BH | Studio Wymondham Oval 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 slim oval top in clean white, made of engineered wood under a smooth coating that wipes clean after breakfast or a messy craft session. It rests on a tapering black column that narrows to a polished brass-tone collar and a broad, flat disc on the floor, with a protective ring underneath to keep boards and tile unmarked. With one central support there are no corner legs to knock against, so chairs can be pulled in wherever they are needed. Assembly is required.

An oval of this size fits a small dining room or a kitchen nook, a table for everyday breakfasts that still looks ready for guests. It also makes a lovely small desk, or a centre table in a hall with a big vase of flowers. White, black and gold are crisp and mid-century: pair it with molded or cane chairs, a globe pendant, a sunburst mirror and a bowl of green figs.