Because I'm a geek...

I taped the footprint of the tables I've been vacillating between on my floor: the 48" round Tulip and a rectangular table that I'll call Ikea's Melltorp as a proxy - this would be my super-cheap alternative:
And I keep coming back to the Tulip because I have enough long rectangles as it is with my island in the kitchen, the 3 Malms and bookcases I've got flanking either side of the table, and the rectangular coffee table I plan to put in the living area....so, round it is.

Which got me thinking about cheaper alternatives for the round table. While there are many glass top options out there, I'm against seeing people's feet when I eat so that's out. Ikea's knock-off Docksta would have been ideal, except at 41", it's not big enough to seat 6, and I really want to seat 6. Plus I'm rather partial to a white table top...so should I pull the trigger on the marble top???? UGH. Why does it have to be so expensive?