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The Return Of The Kitchen Table

By Wendy Jacob On

Have you noticed that some of the new high-style kitchens have done away with the old chunky island?

Tables that accommodate dining, double as a work table and offer a chance to bring vintage or fine newly built furniture into the kitchen are the big trend. Scroll down for some of our favorite kitchen dining tables from the H&H archives!

In the country home of Quebec designers Richard Ouellette & Maxime Vandal of Les Ensembliers, a generous table adds a casual, rustic note in the kitchen. Watch a tour of the Eastern Townships home here.

  • Photographer André Rider
  • Designer Richard Ouellette & Maxime Vandal, Les Ensembliers

A slim, console-like table grounds designer Stephanie Hougton’s white kitchen. The slender dimensions works in this space and wheels make it easy to reposition the table if needed.

  • Photographer Patrick Biller
  • Designer Stephanie Houghton, Emily Griffin Design

This long custom piece made from reclaimed wood is scaled to this Toronto kitchen and the raw texture complements the farmhouse style of the Belgian bluestone flooring.

  • Photographer Angus Fergusson
  • Designer Jill Kantelberg

House & Home

In this PMH Showhouse kitchen, a counter-height work table keeps the feeling of this room light and airy. The oiled-oak piece has a practical honed Caesarstone top.

  • Photographer Michael Graydon
  • Designer Lynda Reeves

In this Westmount home in Montreal, a $400 vintage table — a budget find from Kijiji — lends instant warmth and character.

  • Photographer Courtesy of Les Ensembliers
  • Designer Richard Ouellette & Maxime Vandal, Les Ensembliers

In the East Coast home of designers Colin Blanchard & Kenneth McRobbie of 31 Westgate, this antique table matches the tones of the wide-plank wood floors. The table is on wheels so it can be moved if needed.

  • Photographer Janet Kimber

Colin Blanchard & Kenneth McRobbie, 31 Westgate

U.K. blogger Samantha Lawrie made use of a Modernist icon, the marble Tulip table, in her Edinburgh kitchen to contrast traditional elements like the enamel stove and herringbone floor.

  • Photographer Chris Tubbs
  • Designer Samantha Lawrie

“That notion of a big harvest table smack in the middle of the kitchen just feels more inclusive than an island,” says designer Emily Griffin of the long cottage table with substantial turned legs.

  • Photographer Sian Richards
  • Designer Emily Griffin

A trestle table suits the European farmhouse vibe of this PMH Showhome. It seats an entire dinner party and offers lots of prep surface before the guests arrive.

  • Photographer Michael Graydon
  • Designer Lynda Reeves

In a cool white kitchen, mahogany shield-back chairs and an inviting, rustic table  — like this battered farmhouse table — softens stainless appliances.

  • Photographer Virginia Macdonald
  • Designer Michael Angus

A custom dining table in this Montreal loft was designed with a dark top to mimic the kitchen’s quartz counters, while creamy paint highlights the shapely table legs.

  • Photographer Monic Richard
  • Designer Trudy Crane

“Instead of an island, we incorporated a large table for working at and dining,” says West Coast stylist Francesca Albertazzi of her home.

  • Photographer Janis Nicolay
  • Designer Francesca Albertazzi

A timeless table in mid-tone wood underscores the traditional charm of this cabin kitchen.

  • Photographer Maxime Desbiens
  • Designer Jane Evans

An antique wine-tasting table from France now serves as the homeowner’s main dining spot in this London, U.K. home by Sarah Richardson.

  • Photographer Stacey Brandford
  • Designer Sarah Richardson, Sarah Richardson Design

In their former weekend home in Knowlton, Quebec, Les Ensembliers placed a harvest table close to the stove for convenience while cooking. The blanched surface and metal legs suit gritty elements such as the painted brick walls, stainless steel cooktop and herringbone block floor.

  • Photographer André Rider
  • Designer Richard Ouellette & Maxime Vandal, Les Ensembliers

This kitchen is a classic for a reason. Tommy Smythe is known for his love of antiques and in his former home, he juxtaposed a delicate table with a gutsy oversized carriage lamp and herringbone floor (way before it was popular) to create a signature look that lives on.

  • Photographer Michael Graydon
  • Designer Tommy Smythe