We Tested (and Rated!) All the Dining Tables at Pottery Barn — Here Are the Best to Suit Your Style and Space
No matter how small your space is, you need at least one flat, raised surface where you can eat, read, work, and execute the occasional at-home manicure. The good news is that you can do all that (and more!) from the same place if you invest in the right dining table. The hard part? Finding a table that ticks all of your boxes, including one with the right aesthetic, size, and material. And, of course, it’s difficult to know whether the table you’re viewing online will meet these expectations once fully assembled. That’s where Personal Shopper comes in handy. In this series, we visit the brick-and-mortar stores of top home retailers, including West Elm, Ashley, Burrow, and more. Once there, we view different furniture categories to assess which sofa, bed frame, rug, or dining table is right for your space. Put simply, we do the work to help simplify your online shopping experience.
On our most recent excursion, we visited Pottery Barn’s Flatiron location in Manhattan to check out some of the brand’s new product categories. We’ve already looked at their sofas, bed frames, rugs, and, most recently, their accent chairs. Those posts were such big hits with you that we went back again. This time, we’re focusing on dining tables. There weren’t a ton of small-space-friendly options, but there were some solid picks for families and people who like to entertain. And it goes without saying that each one was beautiful. Keep reading to see which table would best suit your space.
Why Pottery Barn?
As one of the premier home retailers across the country, Pottery Barn is a reliable brand with a demonstrated ability to stay on top of trends, ahead of production and shipping delays, and true to its best-selling classic Americana roots. Beyond this, Pottery Barn has its Design Crew, a team of interior design experts across the country, to help with all things planning, logistics, and aesthetics. Not only can you take your pick from virtual, storefront, or in-home meetings with crew members, but they will also listen to your every desire to create your dream space — be it one room or your entire home — and develop custom renderings. Oh, and they’ll do it for free. Yep, free. No need to purchase anything, either (although, yes, we can pretty much guarantee you’re going to want to).
The Dining Tables
Best Coastal Style: Cayman Round Pedestal Extending Dining Table
Best First Dining Table: Reed Extending Dining Table
Best for Gatherings: Toscana Extending Dining Table
Best Traditional Style: Sausalito Round Extending Dining Table
Best Hidden Storage: Folsom Storage Extending Dining Table
Best Statement Maker: Modern Farmhouse Round Extending Dining Table
Best for Families: Fort Extending Dining Table
Best for Small Spaces: Portola Round Dining Table
Best for WFH: Benchwright Extending Dining Table
Best Outdoor Style: Abbott Outdoor Concrete & Acacia Dining Table
The Criteria
We judged every Pottery Barn dining table in-store based on the following criteria, giving each category an average rating between 1 and 5. These scores helped us determine whom the table suits best, from the busy parent to the regular dinner party host.
Capacity: How many people can fit around the table? Do any structural or design elements (i.e., beams, legs, etc.) on the design seem obtrusive?
Customizability: Are size, configuration, material, color, or other details customizable? How granular can a shopper get when customizing?
Versatility: Can the table expand or change size? How difficult would it be to assemble, disassemble, or move? Can it be used as more than just a dining table?
Appearance: What design style does the table suit best? Does it lean more traditional (i.e., detailing, dark wood) or more contemporary (i.e., sleek, light wood)?
Quality: Is the table built for looks or to last? Are its materials basic (and typically easy to maintain) or luxe and uncommon?
Every Editor-Tested Dining Table at Pottery Barn
Best Coastal Style: Cayman Round Pedestal Extending Dining Table
Cayman Round Pedestal Extending Dining Table
What impressed us: The pedestal base and unique oval shape.
This coastal-inspired pick is on the smaller side as far as Pottery Barn tables go, meaning it could work for either a house or an apartment. It’s round when closed, but we saw it fully extended and were instantly drawn to its unique oval shape. Unlike the many dark-toned tables we looked at, the Cayman also boasts a weathered ivory finish aptly called “Biscotti.” Another feature of note is the table’s pedestal base, which allows for maximum legroom and dining chair storage space after your meals. The table also boasts an additional leaf (included in your purchase), which allows it to increase 18” in length and seat up to six people. In short, this piece is great for smaller households but can also rise to the occasion of mid-sized dinner parties.
How We Rated It:
Specifications:
48” to 66” long; seats up to 6 people
Best First Dining Table: Reed Extending Dining Table
Reed Extending Dining Table
What impressed us: The slightly distressed texture and middle beam footrest.
When picturing a first dining table, you might imagine something round that can fit in a small makeshift dining area next to your living room furniture and double as a workspace. The Reed table might initially seem intimidating for your new grown-up apartment, but we think it’s best to invest in a legacy piece from the get-go. With the ability to seat four people comfortably, this pick boasts two hidden breadboards, which you can extend to seat as many as eight guests. Between meals, you can use the table as a desk or general storage spot. Its low beam also acts as a convenient footrest, helping ensure your comfort for hours on end. Additionally, the table comes in four neutral finishes, so you can match it to the rest of your furniture. Once you own it, we foresee the Reed in your home for a long time — a true one-and-done.
How We Rated It:
Specifications:
73” to 97” long; seats up to 8 people
Also available in 83” to 115” size
Available in 4 wood finishes
Best for Gatherings: Toscana Extending Dining Table
Toscana Extending Dining Table
What impressed us: The greige Seadrift finish and X-shaped supports.
The smallest size that the Toscana table comes in can seat up to eight people, but it also comes in a length that can seat as many as 10, which is why we deemed it the best pick for gatherings. Not only that, but this model also features a very textured and rustic-looking surface, so it has that traditional feel associated with extended family dinners. It would look even more old-world in the rich Tuscan Chestnut finish, although we also liked the Seadrift color we saw, which is a Pottery Barn signature. The table comes with two breadboard leaves that you can drop in at either end to extend the surface length. And because it has such a long surface, you can experiment with both regular dining chairs and bench seating. Just imagine how fun it’ll be to style during the holidays, too!
How We Rated It:
Specifications:
60” to 72” long; seats up to 8 people
Also available in 74” to 104” and 88.5” to 124.5” sizes
Available in 5 wood finishes
Best Traditional Style: Sausalito Round Extending Dining Table
Sausalito Round Extending Dining Table
What impressed us: The ornate legs and expansive surface.
The Sausalito table is aptly described as traditional, although we’d go so far as to say that its ornate legs make it look almost Roman. Although it might look small, in person the table’s surface is more spacious than you might think — even when not fully extended. However, a central drop-in leaf allows you to transform the Sausalito from a circle into an oval that comfortably seats up to six people. What’s more, it has a grainy texture which adds a nice dimension to its otherwise simple greige finish. This pick would look positively dashing in your breakfast nook, and we have no doubt that it would receive endless compliments from visitors.
How We Rated It:
Specifications:
54” to 72” long; seats up to 6 people
Best Hidden Storage: Folsom Storage Extending Dining Table
Folsom Storage Extending Dining Table
What impressed us: The hidden drawers and blocky legs.
At first, we didn’t even notice that the Folsom table had hidden storage. Upon closer inspection, however, we saw a slim central drawer at each end, which is pretty ingenious. The storage compartments are totally inconspicuous, and you could even further hide them with a runner if you wanted to. They’re wide and short, so they’re perfect for storing napkins, placemats, and flatware. In other words, there’s almost no need for a separate sideboard when this piece is the star of your dining room. Aside from this feature, we also loved the Folsom’s clean rectangular silhouette and big, blocky legs, which give it a grand appearance. For this reason (and simply because of the table’s substantial size), we would recommend this model for houses as opposed to smaller apartments.
How We Rated It:
Specifications:
74” to 92” long; seats up to 8 people
Available in 3 wood finishes
Best Statement Maker: Modern Farmhouse Round Extending Dining Table
Modern Farmhouse Round Pedestal Extending Dining Table
What impressed us: The criss-cross base and clean lines.
For a table with “Farmhouse” in its name, this pick is actually quite refined in its design, and we’re certainly not complaining. It was also one of the most striking models we looked at — mainly because of its criss-cross base, which is at once imposing and out of the way. Like the Sausalito, this table was also bigger in person than it comes across online, which only adds to its “statement maker” status. It, too, features a central drop-in leaf, allowing up to six people to gather ‘round. Its surface and base parts are pretty thick, making the Modern Farmhouse table feel like a true anchor piece for a classy, grown-up dining space.
How We Rated It:
Specifications:
60” to 78” long; seats up to 6 people
Available in 2 wood finishes
Best for Families: Fort Extending Dining Table
Fort Extending Dining Table
What impressed us: The metal support and industrial silhouette.
One of the standout features of the Fort dining table is its hefty trestle legs, which ensure that the top will never wobble. The legs are connected by metal supports that stretch across, adding support, serving as a footrest, and lending the table a cool industrial look. You can opt for the black finish for a sleeker look or go with the lighter Smoked Nutmeg finish for a sharp contrast between the wood and the metal. The latter is also undeniably more rustic. The tabletop texture is also unlike any we’ve seen before; yes, it’s uniquely distressed, and it’s also been hand-finished with sealer. This makes the table less susceptible to staining from spills and other messes, which, along with its impressive size, is much of why we named it the best option for families.
How We Rated It:
Specifications:
80” to 102” long; seats up to 10 people
Available in 2 wood finishes
Best for Small Spaces: Portola Round Dining Table
Portola Round Dining Table
What impressed us: The warm-toned wood and butterfly leaves.
The Portola dining table comes in a rectangular configuration, although we think the round version is a bit more unique — especially with its intersecting base. It was crafted with a Scandinavian design aesthetic in mind, which is evident by the table’s smooth oak veneer. And although we typically associate rounded tabletops with a more traditional style, the Portola looks totally contemporary. Like almost every other model on this list, the table also expands via butterfly leaves, which lengthen it to seat up to six people. Of course, you can keep it in its original round configuration for your day-to-day. Whether or not you have a dedicated dining room, the table is ideal for small apartments and allows chairs to slide in fully when not in use. And you still get plenty of surface area, to boot.
How We Rated It:
Specifications:
54” to 74” long; seats up to 6 people
Best for WFH: Benchwright Extending Dining Table
Benchwright Extending Dining Table
What impressed us: The turnbuckle hardware and planked surface.
The Fort table drew our attention with its metal hardware, so imagine how intrigued we were by the Benchwright table’s turnbuckle hardware. It’s industrial, to the max. Forged iron connects intentionally distressed planks of hardwood, so you can rest assured this table won’t sustain damage in between meals or in between moves. Additionally, its design was inspired by a 20th-century worktable, so you know it’ll hold up amid daily WFH use without suffering so much as a scratch — not that that would take anything away from its rugged aesthetic. With four wood finishes and four extending sizes available, the Benchwright was also one of the more customizable tables we viewed in-store.
How We Rated It:
Specifications:
60” to 84” long; seats up to 6 people
Also available in 74” to 104”, 86” to 122” and 108” to 144” sizes
Available in 4 wood finishes
Best Outdoor Style: Abbott Outdoor Concrete & Acacia Dining Table
Abbott Outdoor Concrete & Acacia Dining Table
What impressed us: The concrete top and contrasting wood base.
You might not think of concrete as a luxurious material, but the Abbott outdoor table looks every bit as elegant as Pottery Barn’s indoor dining tables. Its sleek gray top is moisture-resistant, so you can keep beverages there without worrying about condensation. The concrete contrasts with a warm wooden base, which is as thick and durable as you’d want from a piece of patio furniture. Of course, you should cover it between uses and ideally store the table indoors during the off-season. Come spring and summer, though, it’ll become the natural gathering spot for both dining al fresco and casual get-togethers.
How We Rated It:
Specifications:
84” long, seats up to 6 people
Available in 3 wood base finishes
