Dining Table? Where are you??

Friends, I need direction.

I have been on a financial roller coaster more than normal. I had a death in the family with a lot of emotions. I was offered a house (paid off) I was offered a new vehicle. I was then offered $10,000. I started thinking and praying about ways to use that money to actually change our day to day struggles. What actually came of it all was $800 (and a silver tea/coffee service:) I am grateful for the money. Very. Im trying to get my mind and all it's plans to calm down and re-adjust.

Then I thought we could get some nice functional furniture for this small space that we are in all day. **We do get out in the fresh air and exercise and we do socialize :)

We are now using a borrowed (for 6+ years) futon that is sooo worn and not really functional. We have a pretty nice dining room table, but it seats 6 with both leaves in and we are now 7. The chairs are very worn and were recovered without cushions as in there needs to be a funky shaped octagon cut out of wood to staple padding to. We dont have the tools to do that. Right now, material is just stretched over the open space. Not really functional or comfortable :) We are renting and the dining room is tiny and wont fit anything bigger. I dont think. We are now eating on carpet. Im wondering how much space we would "gain" by moving the dining room table to the living room and switching things around....there may not be enough room for that and we really do LIVE in this room.


Here is our living room currently. The camera is ON a another wall, flanked in bookcases :) I dont know if I can squeeze anymore space out...

I think you can see in this picture how funky the legs are..You cannot add more chairs. Can you see how small the space is too? hmm....



I saw these at JCPenney.com:


HERE (I can add a leaf and seat 8..in theory) I wonder if I could add a bench for $60.00 too....

I dont normally buy new, but I'm having trouble finding anything used that would fit us on craigslit, the classifieds and yard sales. I fell in absolute LOVE with a table at a furniture store that will "let" me make payments for a year. I cant make payments. There just isnt enough to have "extra." There has to be an obvious design solution, right? Is there an online office furniture place that I could purchase a sturdy table from? Could I have my current chairs recovered by some great go getter for less than new? Can I get anything for under $800. Can I squeeze in a Jcpenney bench and buy my back injured hubby one good comfortable chair and pray for a new rental? Has anyone else dealt with this? What would/did you do?