Your dining table is the centerpiece of all your meals. It should be sturdy, yet fashionable, reflecting your personal taste and unique style. Yet, if you've been using the same dining table for years, maybe it's time for an update. Here are the latest contemporary trends to rock the world of dining tables.

Round Glass Table: Glass tables aren't just for the living room or nightstand any longer. With a designer base, e.g. the Mensa table, with its birch plywood pattern reflecting a hanging pendant, the focus will be on the immaculate design. It's another case of form and function.

Mismatched Dining Tables: Often times, during family dinners, you'll have two tables placed side by side, one taller table reserved for the grown-ups, and a shorter kiddie table for the young ones. Why not take this idea a step further and find two mismatching tables of the same height and pull them together to make one table? It's chic and eclectic.
High and Low: Mixing high end dining tables with low costing chairs will not only save you some money, it will also create a stylish and eye-catching look that will add charm to any dining room.

Dining Tables in the Kitchen: Many people are opting to place their dining tables smack in the middle of their kitchens, merging kitchen space with dining space. These homeowners aren't afraid to place full sized tables in the midst of their open kitchens. It's an ingenious idea, which adds a sense of community and sharing to the kitchen. Of course, this only really works if you've got a large, ample kitchen to begin with.

Secret Dining Table: A couple in the woodsy foothills of Idaho built their 836 square-feet dream house out of passive solar straw bales and materials salvaged from the local landfill. This eco-house is on the small side, so they've actually constructed a hidden dining table; it's in point of fact, sunk into the living room floor, with built in seating. When not in use, the space is covered up with planks.

Convertible Dining Tables: Many people these days don't actually sit down and eat in their dining rooms anymore. They end up sitting in front of the TV and eating on the couch. If you find yourself in this situation, consider a convertible coffee table which can double as your dining table. There are actually a wide variety of height adjustable tables on the market; these can be raised and often expanded to dining height when you want to chow down.

Counter Height Dining Tables: With these tables, you feel like you're dining at a bar. It's definitely a contemporary look, that works great with open, loft-like spaces. High dining tables can also be used in the kitchen to seat 2 or 3 people for breakfast. Beware though, this isn't for the shorter among us.

Suspended Dining Table: This is sort of a concept piece but it works well for the more avant- garde minded. A suspended dining table hangs from the ceiling; rather than having legs, it has wires. The setup is more difficult than your average table, but this does give your place some edge.