Our old table really didn’t fit into the corner of our living room that serves as a dining room, so earlier this year we went on a hunt for a new, more compact one. It was a long, hard search. We went to antique stores, flea markets, thrift stores, ikeas, fancy designer shops, discount furniture stores – but people really seem to enjoy their furniture bland, expensive and oversized these days.

Finally we found this one at a home improvement store. It was perfect. It has leaves that fold down to make it a teensy table for two – but then fold out into a big round table that can fit at least four. It was unfinished hardwood, so I could repaint it whatever colour I wanted (which is really the best part) – I chose a deep turquoise.