MODULA MESA

A modular table system, which can be folded away for storage or connected, for us to get together, eat and entertain. Designed and built for family, now available for friends.

My cousin came to me, saying he needed a dining table for his new flat. He had an idea of the style, aesthetics, and practicalities he was looking for and with that we outlined a plan. At the time I don’t think I was conscious of the complexities of table design. It’s an object with very strict parameters, so it’s quite difficult to negotiate a new design that is both functional and good looking. Added to that sourcing the components needed for it to work comfortably and with longevity.

Either way, we got stuck in setting out a brief, and exchanging references. As the design developed, we scheduled regular updates so that they could be sure that the table would work with their needs. There were really two main design considerations with this project. In aesthetic terms they were looking for black metal legs and a solid wood top. And in practical terms they wanted a table that could be folded away, from 2 metres to 60 centimetres. Other examples of extendable tables appeared cheaply built, and without the strength you would expect from a proper dining table.

We carefully considered and addressed these challenges through an iterative design process, in which I created individual components that could be brought together. The tops neatly stacking back inside the legs, ready for storage. This allows the table to be used independently or as part of a group, for couples or large groups dependent on the number of modules available. It’s a table system that could be continually connected to.

Materials and Components

The table components, include powder coated metal legs, solid oak full stave tabletop finished with a clear natural matt osmo polyx oil, dowel jointed oak feet, stainless and anodised fixings as well adjustable feet