The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Kitchen tables are making a comeback
Growing up, there was one place to be after every holiday meal: my grandma’s kitchen table. It was a hub of activity and chatter that went far beyond divvying up leftovers and discussing who should get the last slice of pie. Stories were swapped, highballs were drunk, and cards were played. If a piece of furniture could evoke a sense of family and community, the table was it.
Helen Parker, creative director of deVOL kitchens, has similar warm memories of this once-essential piece of furniture: “My dad would sit at the kitchen table and get out books, or look at stamps and use it as a place to continue hanging out; it was so much more than just a place to eat,” she says.
Lately, a handful of designers and tastemakers are embracing the old-fashioned table as a homier alternative to the ubiquitous island. Cab- inetry companies such as deVOL and Plain English have launched U.S. showrooms to an overwhelmingly positive response in the past year, and their advertising often features images of kitchens with tables front and center. The spaces present a cozy and inviting antidote to overly sleek kitchens with trickedout islands. There’s a reason that “gathered around the island” doesn’t have the same nostalgic ring as “gathered around the table.”
“A table has a domestic warmth to it that an island doesn’t,” says New York interior designer Steven Gambrel. “The way a casual outfit encourages a laid-back vibe and black-tie dress creates a formal tone, the same is true of an island,” he says. “When an island is builtin and matches the cabinets, it has a stiff, immobile presence. It doesn’t have the same sense of ease as a wooden table that’s got some age.”
For Parker, adding a vintage table is a way to create a more authentic, eclectic vibe. “All of those matching parts don’t feel as soulful as when you have great big table with a bunch of flow- ers where the kids can do their homework,” she says.
Gambrel also cites lightness as a part of a table’s appeal.“Your eye seesunder a table because the legs raise it off the ground; it feels more airy and less contrived than an island, which can feel bulky and dated,” he says. Part of the problem in Park- er’s opinion is the temptation for homeowners to fit everything and the kitchen sink into the island. “It’s become a big box with too many appliances, stools, and a garbage bin; it ends up not being an aesthetically pleasing piece of furniture,” she says.
But the fully loaded island has a tight grip on America’s imagination. When people talk about the heart of the kitchen today, they’re often referring to this multifunctional monolith. A recent Houzz survey estimated that 38 percent of kitchen remodels involved adding an island (that doesn’t include all of the homes that already have one). Some trend forecasters even predict that we’ll see a rise in the popularity of double islands in future years.
According to Home Advisor, the average cost of a kitchen island is $3,000 to $5,000, though custom-built options can be $10,000 or more. Of course, not every kitchen can accommodate a built-in island. For older houses with small or galley-style cookspaces, planning for an island involves opening up a wall or bumping outthe back, which can increase renovation costs dramatically. In these situations, a small- to mediumsize table can be a practical and affordable solution, offering comparable prep space. A solid pine table from Ikea will set you back just $99, while an antiqued elm one with a distressed metal base from Restoration Hardware starts at $1,095. If you’re in the market for a truly unique vintage piece, 1st dibs has an Italian oak farm table with geometric inlay for $4,000.