To live without a dining table??

[inmyshoos]

Can't fit in a dining table in our new house. We have a massive corner sofa and it barely fits in itself. Aibu to just sit there and eat? I really love a table, feels weird not having one. Have even considered weird coffee tables that convert to dining tables but they look weird as heck.

Will I desperately miss a table? Aibu to think we can live without one?

Our dining table is old and cost 50 quid second hand, our sofa was 3k.

This thread is reminding me of my FIL, who’s very establishment upper middle class.

I work in consumer research. I was doing a project for a frozen food brand at the time and was commenting that many of the target market didn’t eat at a table. He could not get this into his head and kept insisting that I must mean they weren’t eating at dining tables, but kitchen ones instead (because not everyone has a separate dining room anymore, you know 😆).

I really like having a table, and wouldn’t want to do without one if I could possibly avoid it. It gives me indigestion for one thing, and I think it’s more sociable to eat at the table.

I would also be inclined to sell the sofa before not having a table, and get a smaller sofa.

I'd sell the sofa rather than go without a table tbh.

Me too

@Hotelhelp - OP doesn't live in a tiny bedsit though, she says they have an enormous corner sofa taking up too much space, not that they couldn't work it out to fit both in.

Apart from the arguments about eating dinners off your laps - which people are never going to agree on - don't you use your tables for other things ? I'm using mine to write Christmas cards at the moment, then recently, there was a jigsaw on there (on a board, you can move at meal time). Loads of people are working from home. Don't know what age dc people have, but what about homework, or maybe coluring / sticking / etc if younger. What bout if you have people round and want to put out food. What about if you are working on something that just needs spreading out / other docs to refer to ?
I mean, we all eat round the kitchen table usually, but I'm assuming this is about not having a table in the house at all ?

@Sonofapizzaman

How many times do you walk into someone’s house and they don’t have a sofa though? People saying they’d have a table over a sofa are being a little disingenuous I think.

not really

I can't think of any property I ever had with no space for a small sofa-sofa bad and a table, at least a breakfast bar kind of thing
but my kids would be better off with bean bags or floor cushions and a table than a sofa but no table.

How on earth do you teach your children table manners and sit properly when they don't have a table and chair?

Where are you going to put your piles of papers, parcels, letters, car keys, random toys, children's homework and the fruit bowl if you don't have a table though?
Thinking about it, I think I need a little tidy up!

The children I worry about are the ones who don’t have a hot meal to eat. I won’t worry too much about the ones having to eat their home cooked meal or even (god forbid) chicken nuggets on the sofa or floor.

We have a dining table and rarely use it, in fact, the last time was probably 2 years ago. This is the same as I had growing up where we only ever used the dining table for Christmas Day and New Years day and, shock horror, ate off of trays on the sofa the rest of the time. It's not damaged me in anyway, it's not like I become a cave woman slamming on the table for food whenever we go to a restaurant or sit at a dining table.

My husband comes from a family of every meal at the table and much prefers eating from the sofa, as do his brothers in their homes. And yes, we have eaten Christmas Dinner on the sofa too. Absolutely nothing grim about all the lovely food in front of us out on the coffee table with the fire on, Christmas tree twinkling away next to us and a Christmas film on the TV.

The ridiculous judgmental attitude on this thread is hilarious.

Those people who would choose a dining table over a sofa, if you have no sofas in your home, where do your guests sit? Do you expect people to sit on uncomfortable dining chairs? They are not comfy enough to sit on for hours, no matter how expensive they are. Where do you sit to watch TV or a film? Dining table?

I'd think someone was really weird to choose a dining table over a sofa. It's impractical really unless you never have guests or use a sofa to relax on.

We had a dining table growing up, it never got used. Not even at Christmas. My table manners were better than my cousins who were forced to sit at a table. I don't see them as essential, something nice to have if you can, but not essential.

@CakeRequired the point they’re trying to make is they don’t do things like sit around watching tv like something off of Shameless. They’re too busy crafting at their dining table and playing board games. They wouldn’t even miss the sofa!

So much snobbery on this thread it’s unreal. Sure we would ALL rather have space for a sofa and a dining table but the simple truth is not everyone does and if they want to prioritise a sofa over a table then that’s reasonable.

The kids have a little side table they sit on the floor to eat at, but the rest of us sit on the sofa with a tray

I live in a flat in London...I don't have a dining table (or room), a kitchen table or even any chairs just a sofa. You get used to it

As someone who is chronically unwell and has no choice but to eat on the sofa, or even (god forbid ) in bed more often than not I've actually found this thread very hurtful really. I realise people have preferences regarding where to eat but it does seem beyond tragic to posture about eating at a bloomin table of all things as though that's what better classes of people with self respect do and those who don't are 'grim' and lowbrow to the point some posters can't even conceive of the horror of such lowbrow living. Good old mumsnet.

Surely it's not an all or nothing situation? A smaller sofa is fine. We have bean bags in the kids bedrooms and bring them in to watch tv together. We couldn't fit in 2 sofas without getting rid of the table.

Oh jeez I’ve just managed to have a glance at the thread

I forgot what snobs people where sometimes

@DDIJ

So do you have a sofa or not bother? Could you live without? Do you just have a dining table and chairs?

I'd rather have a table and a smaller sofa. I don't just eat at the table, I sew, write, use it to sort things out on. We have 2, now and they're basically work stations that we occasionally eat at.

And yes, we use our table to eat but also for doing homework/ working from home etc. My kids share a bedroom and we don't have enough space for a desk each! Not sure why that makes me highbrow!

We haven't had a dining table for 6 years for the same reason (lack of space). When we move somewhere bigger it'll be my first purchase as I do miss it but it's not the end of the world, you quickly get used to not having it.

How can you watch telly perched on a dining room chair? Or do the rather do without a sofa people not have tellys either?

www.topfurniture.co.uk/oak-dining-furniture/oak-dining-tables.html

I bought this t o manage space issue..console size when not in use..large dining table when needed...perfect..really good quality too

The trouble is with British housing. Modern houses are often built with not enough space for a proper dining room.
We sometimes watch an American programme called 'Buying and Selling,' and we've been amazed at the amount of space in some American homes. Some of them have basements that have more space in them than we have in our house.
In the UK, you have to pay a fortune to get a similar amount of space.

Oh wrong link...its the lichfield flip top table

I've happily managed without a dining table for the last 10 years but now my DS is nearing 3 and outgrowing his little table and chair combo I realise I'm going to have to find some way to fit a dining table in. Plus it's a bit embarrassing when friends etc come over and we all eat on our laps on the couch