table design  

When did we start
making the world "child-safe" ? Are we going to arrive at a place where a child will grow to adulthood without ever breaking skin ? "Mom, what's this red stuff coming out of me ?"
How old is a 30-inch tall child -- four, five ? If they aren't walking in a straight line by then, you've got bigger problems. How do kids learn not to bump into things ? By bumping into things -- same way they learn not to fall.
The world has raised thousands of generations of children in an environment of square-edged furniture, up to now. I don't think Saarinen was thinking of the wee ones when he did his elliptical and round tables.
One way to get a space-saving, airy look is by cantilevering a table from a central pedestal -- a la Saarinen. You could make a panel base with a central panel running lengthwise, and four cross-panels extending out where they'd fall between seating positions. These could be plywood painted white. They would easily support a white-laminated top -- which (especially if you want a beveled edge) could be made at a cabinet shop.
If combining a beveled edge and curved corners, the edge won't be a laminate edgeband, but a routed and/or sanded wood edge, painted.
Four legs out at the corners of a 2/4" plywood panel won't support it without sagging in the middle. But the addition of a couple of 2x3s under the top will keep it straight. Be sure that the back of the panel gets laminated too, to minimize gross warping.

SDR, with all due respect
How I manage and protect my kid is a very personal thing. Do you have children? No offense meant, but if you did you would probably understand that questioning a parent in this manner is as inviting as religion or politics at a party.
He is walking a straight line, but 2 year old little boys are all kinetic energy and have accidents all the time. The proof is his missing front tooth! As it stands he constantly looks as if I toss him about carelessly. If I am designing something from scratch, wouldn't it make sense to hold that into consideration? Why not? I mean he is the most important thing to me period, so he is my every thought. Including design.
That being said, please offer your wisdom (as you have quite a bit). You're not usually one to derail a thread. Particularly one about actual design. DOn't you have anything constructive to offer (besides "constructive" criticism)?

I'm sorry, but
I stand by what I said. The combination of "the entitled generation" and "the faultless world" -- in combination with serious under-education -- is bringing on a very peculiar new type of citizen, I fear. I'm old enough to have seen the change. Did you grow up in a 'soft" world ? Ask your parents. Believe me, this is a new phenomenon . . . perhaps encouraged by a general sense of danger fostered by the restless "news" media.
Your reaction shows me that you're maybe a little conflicted about the matter yourself ? I apologize for upsetting you.

You are upsetting me
Mainly because you usually act very intelligently, and now you are derailing my thread and questioning my parenting. Basically you sound like an old, bitter fart who's unsettled by the changing times. I don't care that you used to walk 30 miles in the snow to get to school or had sharp corned tables. IT'S MY WORLD NOW (just kidding, of course)! Either way please stay on topic. Or start your own thread about dumb, young parents.
You guys also used to drink from different fountains than blacks and laid your children face down to sleep. Your age doesn't grant you magic wisdom or the right to question mine.
And remember the "entitled generation" was raised by YOUR generation.
Tables anyone?

You could make the argument that SDR sounded like an old fart
(just as he could accuse you of sounding like a young fart), but SDR's comment doesn't strike me as being off-topic, considering your stated needs, Whitespike.
Old fart maybe; off-topic thread derailer, no.

Really WHC?
So me asking very specific questions about table design (reread) and changing the topic to the "entitled generation" is not a topic derailer? I didn't not ask to have my mind changed to a sharp cornered table, or have it changed as to how I raise my kid. I know what I want. I am simply asking how to get it. And you are only feeding into it by defending the stance. If you cannot answer the questions asked specifically, I would respectfully ask that you start your own thread. I am actually looking for information here.
And no, my parents DID NOT change their decor to fit my carelessness. But they also raised me in a religious cult. To each his own. No one is perfect, and I doubt my son will become a timid recluse because he didn't gouge his noggin enough. Perhaps you gouged yours too much?
Anything not answering the questions is a derail. I do not wish to argue about this further. I am just looking for info. If you are kind enough to offer your wisdom on the subject, I am indebted and grateful. If not, please gracefully and respectfully move along to the next thread.

Design is about fulfilling requirements.
So how can design be discussed intelligently without discussing requirements? Apparently, SDR didn't consider requirement #3 too sacred a subject to talk about, but you do. Understood.

Honestly, spike...
A dining table shouldn't be such a worry safety wise. I don't think they're trying to be crass. A glass top coffee table is one thing. But you really needn't worry so about the dining slab.

Again
I'm not interested in changing my mind. Thanks.
And again. If you can't answer the original questions please refrain from commenting. This so far has been of no help to me.
I do not want a table with sharp corners. Period.Even regardless of the safety (non)issue. I just don't want that. It is not in the program. Kid or no kid. Thanks.

WHC
"So how can design be discussed intelligently without discussing requirements? "
It's like this. Pretend I am the client and you are the architect, which I am not I understand. Okay, so for WHATEVER reason I do not want two stories. You think it would better serve me. But I don't care. I don't want it regardless. It isn't your job to convince me. It's your job to build what I want.
If I do not want an item, regardless of why or how you feel about it, discussion about it is not intelligent. It's a waste of time because I am the buyer and the end user.
I never opened the discussion to discuss the validity of my requirement. I just asked about certain aspects to attain what I am looking for.
I hope that makes sense.
Now, can anyone answer anything above?
If not, Patrick and Alix, I am sorry for starting this train wreck. Feel more than free to delete this thread as it is of no use to me.

I'm not sure if I'm welcome to actually respond
since you seem to have strict ideas on correct vs incorrect subject matter, like I'd be further tainting your table thread.
It's just pixels on a screen, why can't opinions be expressed? Ignore what you want to ignore, respond to what you want to respond to. As for this thread's usefulness to you thus far-- you might just actually find it useful upon reflection.

Ok
I give up. Just keep talking about everything but my table. It's what I secretly wanted.
Believe, me you are MORE than welcome to respond to my actual questions. This thread should have been a simple thread based on the technicalities of building a table rather than the hidden social aspects behind my requirements for a table.

(self-deleted, upon reflection, due to unnecessary snarkiness)

Now that we're past
that -- I hope -- readers will find that I addressed whitespike's stated problems in my first post. Perhaps discussion could resume from that point ? Or not -- doesn't matter to me.