Hi Sam, I know where you're coming from, I too wanted to buy such a beautiful ornate table for my new home still under construction but it just wasn't going to look like it matched the modern home I wanted to put it in. I also wanted to feel like it could be used as most kitchen tables in a home are used, especially for me living on a farm, for eating or repairing something on some newspaper etc...impossible to do on such a beautiful table, you would ruin it to see it scratched !!! Not to put a damper on your tastes but your home will look so much better and have more style if you continue to try to match what you already have and that's at least a stunning kitchen that you've shown us all on this forum. If you think of the style and colour of your kitchen everytime you want to buy something or decorate, it will hep ground you to keep it similar. I understand there are people who say it's nice to have countless pieces of furniture that are all different in some way, as it can look like you acquired them along your journey in life but I think that this mixture of designs and colours doesn't gel in a modrrn house very well at all, perhaps a quaint old cottage but not a modern home with a lovely kitchen like you already have!!!

If it has no varnish, light sand then oil. If varnished very good sand using a electric sander, medium first sand then finer the second sand, wipe down to get all dust off then oil. If you use a combo of linseed and turpentine make sure you use gum turpentine. Use more turpentine to start off as will penetrate the wood better. Good luck

In my opinion too much around the walls near the table makes the area look too busy when it should be clean and simple to make the table and the above clock the feature, I would off set the table to the left and buy a nice tallish free standing vase OR preferably shabby chic a wooden plant stand and stand a plant on it, this would give a more balanced aesthetic to the whole look without it and the area to do that would not take up too much space so as not overdoing the area to make it have a more cluttered look, I like the idea of flipping the clock so that is then becomes a longer feature and would look more balanced, I think a handy hubby or friend could do it, for me a ladder is nice to put towels on in a bathroom but in an area like you have what is it's purpose? I don't find it particularly pleasing but please no one be offended this is just my opinion and as a (just) retired art restorer I am very interested in aesthetically pleasing spaces and interior decorating I realise everyone has their own opinions and they know what is right for them once they sort through the answers. If you lower the clock it too much it defeats the purpose of the clock being useful as they should be around eye level. Hope this helps.

Hmmm I do understand your indecision. So if it were me I would lean toward caution and choose a tabletop which blends with your existing colour scheme. It's always difficult to tell from a photo the hues in someone else's home. It does appear your kitchen tiles are a cream colour, and possibly your sofa is a warm white. Is that correct? If so, I would look for a marble with warm tones. If you like black as the main colour, is there one with beige or warm white or brown tones in it? Otherwise, you cannot go wrong with glass topped or timber.