Space-saving dining tables

You probably won't find all of these super space-saving features in one dining table, but if you can find a space-saving dining table with one or more of these features, you will free up valuable space in your small home

Vinicius dining table, Essential Home

Pedestal dining tables

Pedestal dining tables that balance on a single central column are not only space-saving dining tables they are space enhancing too, meaning that they will make your eating area appear a little larger than it is. 
As there are no legs around the outside of a pedestal dining table, you can sit more people and fit more chairs comfortably around it.
The lack of legs also means that you can see more of the room behind a pedestal dining table too and the more you can see of a room the larger it feels.
Although most often matched with round or oval table tops, you can find more contemporary square and rectangular table tops being supported by a single pedestal as well. And you can find them in a host of different materials.

Tortona extending dining table, Cuckooland

Extending dining tables

Extending dining tables are perfect for small homes that can't accommodate a largish table for the bulk of the time, but can on occasion for entertaining a crowd.
​Look for extending dining tables that can store the extra leaves required for extending within the body of the table when they're not in use. You don't want to have to find a place to conceal them elsewhere in your home. 

Extending console tables

Extending console tables are the latest take on the extending dining table design. These tiny tables, best placed against a wall, extend from a slim console table that would seat one at the most, to a long dining table that can be pulled out from the wall to seat twelve or more.
The extending console table shown above is the Mobili Fiver extendable console table, which grows up to 305cm. Click on the link to see how far it can grow. You won't believe how reasonable it is either!
Perfect if you live in a very small home and don't want to have to find room for a long dining table permanently. And, it can also double up as a desk. It's a win win.

Vox Nature Oak dining table with drawers and built in trivet, Cuckooland

Dining tables with drawers

Dining tables with drawers are invaluable where space and storage is tight. Drawers can be used to store cutlery, table mats, napkins or even a laptop, if your table doubles up as desk. More traditional dining tables with drawers styles tend to feature a drawer at each narrow end of a rectangular table. In more contemporary styles, like the one above, you'll often find drawers on the longer sides.

Drop-leaf dining tables

With drop-leaf dining tables, often also called gate-leg dining tables, the sides of the tables can be dropped down when not in use. You can then drop one or both of the leaves down when the table is not required fully extended and push the table against a wall to save space. 
Drop-leaf dining tables date back to the sixteenth century and were particularly popular up until the 1950s, so if you're an antique or vintage furniture fan scour antique markets and car-boot sales for them.

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25 more space-enhancing ideas for your home
More space-saving furniture ideas