Custom Dining Tables |The Right Details Matter
Years ago when living in New England we purchased a dining room table and chair set from a local furniture manufacturer. Not a custom shop, but a production shop. The set was solid maple and seemed to fit our needs nicely.
After living with the set at home for only a short time we noticed a few problems. We had purchased chairs with arm rests. Unfortunately, the arm rests were at the same height as the apron, or support rail, of the table. Thus, we couldn’t slide the chairs under the table, resulting in the diner being uncomfortably far away from the table. Eventually we had the arms cut off.
While we should have noticed this issue in the showroom, with two little rugrats in tow, we placed faith in the shop that they had designed things appropriately. Apparently not.
The other issue was where to place the extension leaves. This wasn’t so much a design flaw, but at the time we didn’t know about self-storing options or one-person slides, offered from top-tier companies such as German manufacturer Pöettker, GmbH.
In today’s world we often purchase from the internet, sight unseen. Much like we did when in an actual showroom, we assume designs have been fully worked out before production. But this isn’t always the case.
In many cases it takes experience to know what questions to ask. Ideally, purchasing furniture like a dining set doesn’t happen too often for an individual. That’s where the experience of a custom shop can be of benefit.
Great style may compromise function. Ask the right questions.
Will your chairs fit under the table top?
How easy, or not, is it to open an extension table?
While that base may look really cool, will you be banging your knees every night?
Or will the chairs hit the legs resulting in damage to both?
How difficult will it be to clean under the table?
The table looks great in the pictures, but will you even notice the base with chairs around it?
The proper relationship with a fine furniture artisan can challenge assumptions from both parties, resulting in a more elevated product. It’s a matter of not just asking questions, but asking the right questions. How do you want to live?