Antique Dining Table Styles Guide

Antique Dining Table Styles Guide

Antique Dining Tables

Antique Dining Tables are one of the most exciting purchases you can make for your home. The dining room, while often ignored, presents an incredible opportunity to gather, celebrate and enjoy your friends and family. Of course, dining rooms are often considered the most elegant room of the house, too, so why not splurge on a quality antique dining table for your home?

Of course, when shopping for an antique dining table, you have lots to consider. Obviously the size and adaptability of your table is important. Do you want your table to span the length of the room, have multiple leaves, or provide a more intimate experience? Starting with your basic room dimensions and shape, you can visualize the best fit for your home.

Secondly, though, you have to think about the style and level of formality you wish to bring to the space. Antique dining tables can be simple farm style furniture, made of humble materials and with simple forms. Or they can have feature fine inlay work, have fancy pedestals or carvings and feature more extravagant woods. So let's dive into the topic and explore all that antique dining tables have to offer.

Antique Dining Table History

As soon as we invented seated dining, we had dining tables. Early Americans often used very simple designs to craft their furniture, so early tables followed suit. Of course, in modest homes, dining rooms doubled as meeting rooms or even as sleeping rooms, so the drop leaf table often appeared as a space saving invention.

Drop Leaf tables can typically expand from 2 feet wide to 6 or more feet. Sometimes, early drop leaf tables sat along a wall until needed.

Early Drop Leaf Tables often had turned legs and simple edges.

This practical table design was modified and used throughout the centuries, proving to be very adaptable for all types of homes.

Along these lines, you may also discover a drop leaf table that had several parts. Often called a banquet table, these antique dining tables feature three or more free-standing tables that can be placed side by side to form one large table. Often, you can attach the leaves with metal clips or extra legs.

This Banquet Table could extend or shrink as needed and featured multiple sections.

Especially useful in the early 1800's, these banquet tables helped people transition from dinner to dancing in a few easy steps!

Federal Style Dining Tables

Federal style dining tables from the early 1800's often have beautiful features that make them a great choice for historic homes. Of course, you may find that such antique dining tables belong to broader styles, like Chippendale Dining Tables, Sheraton Dining Tables or Hepplewhite Dining Tables.

Each of these 18th Century designers put their own stamp on furniture. Chippendale dining tables, for one, often had ball and claw feet, and heavy profiles. Often, Chippendale furniture featured fine solid mahogany and cherry woods.

Ball and Claw designs originated during the Chippendale period, but were often copied later on.

Sheraton and Hepplewhite dining tables, on the other hand, typically had a lighter look. You may see graceful straight style legs, with delicate designs inlaid into the table legs and apron. Often, antique dining tables in these styles had double pedestals.

Straight legs often define Sheraton style dining tables.

In fact, Duncan Phyfe style tables were quite common during the early 1800's, and have been reproduced in numerous periods since. While simple pedestals and aprons define Duncan Phyfe tables, they often have beautiful banding on the table top. These elegant tables are a great choice for traditional homes!

Banding and inlays often decorate Federal style Duncan Phyfe dining tables.

Queen Anne Dining Tables

Also popular in the early 1800's were Queen Anne style furniture. Queen Anne dining tables have a beautiful curved leg with pad feet. Typically, we see this type of dining table in mahogany, cherry or oak. Often, this dining table comes with corresponding Queen Anne chairs.

Popular for many years, we have seen multiple companies revive this classic form of the antique dining table for today's homes. You may find rectangular, square, oval and scalloped tables that have this Queen Anne leg.

Reproduction Queen Anne dining table in Maple.

Antique Victorian Tables

During the mid to late 1800's, antique Victorian Tables emerged with fancier forms and elegant designs. Often, these dining tables had special carvings, extravagant inlay work or fine woods.

The Victorians often wanted to showcase their wealth and taste in their homes. So fine pieces of furniture, like elegant tables found their way to American dining rooms. Usually repeating motifs found on Renaissance, Rococo or Gothic furniture, you may find elegant carvings on the base or edges of these tables.

Additionally, you may find fine mahogany veneers on Victorian tables. But, we have also seen some beautiful solid mahogany and solid oak dining tables from the Victorian period. Of course, they always look so great with their matching Victorian chairs.

Reproduction Dining Tables

While period antique dining tables have a great look, you may also want to consider a reproduction dining table. Many fine furniture companies of the 20th century reproduced and adapted antique designs. In this way, you may be able to find an excellent reproduction furniture table by great brands like Pennsylvania House, Baker Furniture or Councill Craftsman.

Find an Antique Dining Table For Sale

Whether you want an authentic antique dining table, or a reproduction, you must do your research. Dining tables are something you want to keep for years and years, so often this comes with a bit of an initial investment.

To find the best price on an antique dining table, check back here often. We look for quality, condition and value of antique dining tables and compile our listings here!

Antique Dining Table Styles Guide

Source: https://www.antiquefurnitureguide.com/antique-dining-tables/