Sur la table

1.  My family has not fit around one table since 2008.
2.  A table large enough for my family, and which does not violate (A) My Unwavering Rules on Style, apparently exceeds (B) My Unwavering Limitations on Budget.  My conundrum is compounded by my lack of proximity to an Ikea.

See this table?  It's a Restoration Hardware piece, made from reclaimed English pine, and I've been pining away (ha!) for it for some months now.  Actually, any of these would suffice.  Unfortunately, it (and all of its linked cousins) violates (B) above.

And this?  It clearly violates (A) above.

And then there is this, which cleverly violates both sets of maxims.

While searching the internet for the gajillionth time the other night for an acceptable table, I came across Ana White's amazing DIY furniture website, and I found this:

Ana actually built the above table with scrap wood and $9.98 worth of screws.  That's reason enough to like her.  But I also like her because she's a girl, she makes stuff herself, her plans are free, and they're almost - almost- simple enough for me to follow.

Enter my dad.  

My dad knows his way around his little workshop, and I knew he could help me figure out how to alter the plan for size (it specifies 38x96" and I need 48x120") and a few stylistic upgrades.  He came through for me and provided me with an updated cut list and the promise of wood selecting and construction help.  This week we plan to pick out the wood (I'm leaning toward walnut) and get everything cut, and we're shooting for assembly (which he says will take a mere 6 hours or so) this Saturday.  

As I told my dad, I don't mind putting a little money into this since it will be our family dining table, but even with the walnut option, we're looking at spending less that $400 for a 10' long table.  And that's still nowhere near that Restoration Hardware price tag.  

Wanna build one, too?  You can do it with pine dimensional lumber for about $50.  Plans are here, but make sure to peruse the site because there are all sorts of nice projects that most people can handle with simple power tools.  Most people.