Antique farmhouse tables are not big in the public eye today but for they were many years and now their rustic appearance and the beauty of their construction are regaining popularity. Typically the farmhouse table was situated in a large kitchen which was the primary place for a farming family to gather and the seating arrangement was probably a mix of benches and chairs to take care of a large number of people. Both the seating and the table were made of the beautiful and tough wood available at that particular place and time. Most people think of farmhouse tables as being long rectangular tables, however these tables were also built in square, round or rectangular shapes and besides being used for dining tables they could be and often were used as desk or work surfaces. Typically these tables were constructed of wood, with long planks placed on top of the legs which ran along the longest edge. Often the table legs had hand carvings which replicated patterns found on the first French farmhouse tables and they most often matched or enhanced their environment.
The kitchen farmhouse table was the place where the adults of the family met to make serious decisions and the children, who worked on the farm during the day, were schooled by their parents in the evenings and then did their school home work. It is probably fair to say that the hub of family life centered around these tables and perhaps that is part of their attraction in today’s world. Life may not be as simple as we envision the past to have been, but there is something reassuring and supportive found in the atmosphere of a family or group of friends sitting around a table conversing and sharing their lives.
Finding an affordable genuine farmhouse kitchen table is not an easy thing to do in today’s world and it can be pricey. New farmhouse tables are being made, with prices generally determined by the skill and effort of the craftsman and by the quality of the wood used. Add the cost of delivery of the table, which will be considerable for a large table of solid wood, and a new farmhouse table will require a considerable investment.
