Ready to Design Your Custom Table? Here’s the Decisions You’ll Need to Make!

At Rustic Elements Furniture, we build handcrafted custom wood tables. Because our tables are completely custom, we work closely with our customers to design a table that matches their style, needs, and space.

We understand that your table will be a focal point in your kitchen or dining room for years to come, so your opinion is the one that matters. We work with you throughout the design process, letting you make all the important decisions. You choose every aspect of the design and then we build it, bringing your vision to life.

As you begin to design your table, there’s some customization options to consider,  including: base type, size, finish/color, level of distress, and whether or not you want to add a leaf.

To help you along in the decision making process, here’s some questions to ask yourself as you plan out your custom table:

Pedestal Base or 4 Legs?

The first thing you’ll need to determine is the type of base you want your table to have. Do you prefer a pedestal base or are you looking for a traditional 4 leg table?

If you know you want your table to have legs, there are a few different options. The standard thick square legs are 3.5″ x 3.5″, and can be upgraded to 4.5” or 5.5” legs. If you’re interested in a bold look, consider bigger legs for a smaller sized table. For tables that are larger than 7 feet, bigger legs are necessary for a proportional look. If you want a more elegant feel to your table, we can build turned, tapered, or claw foot legs.

traditional 4 leg wood table traditional wood dining table

If you’re interested in a pedestal base, there are many different types of pedestals to choose from. Some of our most popular pedestal bases include: the belly, the single post, the double post, and the X. We also offer a variety of other pedestal bases that can be found here. The size of the base depends on the size of your table and personal preference. If you’re interested in something a bit more unique, we can also build custom table bases.

double pedestal table wood table with pedestal base wood table with x base

Standard or Oversized?

Since our tables are completely custom, we can build them to be any size, down to the inch. The easiest way to determine what size table is right for your space is to lay out your table using painters tape, blankets, cardboard, or anything you can find. Be sure to give yourself about 2.5 feet around the table and add some chairs. This will give you a feel for what size is right for your space and how many guests you can seat comfortably.

To help you decide what size to test out in your space, here are the common table sizes:

  • 42×60 – seats 6 (standard size)
  • 42×72 – seats 6-8
  • 42×84 – seats 8
  • 42×96 – seats 8-10
  • 42×108 – seats 10
  • 42×120 – seats 10-12
Formal or Casual?

When deciding on the finish and color of your table, it’s important to think about the style you’re going for. Are you looking for a formal table or something more casual? Believe it or not, but that can actually impact the color you choose. A rich color with consistent black shadowing on the edges gives a more formal look and adds more depth and detail to the table. Whereas a lighter color with black shadowing that is rubbed out and inconsistent creates a more casual feel.

Keep in mind, your table will be a focal point in the room. To make sure it stands out, we recommend going either darker or lighter than the floors.

If you have no idea what finish/color you are looking for, we recommend choosing from our past work. Browse our custom table galleries to get inspiration for your own table. If you see something you like, even if it’s a different design than you have in mind, we can duplicate the color. Using dyes, glazes, coats, and stains we can create most colors, so if you like the look of a table that isn’t one we’ve built, feel free to send us pictures and we’ll do our best to duplicate the color of it.

formal farmhouse table solid ash wood table

Distress or No Distress?

Do you want your table to look “clean” and brand new, or do you want it to look like it’s gotten a lot of use out of it? You can choose the degree of distress depending on how worn you want your table to look. At Rustic Elements Furniture, we use a scale of distress, with 1 being no added distress and 10 being very distressed.

Scale of Distress:

  • 1 – No added distress, cleaner wood planks, and all perfections are sanded out.
  • 2-3 – Minimal distress
  • 5-6 – Medium distress
  • 8-10 – Heavier distress
  • 10 – Very distressed with no refinement. Includes saw marks, dents, nail holes, and lots of imperfections to give the impression the table has gotten many years of use.

wood table with heavy distress refined wood table

Leaf or no Leaf?

It is up to you to decide if you think a leaf is necessary for your table. Consider what you plan on using the table for. Will you want the option to seat more guests on a fairly often basis? Leaves are a wise option if you plan on hosting a number of dinner parties, as they allow you to seat more people comfortably, without taking up that much space permanently.

Our leaves conveniently attach at the ends, instead of the drop leaf style, so the table doesn’t look like it’s missing anything when they aren’t in use.

If you are interested in adding leaves to your table, we offer three different options:

  • Standard – 12”
  • Medium – 18” – one medium leaf adds enough room to seat 1 additional person, while two medium leaves will seat 2 additional people
  • Large – 24” – one large leaf adds 20 inches to the table, which is enough to seat an additional 2 people & two large leaves can seat an additional 4 people

24" wood dining table leaf dining table leaf

For more information on the different customization options mentioned above, visit our custom table options page. If you have additional questions about our furniture, company, process, or payment/delivery, we encourage you to take a look at our FAQs.

Now that you know what goes into designing your table, why not get started? Contact Rustic Elements Furniture today to start planning a custom table that will last for generations! Or, give us a call at 847.401.7753 to speak with our owner, Scott, and schedule an appointment to visit our showroom in Joliet.

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