Casual dining tables get bigger

Expandable, counter-height styles popular

Heath Combs -- Furniture Today, September 4, 2008

HIGH POINT — Casual dining has seen several changes over the past several years. First, counter height became popular. Then, casual's more formal cousin junior dining saw an uptick in demand.

Now, bigger is getting better. And furniture suppliers report that large-scale, counter-height tables seating up to eight also are gaining steam.

From its roster of hundreds of looks, Canadel offers this cottage design that comes with a leaf and comfortably seats eight.

"The key to the larger-scale counter tables is the extension flexibility," said Michael Foster, vice president of merchandising, case goods, at Broyhill.

When the counter-table craze hit retail, most were 48-inches or 54-inches square. And then they morphed into 60-inches square, Foster said.

"Those larger sizes created space challenges for the consumers, since most of these tables end up in the breakfast room," he said.

The company's new configuration is 54 inches by 36 inches with one 18-inch leaf or 60 inches by 42 inches with one 18-inch leaf.

"For everyday use, this size is perfect. When company arrives, the leaf goes in and they can seat 8 to 10 people," Foster said.

Bigger counter-height tables that can accommodate up to eight guests is a trend that Aspenhome will respond to this fall as it rounds out its dining offerings. The company plans to introduce three counter-height tables with an opening footprint that can easily seat 10, said Jena Hall, vice president of merchandising and design at Aspenhome.

For homes with a great room or even formal dining rooms, such tables add a casual touch that's perfect for extended family gatherings, Hall said.

At Bernhardt, where a gathering-height table is offered with almost every collection, giving consumers the added option to expand to more space with an eight-seat table is popular with consumers, said Heather Eidenmiller, director of brand development.

"What's great about those is the flexibility. If you have a family of four sitting around and friends come over, (consumers) like the option of expanding to accommodate that group," Eidenmiller said.

More flexibility in terms of seating capacity means a greater value proposition for consumers, said Joff Roy, president of Jofran.

For retailers, it can mean more sales per square foot because eight seats are offered, he added.

"I think that they appeal to any consumer who's in the casual dining purchasing phase," said Roy. "We've got 60-inch round and square. The square can hold up to eight. We do a tremendous amount of 54-inch storage pedestal bases and without legs those will easily accommodate eight."

"There is never enough room at the bar," said Kate Schuman, marketing specialist with Canadel, about the growing interest in counter-height dining. "Most homes today have a counter area which is great for kids and couples, but not large enough for entertaining or comfortable for conversation."

As consumers have become more comfortable sitting at bars and bistro tables, they're finding that type of arrangement a good match for their homes, too, Schuman added.

Plus they like having the option of turning a 60-inch by 40-table into a 60-inch by 60-inch table, she added.

"As families are moving towards more dinners at home, bringing this style home - and having the flexibility to sit friends and family - makes it a good investment," Schuman said.