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Gateleg Table
With the soaring prices of real estate and the increasing awareness for energy conservation, more and more people are opting for smaller living spaces. Apartments and condominium units are the in thing these days. This gives rise to the increasing demand for functional furnishings that occupy minimum space.
Living in a rather cramp space need not mean mad scramble to hide dirty clothes when friends come over; it does not mean that you have to shove all the unwashed dishes and all other junks from the dining table when a group arrives. All it takes is a lot of imagination and resourcefulness to make the small space a haven where you can entertain friends with pride and joy.
If you have recently moved into an apartment, purchasing furniture need to be carefully thought out. It wouldn’t do to pick any furnishing just because it catches your fancy. You need to consider space saving furnishings that would provide multiple functions as well as blend in with all the other furniture to create an attractive looking room. Coffee tables that have hidden stools underneath, sofas that double up as beds, decorative cabinets with ample storage space, stackable chairs as well as bean bags for kids are good choices.
If you usually ask friends over for a get together or for a dinner party, a smaller apartment need not cramp your usual style. A drop leaf gateleg dining table would be a wise choice as this would not take too much space when not in use. Seating extra guests would no longer be a problem. You only need to make small adjustment to the arrangement of other room furnishings to have more space to set up the gateleg dining table.
Dining tables of this kind was first introduced during the middle of the 17th century in America. During the colonial days, these oak or walnut gateleg tables feature decorative turnings on chunky legs. This leg and apron assembly called gate that are hinged to the table’s framework would swing out to support the drop leaf ends that are hinged to the main table top.
A single gate is enough to support the drop leaf of a small table but it would need two fold away legs to support bigger leaves to fashion a larger dining table. The gates can be on one side or on both sides of the tables. This option will depend on the additional table space you would need. The drop leaf ends would determine the shape of the table. A round or oval dining table would need a rounded drop leaf while an unshaped straight leaf would form a rectangular dining table.
Innovative and stylishly designed gateleg tables are great flexible options for crowded spaces. A table that is usually used by a family of four can easily seat 6 or 8 persons if the drop leaf ends are set up and used. Extra table space will not be a problem if you want to entertain as the table can easily accommodate your extra guests.