Modern stainless steel dining tables

A dining table of this type weighs 122 kg, and the number is at the beginning because it says more about the furniture than any description of its shape. An object of this weight doesn't go crazy casually.

Modern dining table: which length suits how many people

The first decision to make when it comes to a dining table is not the material or shape, but rather the length. It is the only size that cannot be corrected later. A table that has two seats too few is a reminder of this every evening with guests. A table that has two too many seats only reveals it to the room.

The rule of thumb is 60 cm of space per person on the long side. At 200 cm, three people sit on each side, six together, with eight at the two head ends. 250 cm gives eight to ten places, 300 cm up to twelve. The calculation works as long as the base frame leaves the ends free. If there is a leg or a cheek there, two places that were still there on the paper disappear.

The second dimension is depth. At 100 cm, two people sit opposite each other without their place settings occupying the middle: around 40 cm on each side, 20 cm remain free in the middle for bowls, carafe and bread. ZEN DINING TABLE and SATORI are cut to this size. SAMURAI is narrower at 80 cm and therefore fits into rooms where 100 cm would make the path too narrow.

The right depth depends less on the floor plan than on how you eat. If you cook for many people and leave serving bowls on the table, you need the centre. If you usually dine as a pair, an 80 cm top frees up movement space used every day and missed on only a few evenings. A table accommodates these habits; it does not change them.

What the weight reveals about a dining table

122kg feels different than 30kg, and the difference doesn't show when you look at it, but rather when you lean on it. The tabletop doesn't give way. The frame does not slide across the floor when someone supports themselves while standing up. A push against the edge will not cause the glass to tip over. SAMURAI weighs 87 kg on two legs, ZEN DINING TABLE and SATORI each weigh 122 kg. This mass is not a side effect of the shape, it is the reason why the table stands still.

A heavy dining table changes the relationship to its space. Light furniture is moved when guests arrive and moved back when they leave. A table weighing 122 kg does not invite any of this. He demands that his position be chosen correctly once, and rewards this care by never having to ask the question again.

This has two implications for delivery. Moving the table takes two people and a route wide enough for it; doorways, stairs and lifts should be considered before ordering, not afterwards. The floor also needs to suit the load. On parquet and vinyl, felt pads under the contact points cushion the surface; on carpet, the weight is distributed differently.

Once the table is aligned, it stands. Not for one season, but for the years when a dining room table becomes a permanent place in a household. Other furniture moves with the phases of life. This remains, and at some point it can no longer be said whether it has adapted to the household or the household has adapted to it.

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Round or rectangular tabletop

PYRAMID TABLE is the only round dining table in the range, and a round tabletop creates its own arrangement. There is no head of the table. Nobody has the prominent seat, nobody sits at an end, and conversation can travel across the surface rather than only to a neighbour. A round table gathers people; a rectangular one arranges them in rows.

The price for this is space. For six people, a round table needs noticeably more space than a rectangular one with the same number of seats, and the diameter cannot be increased arbitrarily. From about 140 cm onwards, the middle becomes inaccessible when sitting; it becomes a repository for things that no one touches anymore. What appears spacious on the floor plan is a bit distant at the table.

A rectangular table works well in narrow rooms and wherever it sits against a wall or in front of a window. Its length can increase without upsetting its proportions, and it accommodates a Bench in a way a round tabletop cannot. Three of the four models are therefore rectangular. Often, the room has made this decision before you consciously consider it.

If you are still undecided, mark the planned dimensions on the floor with masking tape and add chairs. Five minutes doing this reveal more than any description: the body decides, not the imagination. The table does not yet exist, but the space it will occupy is already there.

Designer dining tables: the four models in the range

ZEN DINING TABLE offers the greatest length: a seamless brushed stainless steel top, available in 200, 250 or 300 × 100 × 75 cm. The surface is one piece, without joints, extensions or seams to interrupt the light. Whatever stands on it occupies a single continuous plane.

SATORI shares its depth and height, comes in 200 and 250 cm lengths and places a generously proportioned top on a differently drawn base. Both weigh 122 kg. Choosing between them is a choice of base silhouette, not usable surface. Seen from above, they are siblings.

SAMURAI measures 200 × 80 × 75 cm, weighs 87 kg and is designed for up to eight people. The top rests on two sculptural legs which, viewed from the side, suggest it supports itself. The shallower depth suits rooms that cannot accommodate 100 cm and households that do not need it.

PYRAMID TABLE carries a round top on a pyramid-shaped base and is available in stainless steel or brass. Its standard dimensions are 124 × 124 × 75 cm. ZEN DINING TABLE is also available in brass. Four dining tables, four approaches to the same question: how much tabletop does an evening need, and how much base should remain visible beneath it?

Dining table with bench and chairs: what the base frame allows

Whether a bench fits under the top is not decided by the bench, but by the frame underneath. If it is far out, it blocks the spaces at the ends. If it is further in, the long sides remain free and the bench can be pushed completely under the table when no one is sitting on it. A base frame is therefore more than just a question of statics. It determines how people sit at this table.

A division has proven useful for the combination of table, bench and chairs: the bench on the wall side, the chairs on the open side. The bench remains a little shorter than the tabletop, otherwise it will protrude and the path around the table will be narrow. As a guideline, 10 cm of air per side is sufficient. Such small numbers determine whether a piece of furniture appears natural or gets in the way.

ZEN BENCH measures 200 × 35 × 45 cm and suits the 200 and 250 cm table models. TUKKON CHAIR is available as a chair, though more as an individual piece at the head than as four matching seats. There is no complete dining-chair range. That is a decision about what a workshop makes thoroughly and what it leaves to others.

A dining table with a bench also changes the way seats are counted. Three people move closer together on a bench than on three chairs, and on an evening with many guests there is room for someone who doesn't have a chair left. The table remains what it is. It's the seat that gives way.

Special dimensions and what needs to be clarified before delivery

The length is the most common special request for modern dining tables, and the room usually dictates it: a niche that is 230 cm long, a window axis on which the table should be centered, or a family sitting for ten people on Christmas Eve. Length, depth and desired height are enough for a drawing; the price follows from this. For very long panels, this requires a discussion about the material thickness because it has to grow with the span.

After approval, it takes five to six weeks until the table is in front of the house, and this time is used for production: the sheet metal is lasered, folded, welded and brushed by hand until the surface guides the light in even paths. Deliveries are made to the curb. From there begins the path into the house, where a dining table occasionally fails before it has ever stood.

The practical advice is therefore to measure the narrowest part of the transport path and compare it with the depth of the tabletop, not its length. Almost every table can handle the length, but some fail because of the depth. A landing, an apartment door, an elevator with a low cabin: such dimensions are a note before ordering and a problem afterwards.

In many households, next to the dining table there is a console sideboard, made of the same material and in the same language, only flatter and facing the wall. It takes over what the table is not supposed to carry. The table then remains what it was from the beginning: a surface to sit on and a weight that no longer moves.

Frequently asked questions

How high is a dining table?

The models are 75 cm high, measured to the top edge of the tabletop. This corresponds to the usual height in German furniture construction and fits chairs and benches with a seat height of 45 cm. A different height can be manufactured upon request.

Which length is enough for how many people?

Calculated with a space width of 60 cm per person: 200 cm results in six to eight spaces, 250 cm eight to ten, 300 cm up to twelve. The head ends only count if the base frame is not in the way.

Is there a round dining table that extends?

No. Pull-out mechanisms are not built because every moving connection is a weak point in the furniture. The round PYRAMID TABLE is instead manufactured in the desired diameter. If you want to remain flexible, combine a longer model with a bench that fits completely underneath.

How do I care for a stainless steel tabletop?

Warm water and a soft cloth are enough for everyday use, wiping in the direction of sanding. Red wine, lemon and vinegar do not leave any lasting marks on brushed stainless steel unless they sit overnight. Abrasive agents and steel wool should be avoided as they destroy the grinding pattern.

How high should a pendant light hang above a dining table?

The guideline is 60 to 70 cm between the table top and the lower edge of the lamp. Then the light doesn't blind anyone and the view over the table remains clear. From a length of 250 cm, a single light is rarely enough; two or three in a row seem quieter. Lights are not part of the range, but the question is still asked regularly. The following applies to the decoration on the dining table: On brushed stainless steel, a single object in the middle is sufficient because the tabletop absorbs the light anyway.

Can the tabletop handle hot pots?

Use a suitable coaster for hot pots and pans and follow the care instructions for the respective surface. Point heat can particularly change the patina of patinated brass surfaces.

Can I extend a table later?

No, the tabletop is one-piece and is produced in the length ordered. If more spaces are likely to be needed, it makes more sense to choose the next larger size. The difference between 200 and 250 cm is less noticeable in the room than most people expect.

How long does dining table delivery take?

Once approved, it will take five to six weeks before the table is delivered to the curb. This time is entirely dedicated to manufacturing: laser, bending bench, weld seam and hand sanding until the surface is finished.