Design extendable Tables: Best Brands and Price

ONLINE TABLES, A COMPLETE GUIDE

1. The table’s history
2. The table’s social function
3. How to organize a wedding
4. Outdoor tables
5. Indoor tables
6. Extending tables
7. Other types of tables
8. Building materials and style
9. A table for each room
10. Particular tables
11. Unexpected tables
12. How to choose a perfect table

THE TABLE’S HISTORYS

In order to tell and understand the history of the table, first of all it is necessary to understand its relevance in everyday life.

Even though it is nowadays regarded as an (obviously) indispensable piece of furniture, in the course of the centuries it hasn’t been always regarded as such.

Let’s start from the ancient times. It may seem unbelievable but the primitive men already thought it was necessary to provide themselves with a steady and comfortable horizontal supporting top, where they could put the food they had provided. Therefore what we should call a primitive table already appeared during the Stone Age, after the appearance of the first nuclear families, the ancestors of conjugal families.

Obviously this type of table didn’t have the same meaning it has today. However it is important to highlight how these men had thought of the table itself, together with hunting weapons and some bowls, as an indispensable means for their everyday necessities.

Also the nomadic tribes used to take tables with them during their movements. These were soft and able to be taken apart tables, so that they could have been transportable and if necessary, these tribes could have assembled them again.

Le prime testimonianze concrete sui tavoli, però, ci giungono dall’antica Grecia e, successivamente, dall’Impero Romano. In epoca greco-romana i tavoli non avevano ancora le tipiche quattro gambe, ma un unico piede centrale diviso in tre parti. Probabilmente questa caratteristica trova la sua origine nel tripode delfico, molto diffuso nell’antica Grecia.

However, the first concrete witnesses about tables come from the ancient Greece and then from the Roman Empire. At that time tables didn’t have their typical four legs yet, but only a unique central foot, which was divided into three parts. It may probably be the case that this feature dates back to the so-called delphic tripod,which was very popular in the ancient Greece.

Whereas, the classical rectangular tables with four legs were extremely common in Egypt and Babylon, where they began to spread thanks to the celebration of the first weddings.

These tables quickly spread during the Roman Empire, when people often used them to furnish rich people’s houses.

These table were usually achieved in an excellent way. Legs could be both separate and crossed. On them there were either human pictures or animal ones and they distinguished themselves thanks to their sublime processing.

The tops were even more prestigious: they were almost always either in wood or in marble and they were furnished with ivory and rare stones, but also with precious ones such as copper, silver and gold.

During the Renaissance, people begin to process and consider tables differently, since at that time also other classes start getting married.

In that period, tables belong to rich classes anymore, since they become an everyday object of all families. Until this moment the tables that “couldn’t be taken apart” were in the noble environments. Now everyone has got a solid table, with well processed tops and turned legs, being both an integral part of one’s own furniture and, as we will see later, of one’s own everyday life. But this doesn’t mean that ornamental tables disappear.

An excellent sample of a Renaissance table is Farnese table, achieved by Giacomo Barozzi from Vignola, which is on display in New York’s Metropolitan Museum of Art.

By the end of the Renaissance in Italy, in Rome arises a new cultural movement that influences music, literature, philosophy and art: the Baroque.

The forms and the imaginative themes of Baroque affect also furnishing and the furniture processing. These works are characterized by winding lines, which are never linear, and precious materials of any kind, such as stones and metals. Furthermore they show a strong fondness for golden decorations.

Obviously tables’ processing is affected by Baroque, too.

Cabinet makers don’t only make tables but they also specialize in achieving inlay works and very sophisticated decorations.

These don’t only concern tops, where marble, fake wood and even tortoise scales take over from depictions and inlay works. They also concern legs, that become spiral columns which are adorned with shells and acanthus leaves.

In the first half of the 18^th century a new ornamental style that is connected to the way of celebrating elegant weddings arises in France and then spreads in Europe:the Rococò.

This style eases the excesses and dimensions of Baroque and creates “softer” works. The interior designers make forms soft, trying to make them simple and well-proportioned. Comfort is prefered to opulence and luxury.

This behaviour makes tables softer and more functional, less pompous and more suitable for an everyday use. During this period the so-called writing desks appear for the first time.

As far as the neoclassical period (and style) is concerned, it takes place during the empire of Napoleon 1^st ; that’s why it has been called Empire Style. In this period each piece of furniture is decorated in a detailed way, with a fondness for flowers, leaves and garlands. People try and pay attention to symmetry, without neglecting elegance.

As far as tables and their function are concerned, during the second half of the 18^th century people create for the first time a room in their houses, which is suitable only for meetings and public relations: the living room. This increases the value of tables as a piece of furniture which can be flaunted towards friends and acquaintances.

Nowadays there isn’t a predominant style to furnish houses, because people think of the domestic room in terms of functionality rather than beauty. Rooms always become smaller and people only spend little time in them; that’s why furniture has to be practical, essential, rational, rather than being above all good-looking. This is the same for tables. Those who would like to buy a table look for one which could be extendable.

However there are many different thoughts and design schools. A new profession has arisen in the last decade that is the interior designer whose task is to furnish indoor spaces and help couples choose and arrange furniture. Furthermore the most important meeting occasion worldwide for those who are involved in furnishing and also for young couples who get married is Salone Internazionale del Mobile which was born in 1961.

THE TABLE’S SOCIAL FUNCTION: SYMBOLIC ELEMENTS

Today, according to the modern collective imagination, tables are seen as an indispensable object of everyday life. As far as they are concerned, people often forget the symbolic associations that can be linked to them.

In the course of centuries, as we have already seen, tables have changed from being “able to be taken apart”, almost being of hindrance to “being an unavoidable piece of furniture”. They have also changed according to the social models with regard to the way of celebrating weddings. This has happened because of the awareness that meals are for families meeting and dialogue occasions, they aren’t just a physiological need to satisfy. In most cases, there is only one moment for nuclear families during the day (for the luckiest ones two) to spend with each other: dinner time. Therefore this moment becomes a unique occasion to share ideas, opinions, happenings of the day, problems and joy.

Let’s talk about the disposition of tables within houses. The kitchen table reflects the just mentioned function, so a familiar, intimate and secluded one, whereas the function of a dining or living room’s table is completely different. This table has merged its function with that of the fireplace and even substituted it within the married life. Indeed, from the beginning of the 15^th century, it becomes the house’s social centre where people meet to speak with each other, to accommodate, to improve their own social reputation. Since modern houses are smaller and kitchen and living room are often “joined”, this way of thinking lacks in modern culture. Therefore the table has to be suitable for any occasion, versatile and functional.

From the sociological point of view, its implications are due to its shape.

If you had to draw a table, like an elementary school’s child, you’d surely represent it with rectangular shape and four legs and as perfectly geometric.

This is an example that contributes to highlight a cliché that is that of the rectangular table, which has never been abandoned. Even though the modern designers try and achieve imaginative works, we still consider the rectangular shape as the most suitable for any table.

This idea is due to the need of giving an adequate importance to the disposition of fellow diners. That’s why the disposition of the seats is strictly linked to the shape.

If we think of the classical conjugal family’s members, since antiquity, it was the founder that is the eldest man of the family who had to seat at head of the table. So we are dealing with roles. In that position the founder can look at all the other fellow diners without turning. On the contrary he can make them turn when he decides to express his opinions and give advice. The attention the others pay to him is great and complete.

In the past the noble families were in the habit of making husband and wife seat at the two opposite heads of the table and the guests had to seat on the long sides of it. It was the same for children. This conveyed a sense of control, stateliness and supervision on the table, no matter how long it was.

In the long run thanks to the shifts in social conditions people start designing tables with more democraticshapes: square or round.

You don’t have to forget the educational function that a table has. As a child it surely happened to you to have heard others saying: “you don’t have to stand up before finishing the meal”, “keep still” or “don’t eat with the hands”.

Obviously these advice are educational and are strictly connected to the historical epoch and the dominant social model. However, what doesn’t change is the parents’ desire to take advantage of this moment to convey values to their children. 

The table is no longer a simple piece of furniture.

Un legame molto solido è quello tra tavolo e religione. Basti pensare al simbolismo e alla funzione che un tavolo particolare come l’altare riveste in molte fra le più importanti religioni. Utilizzato soprattutto per la celebrazione di riti come il matrimonio, l’altare è anche simbolo di purificazione e sacrificio. Spesso, nell’antichità, gli altari sono stati impiegati non solo per l’offerta di doni, ma anche per il sacrificio di animali ed esseri umani.

A strong bond exists between table and religion. This becomes clear if we think of symbolism and above all of the function that a particular table that is the altar has in many religions. It is used above all to celebrate cerimonies such as the wedding but it also represents purification and sacrifice. During antiquity, it has been often used not only to offer gifts, but also to sacrifice animals and human beings.

Since we are investigating the relationship between table and religion, we can’t avoid mentioning the most famous historical dinner, that was achieved by the genius Leonardo da Vinci. In his Last Dinner,on display at the Refectory of the Monastery of Santa Maria delle Grazie in Milan, there is an excellent mixture between religious aspects and sociological ones. Thus, Jesus rather than being represented at the head of table is at the centre of the scene, although he is the guidance of the twelve apostles; this could have a double meaning: on the one hand it underlines Christ’s central role, on the other hand he hasn’t a privileged position but the same one of his fellow diners.

Furthermore, every single day we hear metaphors about tables and their symbolic associations: a negotiating table, a round table, a conference table, a political table; to beat one’s own fists on the table, to organize a round table etc. Each of these has a common feature that is the idea of the table as a symbolic place to compare oneself with each other, to discuss, to talk, to assert one’s rights, to quarrel. In other words it functions as a real social life’s centre.

That’s why the table stops from being simply a piece of furniture.

HOW TO ORGANIZE A WEDDING

If you are looking for a perfect table for your living room or your kitchen, probably you have been also choosing sofas, wardrobes, chairs and other pieces of furniture. Perhaps you have been organizing your wedding, too. About 80% of those who are furnishing their houses is also preparing wedding. People who are about to get married ask themselves about how to choose the perfect table with regard to style, shape and materials.

That’s why it is important to keep things separate because you may feel stressed out. Both choices concerning wedding such as the photos’ location, the restaurant for the ceremony, and above all the wedding dress and those concerningfurnishing may last many months.

How to not get mad then? Simply extending time to organize the ceremony because the main problem in these cases is without a doubt the available time to do everything. How long does it take to organize weddings? On average it takes one year in South Italy and 6 months in Central-Northern Italy. Indeed it seems that in the South it takes more timefor young couples because of the bigger amount of guests and many details linked to music and entertainment, which are less requested in the North.

How to organize a wedding in three months

The solution to extend time to prepare the wedding may be surely useful to handle the wedding and also furnishing.  However, time is money and sometimes you are obliged to do everything in little time above all because of an unexpected pregnancy (surely welcomed) or due to a job move. Thus, in this case, you don’t have to choose furniture, because at least for the first period, you’d probably opt for already furnished flats.

Let’s imagine the heaviest situation:

You have just found your dream home and together with your future wife you have decided to rent it since you don’t have enough money to buy one. In 30 days that is from when you sign the lease to when you start paying rent you should paint, remodel your house a bit and move. It all becomes hard if you can’t move because you haven’t bought furniture yet; it becomes even harder if you are also completing the wedding’s preparations … and last but not least, your partner is pregnant and about to get mad, so you don’t know how the handle the whole situation.

Fortunately there is a solution for everything, so try and start the organization on time, decrease the amount of guests and look for a restaurant that looks after the aspects connected to the wedding cake, music, tables’ ornaments and their disposition during the wedding dinner. When you have got rid of these thoughts, you can focus on how to choose the table for your new living room, even in little time.

OUTDOOR TABLES

The perfect disposition for a table

If you want to buy an outdoor table you are at the right place.

There are many different proposals to buy tables online, so you need to bear in mind the features to take into consideration before going on.

First of all you should think of where to put your table. This is a very important choice because, both if you put in on a terrace and in a big garden, this decision influences two important factors: exposure to inclement weather and available space. It is worthless saying that it affects also building materials and the table’s dimensions. But let’s go on step by step. We were dealing with the perfect position for an outdoor table.

Even if it may sound expected, the best position is that depending on your needs and your possibilities.  To be clearer an outdoor table needs more protection and maintenance than an indoor one. Exposure to sun, rain, and smog (if you live in a congested place) contribute to dirty and faster ruin materials. Consequently if you have got a protected space from inclement weather, that’s where you should put your table.

Obviously you may offer it shelter with temporary covers, such as a marquee, just to ease these negative effects.

On the contrary, if you love sun and you want to enjoy the hot summer days, don’t get worried, following our tips and working a bit, you’ll be able to keep your garden table safe.

As far as the choice is concerned, the available space is important, too. Bear in mind that the outdoor tables may vary from the small folding table, to the big one, suitable for the living room with armchairs included. Also in this case you should consider your house’s possibilities and the requirements to satisfy. Would you put your table on the terrace, on a small balcony or in the garden? Or, why not, next to the swimming pool? What is the table for? For your romantic dinners before the wedding, under the starlight or is it just a simple holding top for your aperitifs? Do you have dinner only with your family or do you often accommodate your friends?

Here are some examples of completely different solutions.

1. A short, small coffee table, with charming design. It adds style to your garden’s furniture.
2. A simple and practical extendable table, suitable for any occasion, but also a crush-resistant and functional one.
3. A small table, with a sofa and two armchairs, an elegant garden set of good quality is made up of.

If you’d like something for any occasion, remember that there are excellent compromises that allow to choose a table as such.

Among these alternatives there are also the polyethylene tables which are worthtaking into consideration. So let’s analyze the building material, perhaps the most important feature to consider when you have to choose a table.

Which is then the perfect material for an outdoor table?

The polyethylene tables have the advantage of being cheap, soft, able to be taken apart, so they can be used when necessary. Moreover they can be achieved in resin or polyurethane. Resin is a more resistant material whereas polyurethane is cheaper and softer.

Polyethylene tables are not only less expensive since they allow several solutions. Indeed you can choose among small and square, big and rectangular, fixed, extendable, with folding legs or able to be taken apart tables. Then there are also those with decorated top that join practicality and style.

It should be taken also the possibility to choose one with a hole for a beach umbrella into account. For example, this option can be good for those who have got a swimming pool or for those who’d like to enjoy sun without giving fresh air up during rush-hours.

Maintenance is another advantage of this kind of tables. They can be washed with no difficulties both with water and with cleansers (just avoid the strongest ones). They can be taken apart and folded during winter.

A widespread material for outdoor tables is rattan. This material is extremely soft, stable and elegant. Rattan tables often have a glass top, which gives them aesthetic prestige and eases difficulties in cleaning them. Indeed, rattan easily gets dusty, because of its twines. So it should be sometimes cleaned through compressed air that allows in depth cleaning.

Then there are several kinds of metal tables. In particular, the most common ones are those in aluminum, in steel, in wrought iron. Metal is dependable, resistant and long-lasting. Moreover, wrought iron is good-looking and thanks to its vintage style it is perfect as a sweet table for a shabby chic wedding. Since they are outdoor tables, you don’t have to forget that inclement weather (above all rain) can damage them. Indeed, it may happen that in the long run these tables could show oxidation. Furthermore, a metal table is heavy and uncomfortable if you want to move it somewhere else.

The most appreciated and widespread material for outdoor tables is, with no doubt, wood. Wooden tables are not only resistant and elegant but also versatile and manageable. They are available in several dimensions and shapes and they can be either fixed or extendable. Therefore they adapt themselves to any occasion such as to an outdoor country wedding. Wooden table’s prices vary depending from quality and chosen wood (there can be hybrid options, for example with wood and aluminum) and from the processing way, too.

Teak wood is perfect for garden tables because of its resistance and duration.

But maintenance is its sore point. Great attention and care must be paid when dealing with these tables.

In order to preserve their resistance and sparkle, maintenance has to be done at least once a year.

If your table is too damaged or faded, then you’ll have fewer possibilities to bring it back to its natural sparkle.

It doesn’t take a lot of time, just commitment and a bit of patience.

First of all, the table has to be accurately washed, using a neutral cleanserand a brush to remove impurities. If there were more persistent encrustations, you could remove them through abrasive paper, or, in worst cases, through a sander.

Once it is dry, you should make use of oils,one of them to protect the table and the other one to make it shine. If you have got a teak wooden table, don’t forget to choose a specific oil, since teak is an exotic wood, which is more compact and resistant. That’s why a general oil couldn’t be adequately absorbed.

A little tip to follow is to let the table dry for some days in a protected place, in order to avoid that insects and dirt may deposit on it. Indeed this would damage your maintenance.

Among outdoor tables we can mention camping tables, too. These are extremely soft and folding so that they can be easily moved and occupy little space. Among the most interesting models those suitcase-shaped ones are worth mentioning and they also include small stools.

INDOOR TABLES

If the choice of an outdoor table was hard, that of an indoor table is even harder.

We don’t want to make you worried, but simply help you, so that your choice would be aware, satisfying and long-lasting, like a wedding. So let’s start analyzing in details the technical features of tables, so that we can later take the possible solutions for each room into consideration.

Shape and dimensions of a table

In the previous paragraphs we have dealt with shape, above all from a sociological point of view. Let’s see the most common shapes with reference to practicality, amount of fellow diners and occupied space.

The preferred shape is with no doubt the rectangular one, because it can be made up of more seats and it is suitable for all domestic uses.

A rectangular closed or fixed (without taking extensions into account) table’s dimensions can vary a lot: lengthcan range from 70 to 140-150 cm, while width is about 70-80 cm; height is between 65 and 75 cm. As far as some models are concerned, height can be alsoadjustable.

A rectangular table is ideal for rooms with lengthened shape, but it can be also put in other kinds of rooms with some compromises. Moreover, it is perfect for those who want to enlarge the family after the wedding.

For instance, the rectangular shape is the one that adapts itself better to adherence to a wall or a piece of furniture. In such cases, it is better leaving the long sides free because the available seats are more numerous.  This is how you can benefit from the table’s extension without problems, unless it obliges you to extract the central extension cable, too.

A nice sample of rectangular table is the classical and elegant Tokio, achieved by Calligaris, such as Logan table by Bontempi or the nice extendable table.

Let’s talk about the square table. This is the perfect solution in case of big rooms to avoid that the table itself would be in background and “disperse”.

In order to be clearer, you should know that a square table of 140×140 cm, for 8 persons, needs a surrounding space of at least 260×260 cm; even though it could be given more value in a bigger room.

The smallest dimensions of a square table suitable for two persons (for instances two young spouses) are about 65-70 cm. Those between 70 and 90 cm are ideal for three or four people.

If you have got little space but you decide to buy a square table, you should put it with a 45° angle towards the wall and not in parallel to it. That’s how you can use and move chairs in the best way.

Here is a square table belonging to Calligaris’ “La Locanda” set, available in two different versions: with central column and with four legs.

A table with no positioning problems towards the wall is the one with rounded shape. A round table gives the possibility, as a square one, to socialize.

It is similar to a square table also because of its necessary positioning dimensions. Indeed a round table tends to be featureless and insignificant if it isn’t put in a big enough room.

It has more seats available, thanks to the lack of corners. So the ideal dimensions could be the following ones: 55-60 cm for two persons, from 70 to 90 cm for four persons, about 110 cm for five, at least 125 for six and so on.

For instance, Casprini table, with a diameter of 140 cm, could have 8-9 seats available.

A middle way between a square table and a round one is represented by the oval or elliptical table. Dimensions and positioning are similar to those of the rectangular shape, but the seats’ disposition revokes the round table.

Bontempi’s Barone table represents the mixture between oval and round. Indeed this is a round table that becomes oval when extended.

Last but not least, if you have got a particular room with no well-defined shape and small in size, you could provide yourself with molded tables, that are tables with irregular shape, able to satisfy more demanding people, both in terms of design and in terms of needs. The molded table is suitable above all for modern environments, chosen by young just married couples. Molded tables usually lack of extensions. The Butterfly model by Tonin Casa is in this regard very particular.

However, you shouldn’t forget to add to the mentioned dimensions the space that seats occupy. Seats occupy about 30 cm but when you sit down this measure has to be doubled.

Of course these dimensions are the same for all kinds of tables, even if, as we have seen, some tables need more surrounding space beyond that for the seat.

EXTENDING TABLES

When we deal with tables, everyone thinks of only two varieties: fixed and extendable. Instead there are some others, each of which able to satisfy any kind of need, including the unimaginable ones.

Probably fixed tables don’t need any further detailed explanations.

Beyond the countless design forms (there are tables for all tastes), we are sure that there’s nothing more to add to your knowledge about them.

Throughout this guide, we will focus our attention on extendable tables, above all on extensions. They concern both the top and also legs, that can be movable.

Until some decades ago, the more widespread mechanism for extendable tables were the so-called sideextensions. These could be both symmetrical, that is extractable from the two extremities of the table, and also asymmetrical, that is extractable from just one side of the table.

In the course of the years this system has been put aside because extended parts were more fragile. They were indeed suspended. However, some models are still achieved in this way and they have got supports to make them resistant. Here is an example of symmetrical extension by Bonaldo, and another one of asymmetrical extension.

A very practical and easy to handle system is the sliding one. In this case the table is made up of two overlapping tops, that can slide one on another and double the original length. The limit of the sliding extension is that it doesn’t have intermediate measurements. The table can be either completely open or completely closed.

The hinged opening is very popular above all in tables with classical design and among couples of spouses of the ‘80s. This kind of table doubles its length by opening like a book’s page. A side hinge fixes the two overlapping tops, while the lower one rotates on the underlying structure.

Recently a new innovative system has been spreading and it has the advantage of being operated also by just one person. We are talking about telescopic opening. This is adopted in oval or elliptical tables and in this case extensions are extracted by a lever which is under the table and activates semi-automatic mechanisms. An example is Giro table by Bontempi.

OTHER TYPES OF TABLES

There are, of course, other types of tables, that are very different from the most traditional ones we have seen until now.

Console tables’ shape is usually narrow, long and rectangular. They typically lean on the wall and they are used as supporting tops, thanks to their moderate dimensions and the little space they occupy. Sometimes console tables are provided with a mirror that leans on the same wall but in a central position with regard to the table.

This kind of table is used above all to furnish the entrance. Usually this part of the house is in background when people make the first decisions about furniture. On the contrary, it should be paid more attention to it taking the fact into account that this will be the first environment the spouses will see as they enter home after the wedding.

The advantage of a console is its possibility to be extended and transformed into a real table. The extendable console tables are always more appreciated and sold since they are versatile, comfortable and they save space.

The most advanced models are even 200-300 cm long but, however, they aren’t bulky. New Mistery by Calligaris demonstrates this with a length that ranges from 49 to 200 cm.

Modern houses tend to be always smaller; that’s why it is useful to take a wall table into consideration. It is perfect for couples of metropolitan spouses, because it allows to save space, above all when they don’t need to use it. The Swedish multinational corporation Ikea shows some innovative solutions; to get a clearer idea of it, it is enough to take a look at the Bjursta table.

Stackable tables,which are usually square,can be chosen by those who have got a storage where they can put objects and bring them when necessary. A sample of square stackable table is Drop Infiniti Design table. Its softness and the little space it occupies make it an attractive piece of furniture. Furthermore, stackable tables are extremely comfortable and versatile so they are perfect for those who love organizing parties in the garden such as bachelorette parties before the wedding.

Last but not least another type of tables, that is convertible tables,needs to be mentioned. If you look for a versatile table, which is also suitable for any occasion, here is what you need: the good-looking Ugo table, which has the comforts and the advantages of a short small table and of an extendable square one.

BUILDING MATERIALS AND STYLE

Two inseparable features of a table are its building material and its style.

Through this guide you have started to learn and appreciate the building materials of outdoors tables. Now let’s try and focus our attention on how indoor tables are built.

Also in this case the material par excellence is wood. Wooden tables are the most widespread ones worldwide and they are the ones more frequently bought, although the available alternatives are always more.

Before being worked, wood needs to undergo the seasoning procedure, that is useful in order to remove its intrinsic humidity. Then the best parts of its trunks are selected, and that’s what  more frequently happens with solid wooden tables. In this case the central part is the one preferred, because of its greater hardness and resistance while the exterior ones are rejected.

We can’t talk about wood in general, we need to make a distinction among the several employed kinds of wood.

For instance, walnut is suitable for solid wooden achievements because it is a very hard kind of wood. Moreover, its dark colour makes it appropriate both forclassical and vintage styles and for veneers.

As far as veneers are concerned, there is another material that can be employed that is maple,which has got clearer and narrower grains than those of walnut. Ashis characterized by light colours, too; it is employed above all for rustic tables.

Among light colours pine and beech are worthy of note. Both of them have shades between beige and cream-colour. Beech is often used to build chairs.

On the contrary, mahogany is a kind of woodthat has dark colours(among brown and red) and it is used to build shabby chic tables, a very popular style for trendy weddings. While cherry with its red colour is used for modern, contemporary furniture.

Since we are dealing with modern furniture we can’t avoid talking about new materials. For instance two appreciated materials for modern style are steel and aluminium.

Metal is usually employed to build the tables’ supports, such as legs, the central column and other particular elements. It is rarely chosen for the upholstery of the top because it is subject to scratches and this makes it seem industrial. The perfect materials’ combination for a modern table is the mixture between metal legs andwooden,  glass, crystal or polyethylene top.

In this case the result is an aesthetically agreeable effect. Moreover, it is possible to choose among several colours and creative ideas, without forgetting the advantages in terms of resistance, hardness and cheap costs. Among the more used synthetic materials we mention laminated plastic, an abrasion resistant paper obtained through resins’ hot compression; polypropylene, polyethylene, polycarbonate, that often replaces glass, and melanin that can be easily moulded.

Among evergreen, with regard to the tops, there is the mixture between glass and crystal. These materials are the second preferred ones for those who buy a table.

Glass and crystal make tables elegant and shiny , thanks to transparencies that reflect both sunrays and artificial lights.

The cons of these materials are their fragility and softness. A glass table is easily subject to breakings due to its lack of elasticity, little resistance to temperature leans and to impacts.

To ease these problems, glass undergoes more or less sophisticated processes. The most common process is the one whose result is tempered glass, that is stronger.

But if you are organizing your wedding, you should remember that the more detailed processes are, the more expensive they are. If you want to buy a table with glass top, think of the place you want to put it in and of its use, too. For instance, it isn’t recommendable to put it in a bedroom or in rooms where there are children.

On the contrary, the most resistant materials for tops are natural stones such as granite and marble. These tops are very good-looking in terms of colours, shades and elegance, but they also have disadvantages: first of all the heavy weight, that make any move difficult, then the fact they don’t have extensions and in the end they are very expensive. Recently similar solutions to the natural stones have been proposed in order to maintain their advantages but being cheaper.

A TABLE FOR EACH ROOM

Since the beginning of this guide we have been repeating that modern houses tend to always become smaller in the course of the years. However, this paragraph doesn’t have to seem to you a bit of stretch.

Indeed, the term table doesn’t have to be necessarily linked to the piece of furniture which is in kitchens or living rooms. There are also tables with different features, dimensions and functions, which are appropriate for several domestic environments.

We believe (and we hope, too) that we have clarified your ideas and we have given you enough information for the choice of the future table of your living room or of your kitchen. If it isn’t the case, we inform you that at the bottom of the page there are other useful suggestions. (link at the last paragraph)

Now let’s try to do a panning shot of all other tables that we can find in a house.

Let’s start with the small living room tables.

These tables are small and they are usually put between sofas. They are necessary to set cups, biscuit tins, ashtrays or anything useful down, while we are comfortably sitting. The living room is, indeed, a place where it is possible both to relax with the partner and to spend convivial moments with friends. It is where you can read a book or watch TV, too. In such cases you surely have something to put on a foothold. So it is necessary for the table to be quite as high as the sofa.

However, it would be ungenerous to consider the small living room tables from the practical and functional point of view, without taking their important aesthetic role into consideration.

If they are well matched and coordinated with the table and the sofas, they perfectly conform to furniture, adding an agreeable touch of class to the room.

When the room is small, you should choose between an oval or round model, such as this Space small table Tonin Casa. There are also both very bizarre and creative solutions (Sirio small table Tomasucci) and more essential and simple ones (Igloo small table Bontempi).

A kind of table which is rarely taken into account is the small bath table and it may be due to the fact that it isn’t regarded as indispensable. Indeed, this accessory doesn’t suit the small bathrooms. But, sometimes, it would give interesting suggestions if the room was big enough. Let’s think of a useful foothold for magazines and books which are usually in any bathroom. However, a small table, or a bath stool, can be very comfortable when there’s an old person or a handicapped in a family. This is possible above all when after the wedding you decide to live for a while with your parents or your parents-in-law. Obviously in this case we are referring to a small, short table with minimal design.

If you are a lazy person and you wouldn’t get out of your soft bed in the morning, don’t worry, what you need is a small bedroom table, also known as bedroom tray. It is appreciated a lot by young couples who love having a romantic breakfast after having got married. These small tables are made up of a top and two comfortable side supports, which allow to use them even if you are still sitting. They are perfect for the bed and they can be used when you want to eat sitting on the sofa while you are watching TV, too. Here is a very simple model by Ikea, Serving Tray Breakfast.

There’s also a version named computer table, or notebook table. It differs from the small bedroom table because it is usually provided with a compartment for the mouse mat and sometimes a pencil case.

At last another kind of table to take into account is the writing desk, even if it is disused. It is suitable for wide spaces and classical furniture. It is usually put in offices or dining rooms and it keeps its style and an everlasting elegance, though it has lost its main function.

PARTICULAR TABLES

Many years ago there was an only table, the classical one. We have already shown you in the previous paragraph some of the small tables with very particular features. Though the more unusual elements concern the appearance, there are tables with unique features from other points of view.

Tables built with pallets or barrels have a particular style and are very appreciated by those who choose to organize an eco-friendly wedding. A lot of people retrieve pallets in order to use them again to build tables and matched stools. Small wheels, superior glasses and legs can be added to these tables. The only limit you have to consider if you like the “do-it-yourself” is your creativity.

Tables with small wheels are widespread. They are easy to be moved, but it doesn’t mean you have to give beauty up. This Bontempi table, for instance, has both features. Instead, Calligaris has created the Blitz series, provided with only two small wheels but folding, with the function of saving space and increasing versatility.

Tables with containers can be either smaller, suitable for the living room or bigger. Sometimes the container has an expository function and it is covered by glass. In other cases, instead, it is necessary to increase the table’s practicality and the occasions to use it. There are two models that reflect this description that are Botero table by Mogg and Norden table by Ikea.

Maryd table is another product of Ikea. This tray table is 58 cm high and it can be used in several ways. It may work as an “extension” when you need more space on the table or when you have to serve tea to the guests and move it to the living room.

Similar to this table, even though it is a bit shorter, about 43 cm high, is this Tiffany table. It is suitable to living rooms but it may become a bedroom table thanks to its tray and handles.

Another kind of tables which is very popular during the last few years is that of bright tables. They are particularly appreciated by the owners of public places such bars or pubs, and they well suit the necessities of those who have chosen an extravagant wedding and modern furniture for their house. They are provided with aninner led light whose function is to create a pleasant atmosphere and to make them unique, too. Here are some samples of them: Aura small table by bonaldo,Tunisi lightable by Modum, Icekub Lightable by Kloris.

UNEXPECTED TABLES

Though they can’t be classified as pieces of furniture, a complete guide on tables can’t avoid referring to some tables whose functions are extremely specific.

First among everything game tables.

Game tables par excellence are the pool table and the ping pong table. So, we are dealing with tables who are indispensable to practice some well known and important sports. There are also hybrid versions, a bit borderline, for those who occasionally play. These haven’t got regular dimensions but they are perfect for those who want to have fun in a recreational way.

Surely you already know how to install a temporary ping pong set on any rectangular table. But you may not know the convertible pool table, that through the addition of a top can become a common dining table.

Among game tables there’s also the poker table that is usually oval and its main feature is the upholstery with a green fabric that improves the dispositions of cards and chips. This table has got a movable folding version and historically speaking it is the cause of conjugal quarrels.

As far as the drawing table is concerned, it isn’t appropriate for having fun but it is perfect to work on.

It is present in schools, universities, architects and engineers’ offices. This table has a reclinable top where there are sliding rulers, which are indispensable for those who have to make drawings to plan buildings.

At last, the worktable, which is also known as workbench, is worth mentioning.

This has to be very strong because of his function as a supporting top where to work on or put tools down without being particularly accurate. In order to make it strong and resistant, these tables’ legs and tops are usually in metal. Sometimes the top can be very thick (until to 10 cm) and of wood.

HOW TO CHOOSE A PERFECT TABLE. USEFUL SUGGESTIONS

Now that you know everything about tables, you can choose your next table in a clearer way.

We will make a brief summary (with the addition of some other extra tips) of all the elements that are worth considering in order to make an appropriate decision, both if you want to buy in an online shop and if you want to go to a sales outlet.

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• The first question to ask yourself is: Do I need an outdoor table, an indoor one or a versatile one that I can use in several occasions? An outdoor table can be either fixed, movable, folding or stackable. This is the same for an indoor table, but in such case you must know in which room to put it. A kitchen table is different from a dining one and from a small living room one. If you are doubtful, take a look at all the kinds we have shown you.
• The second thing to take into consideration are the shapes. Shapes and not shape, because we aren’t only referring to the table’s shape. Of course this is important, but the room’s shape and the space’s one where you put the table (Do you remember molded tables?) also are.
• Then, we take dimensions into account and the same above mentioned discourse suits them. A disproportionate table doesn’t allow fellow diners to move and to feel lost in a too big room. So, another question arises: how many persons have to sit at the table? The answer influences the choice between a fixed tableand an extendable one (but with which kind of extension?)
• Now let’s focus our attention on the building material’s choice. There are many alternatives for so many amazing tables. In order not to make superficial mistakes and buy a product that “is out of tune” with your house, you have to take your furniture (or the furniture you are going to choose) into consideration. If you want to furnish your house with style, there must be harmony among the pieces of furniture.  A careful person should also consider the right combination of table and floor. If the house you have just rented after the wedding has brickwork floor, a modern table may not be ideal.
• Another important thing is the focal point of the room, around which the pieces of furniture will be put. A good focal point may be the fireplace, the TV or a visible panorama.
• There isn’t a table without chairs. The combination of table and chairs is really important. Although you may be creative, you always have to make decisions with style, considering the house’s furniture. There aren’t any rules that oblige you to choose a kind of chairs rather than another one, but in most cases people opt for chairs which are all different and are combined with a unique table. According to the common sense, you aren’t supposed to choose a vintage wooden bench for a crystal table. For instance, another combination to avoid is that between steel or leather chairs and a shabby chic table.
• We want to devote ourselves to a final reflection upon table linen that is included in the famoustrousseau, sowe are talking about tablecloths and napkins. If possible,don’t leave accessories to chance. The table has got specific shape and dimensions, as a consequence you have buy tablecloths that suit these features. Other solutions may make the style and beauty of your new good-looking table impoverished!

• The first question to ask yourself is: Do I need an outdoor table, an indoor one or a versatile one that I can use in several occasions? An outdoor table can be either fixed, movable, folding or stackable. This is the same for an indoor table, but in such case you must know in which room to put it. A kitchen table is different from a dining one and from a small living room one. If you are doubtful, take a look at all the kinds we have shown you.

• Then, we take dimensions into account and the same above mentioned discourse suits them. A disproportionate table doesn’t allow fellow diners to move and to feel lost in a too big room. So, another question arises: how many persons have to sit at the table? The answer influences the choice between a fixed tableand an extendable one (but with which kind of extension?)

• Now let’s focus our attention on the building material’s choice. There are many alternatives for so many amazing tables. In order not to make superficial mistakes and buy a product that “is out of tune” with your house, you have to take your furniture (or the furniture you are going to choose) into consideration. If you want to furnish your house with style, there must be harmony among the pieces of furniture.  A careful person should also consider the right combination of table and floor. If the house you have just rented after the wedding has brickwork floor, a modern table may not be ideal.

The table is no longer a simple piece of furniture.