The extending garden table allows conviviality and flexibility in outdoor dining

The importance of outdoor spaces for eating and living

There is nothing better, especially during the summer months and even more so during the spring and autumn months, where the temperature is pleasant at almost any time of day, to be able to enjoy meals, with family or guests, outdoors.

After all, it is no secret that with Covid and restrictions, the importance of having an outlet, be it a terrace, balcony or garden, to be outdoors has been rediscovered. Equipping oneself with an extending garden table is a choice that allows one to dedicate one’s space to convivial moments, combining flexibility.

An extending garden table is suitable for family and guests

In recent years, the habit of not only eating and relaxing outdoors has exploded, but also of cooking directly there, with outdoor kitchens. In a corner for everyone to spend time together, the table is undoubtedly essential. An extendable solution is ideal for those who usually only see a few diners around the table but who occasionally have guests and need more space. The ‘open’ version can accommodate everyone, the ‘closed’ version is space-saving.

How much space should be provided for the extendable table? As much as necessary for the ‘open’ version!

Bear in mind, however, that for an extending garden table you must have the space available for the open version, even if you squeeze it in a little: that is the size to consider when choosing. When closed, the saved centimetres can be used to place something light, which can be easily removed when the extending table is needed.

Materials for the extending garden table

With regard to the choice of table, the criteria do not differ much from those used to decide which one to place indoors, apart from the fact that it is necessary to start from the assumption that it is a piece of furniture that will remain outdoors and must therefore resist the elements, from wind and rain to the heat of the sun.

Therefore, ideal for an extending garden table are materials such as aluminium, steel, metal, for modern and essential solutions, wrought iron for more romantic and classic forms, wood which is an evergreen (but which in the long run risks being affected by humidity).

Pergolas, gazebos, parasols and lights in relation to the extendable garden table

If there is a gazebo or pergola in the garden, placing the table underneath it is an ideal option, because you will at least be able to protect yourself from the too-hot sun, eating outside on several occasions. In its absence, a parasol is an excellent solution.

Closed structures, on the other hand, are ideal for all-season use, but then you are dealing more with a living room than a garden. In any case, when designing the lighting one must keep in mind to duly illuminate the table.

The meanings of various table shapes

When choosing a table, in general, one of the most important points is the shape. In principle, round and square tables are convivial par excellence, because they are designed so that no one is at the head of the table and there are no fixed roles, thus favouring informality. With the same surface area, the round has less space than the square. Rectangular solutions, which are still the most commonly used, instead assume a hierarchical order of who sits around.

Thus, the shape chosen says a lot about the ideal lunch or dinner you want to create. When opting for an extendable garden table, one must remember that a square becomes rectangular, a round one turns into an oval, while a rectangular (or an oval) retains its shape.

How to ‘open’ the extending garden table

The extension mechanisms of garden tables are similar to those of indoor tables: from folding to central opening, from symmetrical side extension to telescopic opening. The folding mechanism doubles the initial size, the side extension mechanism, on the other hand, allows you to choose how much to extend each time and is therefore extremely flexible.

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