry consol. I think the indigo color would be fabulous on that wall. It would help delineate the entry space and would be perfect to tie in the book shelves. Just an idea. Keep up the great work and good job on your table negotiating skills!

    Reply

    • YoungHouseLove says

      We actually love that idea! We were thinking of hanging a grouping of huge colorful art for a similar effect! And of course that console is too small, so it’s just a placeholder until we find the buffet/cabinet of our dreams- preferably for cheap on craigslist. Haha.

      xo,
      s

  49. Kat says

    Can’t wait to see it! We got o ur table from world market and it has the same kind of table top. It will withstand a few beatings. :)

    Reply

    • YoungHouseLove says

      Ahhh, I hate making decisions like that! If it were up to me it would be a 400-way tie and everyone would get comment o’ the day status. But that’s anticlimactic. How about we change the rules to whoever has the most people commenting under their caption (saying they like it, LOLing, etc) is the winner. Who wants to tabulate the results? Anyone?

      xo,
      s

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