Lift and slide dining tables provide a smoother transition when making additional room than regular extendable tables with inserting leaves do. Coming from a large family, you may never know exactly how many people you'll be entertaining for Sunday dinner, so being able to easily and quickly extend your four person Spanna table to a six person table makes it quite versatile. This Design Within Reach exclusive is made with a solid beech wood frame and topped with tempered glass for durability and safety. At a price of $990 the Spanna table comes in both natural beech and coffee colors, and fits nicely in a 29.5"H x 35-70"H x 35"D area without chairs. I personally recommend the Kyoto dining chairs also offered online by DWR.
The Coffeehouse chair by Baker Furniture is what you would expect to see in the great coffee houses of Egypt, Turkey, or Syria. Cool in shape and subtle character the coffeehouse chair was part of the modern mix of the Who's Next exhibit put on by Metropolitan Home in New York City. The exhibit showcased a new generation of design luminaries like Shaun Melvin who is making a big impression on the fore front of today's furniture designs. W 22 ¼ X D 24 ¼ X H 32 ½ Suggested List $2282 US
Peter Maly made the best of well rounded corners on his Cemia series which has a strong Scandinavian influence. The Cemia sideboard from Ligne Roset has an informal presence that features recessed drawers with handles made from curved lacquered zamac which are nicely set into the drawer. I also like Maly's use of a very unusual high rise loop style foot that keep the Cemia off the floor and very light looking. Cemia cases are available in walnut veneer or white lacquer, fronts finished in gloss white, taupe or anthracite lacquer. The full range is comprised of sideboards, TV units, chest of drawers and wardrobe.
Cassina furniture of Italy proves once again that less is more. The La Rotonda round dining table from designer Mario Bellini has a minimal and elegant beauty with optional wood or glass tops and a variety of wood finishes to choose from. The simple nature of the table gives the owner a wide variety of options easily combining La Rotonda with wood or leather dining chairs. The Cassina collection is divided into the "contemporanei" series with all original modern works featuring some of today's leading designers, and the "Cassina I Maestri" collection which includes some of the most important furniture created by leading figures in the Modern Movement, pieces which have since become landmarks in the evolution of contemporary design.
I have always been a huge fan of Danish modern furniture, especially solid teak cherry. The Danish modern style is timeless, and acquires more character as these woods mature and take on a rich hue adding to their allure. One of favorite pieces is the Pablo dining chair from Koefoed furniture of Denmark. The Pablo chair is surprisingly comfortable despite it low all wood rounded back that is comprised of two halves connected by discrete bracing. In addition to use as a dining chair, the Pablo can be a perfect accent or guest chair in residential or commercial environments that require uncommon style. Available in solid teak or cherry with fabric, micro fiber, or top grain leather seat. Appx $700
