BH | Studio Wymondham 36-Inch Round Pedestal Dining Table

Setting a dining table on one central column instead of four corner legs became a defining idea of mid-century design in the 1950s, freeing the space beneath so that chairs and knees could go anywhere around the edge. Its roots run back to the cast-iron pedestal tables of nineteenth-century Parisian cafés and English pubs, which packed small tops close together on a single stem.

This one has a round top faced in a chip-resistant wood veneer, a thin layer of real wood, in Chestnut or White that stands up to plates, bowls and everyday knocks. It is set on a tapered black column that steps down to a polished brass-tone collar and a wide, round foot, with a ring beneath to protect the floor. The single central support leaves the whole edge free for chairs and knees, so it seats more easily than a four-legged table of the same size. Assembly is required.

Round and compact, it suits a breakfast corner, a small dining room or an apartment where the table doubles as a desk. It is warm enough for everyday suppers and smart enough for a dinner party for four. The top with black and brass reads classic mid-century: pair it with cane or leather chairs, a mustard cushion or two, a teak sideboard and a paper globe pendant overhead.