The Rise Of The Industrial Style Dining Table.

What exactly is an industrial style dining table?

Like many titles given to products in the market place the term industrial style dining table doesn’t actually make any real sense. Industrial is clearly just a reference to machinery which was generally made out of cast iron or steel. The slightly lazy term ‘industrial style’ is therefore seemingly used a lot these days when something is simply either made out of metal or has metal and wooden parts. People or companies who make scaffolding board dining tables often refer to their dining tables as industrial style when in actual fact a dining table that was made during the industrial era would more than likely be made from high end oak and other hardwoods for the middle and upper classes and from pine for the working class, but most importantly the table was more than likely made from solid wood throughout. Some companies these days will make one off dining tables from actual machine bases made from cast iron and they will make a wooden top or concrete top to make it into a table, often the original cast iron bases will have the name of the machinery company still on there in the original paint job for authenticity, these are actually antique pieces in their own right without being turned into a dining table, once complete these one offs are generally sold for huge figures. The majority however are cast iron replicas from India or China that have been made specifically to be turned into an industrial style dining table. Either way, it’s unimportant whether the term has any real connection to the words other than the fact that we all seem to know roughly what to expect when someone says industrial style dining table. Its going to have a metal base usually of some sort, new or old or imported and it will more than likely have a wooden dining table top. Factual or not it doesn’t really matter. The main thing is that we do our research when thinking of purchasing anything for our homes, and check the quality of manufacture and potentially even the origin of production.

What are the strongest dining tables?

Just because something is made from something perceived to be strong doesn’t really mean it’s going to be strong. Like all good design, the most unlikely material can be turned into something strong and on the contrary, the strongest material can be used badly and turned into something weak. The overriding factors should be design and manufacture. The X base dining table is a perfect example. The design is great as the triangulation is extremely strong geometrically speaking provided the welding of the joints is done with skill and care. Basically the entire design relies on this welding/fabricating being done properly. The design itself from a structural point of view is great but the design is also beneficial for the customer who firstly wants a dining table design that allows space under the table to sit chairs all the way around without getting table legs in the way of chairs. Secondly it is also very open and free from visual obstruction underneath the table creating a more modern, spacious and airy interior. In short, any table can be strong if made with skill and understanding of the materials being used. The devil is in the detail as they say so look out for clean solid welding/fabrication with good powder coating or finishing and a good quality timber top.

Dining Table Fashions And Styles?

In modern day life we have become quite accustom to choice. Our ability to make or manufacture has gotten better and better to the degree where almost anything is possible and our ability to market products to a wider audience is much easier in the wake of the internet and social media. Our shopping habits have changed drastically and our expectations have increased also. These days if you have a good enough idea and enough skill or ability you can find an audience for almost anything. Fashions can quickly come and go but good ideas tend to stick around. It is usually a combination of both affordability and current trends. Needless to say, the modern look of a simple metal base mixed with the beauty and character of real wood for the top and a connection we have to natural materials is something that appeals to many homeowners these days. If the table is made well and the design is clean and modern there is no doubt that an industrial style dining table fits into a plethora of interior styles, from full on industrial, to minimalist or modern, country house or cottage.

Where To Shop For An Industrial Style Dining Table.

The world of high street shopping is very different these days. The shops that have remained successful are unfortunately the big chain stores that offer relatively poorly made products for more affordable prices. This unfortunately has pushed independent companies who focussed on quality out of the way. The internet and rise of social media platforms however, has given the smaller independent companies a chance to compete with the high street. The problem is the big chain stores also fight hard online and on social media too. The trick to finding good quality products online is to do your research and look a bit deeper. The big stores will ultimately outbid the independents for the most obvious search keywords but if you look further down the search results you will start to find companies who provide a better quality product at competitive prices, and in some cases even cheaper than the big stores. The trick is not to be fooled by prices. More expensive isn’t a sign of quality, the problem is that it sometimes is and sometimes isn’t. You have to check the details on a product or website that shows you in images or text how the products are made and what they are made from etc. Even how they are delivered, if it’s delivered and installed by them or dropped at a curb by a third party courier or pallet company. Some things need to be done right first time and as we all know if you want something doing right you have to do it yourself or at least someone you trust to do the job right. So in short, do your research don’t buy on a whim and buy quality products by a quality company. Don’t buy the most expensive without doing your research and don;’y buy the cheapest without doing your research. Or save yourself some time and go to www.ashtonandcoleman.co.uk and talk to the experts.