To Chop or Not To Chop?

[silliness7]

Our kitchen table seats 6 if we make it. It came with four chairs and after 12 years, only one is left. So we hodge podge around it with mis-matched thrift store chairs. It's a season, I tell myself. :001_smile:

 

There are 9 of us, and we don't fit around the table at all. So yesterday I found a gigantic dining table (gigantic to me :D) for $30 at the thrift store. I bought it on the spot and thought we'd figure out how to get it home later. It seats 8 very comfortably and could squish 12 with barely any effort. Of course, the top has some scratches, but so does our current table. When company comes we throw a table cloth over it. Isn't that what they're for. :D

 

Today it is home. There is only one problem. It is a counter-top height table and we have no seating for it. My first thought was to cut the legs down. 7 inches would bring it to a normal height and we could use our mis-matched chairs. We have a friend who has the equipment to do such a thing. That's the most pragmatic option. Right?

 

The longer it sits in my kitche and the longer I look at it, the more I want to keep it high. It just looks COOL! So now I'm thinking we could scrounge around some more thrift stores and hopefully over not too much time find mis-matched bar stools for, hoping, $5-$10 apiece.

 

Then later, when we have some money we could get some matching stools with backs. I found some cute ones on Amazon for about $40.

 

Will I regret it if I chop the legs? Should I scrounge for bar stools? Should I chop the legs off and not look back?

 

Please help.

I'm going to try to post a poll. I've never done that before.

[missmoe]

I like tall tables! I don't have one, but I do think they are cool.

[SailorMom]

I think tall tables are a fad.... I would chop and save the money :)

[Mama2Many4]

I would chop it. As cool as you may think it is tall, you already have the chairs for it shorter. You'd be out even more money if you have to buy more stools or chairs.

[JudoMom]

What do the legs look like?

 

I voted don't chop, but then I remembered you still had young'uns, so I might change my vote if the legs would look cool chopped down. I just don't know that I'd want to deal with a counter height table with toddlers/preschoolers.

[plain jane]

I have wanted a counter height table for a *very* long time now. I vote keep it and see if you can find stools/chairs that will fit it. If you find you really hate it then, you can chop them all down. :D Or sell it to me... :tongue_smilie:

 

My dh has concerns about littles falling of tall chairs but I figure they'll only do it once (or twice :001_huh:) before they learn to sit properly. We've had barstools for a long time now and they've never been an issue with the younger crowd.

[OrganicAnn]

Are you tall people or short people? I'm short and I just don't like climbing up on bar stools all the time. But if you were tall/medium sized people, then that okay too. Kids don't count since they usually love to climb.

[Melissa in FL]

My sister has a tall table and after the first 5 minutes I find it uncomfortable to sit at. My feet barley reach the floor with normal chairs, I can't stand the tall chairs. So, I would Chop!

Melissa

[Brindee]

My kids would have LOVED having a high table with tall chairs! I voted to keep it tall. I'd probably go with what the kids want though.

[bookfiend]

Unless you are the eat and run kind of family, I vote chop. Lingering over a meal with company on bar stools = very uncomfortable.

[Mabeline]

I voted to keep it tall, especially, if you homeschool at the table. You could walk around the table and not have to stoop to help with work.

[Jean in Newcastle]

So much of it depends on money issues. 9 x 40 = $360 for nice matching barstools (for a price cheaper than the norm as far as I can tell by googling). But - how long would it take you to be able to buy all of them and would they still be available and at that price by the end? 9 x 10 for mismatched ones from the thrift store = $90 to add to that. If I could swing it, I'd go straight for the nice matching ones all at one fell swoop. And I would get 12 because of company issues, so 12 x 40 = $480. Round up to $500 for tax. If you could get one of those "no interest for a year" deals, you could pay it off in 12 months if you could pay in installments of $42.00.

 

 

OR chop those legs, use the chairs you have and start a chair fund. Let's just say $140 for 4 chairs (at a bargain, but I saw some out there at that price) x 3 (for company's sake) = $420. Round up to $500 for tax and price fluctuations. Again, with a "no interest for a year deal", you could pay for nice chairs for $42.00 a month in 12 months. Or you could save up that amount and pay in full in one year.

Edited May 22, 2011 by Jean in Newcastle

[abbeyej]

You *like* the tall table and think you might be sad if you chop it down. That to me is the main reason to leave it tall. I don't think there's anything *wrong* with cutting it down. But you like it as it is!

 

Maybe keep an eye out for thrift store bar stools and then, once you have enough, Get fabric and reupholster them (or make cushions that fit the non-upholstered ones) yourself so they all match in that way.

[gardening momma]

My legs would hurt if I had to sit in a tall chair. I need to be able to put my feet on the floor. I voted for chop the table.

 

ETA: you have young kids. Another reason I'd go for a standard-height table. 1) they can get in the chairs themselves, 2) they can reach the table itself from the floor more easily, 3) if you've ever had a kid tip their chair backward and fall (I have), you want "normal" height chairs.

[Mrs Mungo]

Are you tall people or short people? I'm short and I just don't like climbing up on bar stools all the time. But if you were tall/medium sized people, then that okay too. Kids don't count since they usually love to climb.

 

:iagree: I am short. Sitting at tall tables is not comfortable for me.

[ktgrok]

Are you tall people or short people? I'm short and I just don't like climbing up on bar stools all the time. But if you were tall/medium sized people, then that okay too. Kids don't count since they usually love to climb.

 

Yes, I HATE tall tables, because I'm short. It is really uncomfortable.

[jewellsmommy]

A tall table is nice on the back instead of bending over a shorter table, however, I don't really like sitting at them. Backless stools, even if only for a few months, will be very uncomfortable. My mother has a tall table and I thought it was great at first, but, I don't find myself sitting at it much. I have to sort of climb into the seat and I find that I don't want to put that much effort into it :lol:

 

I, personally, would shorten the table.

[silliness7]

You are a very frugal bunch...this coming from the lady whose been wearing the same pair of eyeglasses for 7 years, the last 2 of which said eyeglasses have been held together by a band-aid. :D:D

 

I knew this was the right place to come. You've given me much to think about. The kids do love it even with the weird seating at dinner tonight and I totally loved walking around cutting up food without bending over. I'm working at it right now with all of my books spread out. It's so wonderful to NOT bend over. But I too am short so long-term bar stools is a question. The eclectic bunch I would expect to pick up at thrift stores I would imagine be backless. But the cool ones at Amazon that I liked had backs and a foot rung, for lack of a better term. Now, no matter how nice a bar stool is if your hands are full you cannot sit down until you get your hands free. At least I can't. I have to hoist myself up. That might get old.

 

Dh said why don't I find a couple of bar stools for cheap and test it out. We can always cut it down later. But we can't Un-cut it. The old table is hanging out 3 footsteps away in the den. So we can still have a decent place to sit and eat (in shifts) while we figure out how to deal with this THING I brought home. :001_smile:

 

I'm enjoying all the opinions and food for thought so much. Keep it coming.

 

ETA: And the littles and the bar stools is another thing to think about.

Edited May 22, 2011 by silliness7

[Lawana]

Oh, I would so leave it tall and use it to fold my laundry.:glare: And cut out fabric, and shell beans, and knead bread, and roll out pie crust.

[happi duck]

I love my counter height table because I have very little counter space and the table is my main work space. If this is needed to double as a work space I vote don't chop.

 

Be careful looking at stools/chairs...there is bar height and counter height. Be sure you are getting the height you want before you hit garage sales etc. (If you find stools that are too tall they could be cut down perhaps.)

[plain jane]

(If you find stools that are too tall they could be cut down perhaps.)

 

:lol:Spoken like a true homeschooler- we have to tweak everything, don't we? ;)

[Tutor]

I voted chop because I'm cheap. :D

 

Also, we're moving in a couple months, and our new place has a bar area. We love that little space and are looking forward to using it, but... we can't find any used stools. :glare: We live in a college town, and we scoured dumpsters and yard sales last week looking for used stools. Nothing. We've tried the thrift stores. Nothing. I refuse to buy new stools, but there seems to be a dearth of used stools.

[silliness7]

I love my counter height table because I have very little counter space and the table is my main work space. If this is needed to double as a work space I vote don't chop.

 

Be careful looking at stools/chairs...there is bar height and counter height. Be sure you are getting the height you want before you hit garage sales etc. (If you find stools that are too tall they could be cut down perhaps.)

 

I did NOT know that. But that makes sense. Thank you!

 

I didn't even know I brought home a counter height table until we put it in the kitchen and said hey it's as tall as the counter. I knew it was taller than usual but I had never heard of such a thing and didn't know what it was called. (I don't get out much. :D) Then I started googling and oh what googling will do to expand your horizons.

[justasque]

I would take a totally different approach. I'd turn the table upside down and see how the legs are attached. If they are the screw-on type, then they could easily be replaced by a set from Home Depot in the desired size, while still keeping the option of putting them back at a later time. (This is assuming that I, like you, would prefer a higher table, which I totally wouldn't, because I'm short, and they're crazy uncomfortable for folks like me, of which there are many, especially if you count kids. Dangling legs = pins-and-needles.)

 

Anyway - then I'd paint the whole thing white, and paint the thrift chairs white, and maybe make some cute blue-and-white cushions for them.

[Jean in Newcastle]

I would take a totally different approach. I'd turn the table upside down and see how the legs are attached. If they are the screw-on type, then they could easily be replaced by a set from Home Depot in the desired size, while still keeping the option of putting them back at a later time. (This is assuming that I, like you, would prefer a higher table, which I totally wouldn't, because I'm short, and they're crazy uncomfortable for folks like me, of which there are many, especially if you count kids. Dangling legs = pins-and-needles.)

 

Anyway - then I'd paint the whole thing white, and paint the thrift chairs white, and maybe make some cute blue-and-white cushions for them.

 

Ooo! This is a great idea!

[silliness7]

I would take a totally different approach. I'd turn the table upside down and see how the legs are attached. If they are the screw-on type, then they could easily be replaced by a set from Home Depot in the desired size, while still keeping the option of putting them back at a later time. (This is assuming that I, like you, would prefer a higher table, which I totally wouldn't, because I'm short, and they're crazy uncomfortable for folks like me, of which there are many, especially if you count kids. Dangling legs = pins-and-needles.)

 

Anyway - then I'd paint the whole thing white, and paint the thrift chairs white, and maybe make some cute blue-and-white cushions for them.

 

I like the way you think. :001_smile:

Thank you!

[SonshineLearner]

You should post a pic ;)

[mamachanse]

I think "not chop" is pretty much always the answer. ;)

[happi duck]

:lol:Spoken like a true homeschooler- we have to tweak everything, don't we? ;)

 

Yep! :D

[happi duck]

I would take a totally different approach. I'd turn the table upside down and see how the legs are attached. If they are the screw-on type, then they could easily be replaced by a set from Home Depot in the desired size, while still keeping the option of putting them back at a later time. (This is assuming that I, like you, would prefer a higher table, which I totally wouldn't, because I'm short, and they're crazy uncomfortable for folks like me, of which there are many, especially if you count kids. Dangling legs = pins-and-needles.)

 

Anyway - then I'd paint the whole thing white, and paint the thrift chairs white, and maybe make some cute blue-and-white cushions for them.

 

Wow...you're brilliant!

[historically accurate]

Are you tall people or short people? I'm short and I just don't like climbing up on bar stools all the time. But if you were tall/medium sized people, then that okay too. Kids don't count since they usually love to climb.

 

:iagree: As a very short person, I hate bar stools, so I would chop it down. I feel awkward and clumsy having to haul my (supersized :tongue_smilie:) behind up onto the stools. My kids are very petite as well, and I would probably have to haul up the middle kid for years to come -- the youngest is a climber, but the middle isn't.

 

If you are tall people then maybe it's not such a bad idea to keep it elevated.

[historically accurate]

I would take a totally different approach. I'd turn the table upside down and see how the legs are attached. If they are the screw-on type, then they could easily be replaced by a set from Home Depot in the desired size, while still keeping the option of putting them back at a later time. (This is assuming that I, like you, would prefer a higher table, which I totally wouldn't, because I'm short, and they're crazy uncomfortable for folks like me, of which there are many, especially if you count kids. Dangling legs = pins-and-needles.)

 

Anyway - then I'd paint the whole thing white, and paint the thrift chairs white, and maybe make some cute blue-and-white cushions for them.

 

 

Love this idea. I've never flipped a table over to see if it had detachable legs, so I didn't know that you could do that.

[i.love.lucy]

My sister has a tall table and after the first 5 minutes I find it uncomfortable to sit at. My feet barley reach the floor with normal chairs, I can't stand the tall chairs. So, I would Chop!

Melissa

:iagree: I'm quite tall, and I hate tall tables. I think they are very uncomfortable. We also have my elderly MIL for dinner quite often and she would be unable to sit at a tall table like that. I vote CHOP!

[justasque]

Love this idea. I've never flipped a table over to see if it had detachable legs, so I didn't know that you could do that.

 

Fine/antique furniture generally won't have detachable legs, but quite a lot of modern tables do, even nicer ones, in part because it takes up significantly less room during shipping, thus reducing the cost.