I love wooden dining tables, especially ones with character and imperfections. Such nicks and bumps somehow make it all the more perfect. Now contrast such a loved piece with the formality of white and gold china and accents and you'll have cozy dining perfection with a touch of formality. Tell us, do you love this look?
See more of this lovely table here:
• Read more: Sarah's Supremely Stylish West Village Home at Apartment Therapy
Related: Sleek and Antique: Mixing It Up In the Kitchen
(Image via Apartment Therapy)

Comments (5)
This was my favorite photo from her house tour. I also love the contrast between the old fashioned tea party & the modern linens & glassware. The china setting is beautiful. And if she had put down placemats or a table cloth, the gorgeous table would have been sadly hidden. Love how she set the table. Sweet, modern & classic.
Sigh. Beautiful! I love it when styles are mixed--and if it's done successfully, even better!
I have a similar dining table in that it's a gorgeous unfinished wood piece, similar to above, just a different aesthetic (Pacifica from Crate and Barrel). It needs to be sanded down periodically using 0000 steel wool to clean up grease and water stains. It's not really a big deal because it's just myhusband and myself, and we use placemats when we eat on it. But when we had our Xmas party and a dinner party for NYE, I used a light weight clear shower curtain liner to prevent future a collection stains from forming on the table because I didn't want to use placemats, runner or tablecloth and cover up the beauty of the table. I don't know if it was tacky, but the thought of accumulating hundreds of grease stains and water rings on the table was horrible to picture.
China is for using and not display! Pull your china out and start using it....anywhere and on any table that pleases you.Think about it this way....how do you decide whose company warrants the 'china'?You can't.
You own it....you love it....use it! I loved visiting my paternal Grandmother because she had cabinets bursting with china and used it all.Good times,good food , good memories and good china.I don't recall ever looking at her table.It was a Victorian dinning set.Kitchen was chrome.I don't think it's tacky not to use runners and mats.If you like your wood table....use the plastic and enjoy it.I remember all the old dears had table pads.People often ate on the top side of the pad saving themselves from the hassle of linens and their table top.Clear plastic would do the same thing.
I just posted something like this on my blog. I had a dinner party this weekend and used formal china on a bare french provence table. I think to looks very inviting...take a look and tell me what you think!