Contemporary dining rooms are often the source of debate: how do you make sure you have enough space to host your biggest group of guests… without being stuck living with an over-sized dining set that only gets used on special occasions? Especially as homeowners downsize and streamline their homes and lives, it doesn’t make sense to dedicate a whole room to a handful of annual events. Tables with removable leaves or extenders are a time-tested solution, but one that requires both muscle and spare storage space. For the convenience of an adjustable table without the hassle of hauling heavy wood pieces by yourself, look no further than the motorized dining tables from Casabianca.
A Motorized Table?!
The notion of sticking a motor on a dining table might seem a little ridiculous. I know it did to me, at first. But as someone who eschews a lot of high-tech gimmickry, I have to say: these tables are more than mere novelty. Traditional extendable dining tables offer an elegant solution to the age-old problem of feeding an unexpected crowd. Rather than a single solid surface, these tables have two halves that can be pulled apart, and flat panels that can be added or removed to “extend” the dining table, temporarily creating a larger usable surface – aka, getting your table party-ready. But the inserts are often large, cumbersome, and heavy; easier to leave in place than remove, store, and replace – which totally defeats the purpose!
More advanced tables incorporate the leaves into the moving parts of the table itself. In other words, when you pull the two halves of the table apart, the leaves pop up and into place. This system is certainly simpler, but still requires a fair amount of heavy lifting. Motorized dining tables, like those from Casabianca, take this idea one step further: motorizing the moving parts of the table so that it can extend and contract under its own power, at the touch of a button. That means no storing awkward parts, no heavy lifting, and no last-minute rush to adjust your table before guests arrive.
How Do Motorized Tables Work?
The design and mechanisms of motorized dining tables vary from one brand to the next. Those from Casabianca represent a pretty typical setup. The table has two tiers: the main tabletop, and a second layer underneath where the table leaves are mounted on motorized gliders. Unlike traditional wood tables, which typically split in the center, the leaves on these motorized tables slide out from under the table and pop up and into place at either far end. When locked into place, this adds several inches of length to either side of the table.
How Do You Operate A Powered Dining Table?
Casabianca’s motorized dining tables can be operated literally at the touch of a button. Along one side of the table are two buttons: one to extend the table and one to retract the leaves. Then, the table does the rest, moving the pieces into place and securing them without any effort on your part. Casabianca’s tables also include small remotes about the size and shape of a car’s key fob. These also have the same two-button operation, but let you operate the table from further away.
Do I have To Plug It In?
The main appeal of motorized dining tables is that they do all the heavy lifting for you. But the drawback is that they do need power to do it. That said, don’t worry: these tables are wireless, with a lithium-ion battery that’s both rechargeable and replaceable, and have a limited lifetime warranty from the manufacturer. In other words, you won’t have to worry about your table becoming obsolete because from a power failure.
Safety Features And Fail-safes
Worried your table might move when you don’t want it to? The buttons are well out of the way below the surface of the table, but reachable and about hip-height; it’s not hard to imagine kids or pets finding a way to hit them accidentally (or on purpose!), or someone mistakenly hitting a button on the remote. If that’s a concern, the tables have a manual locking function; that is, an actual key-lock that prevents them from operating either by button or remote. It’s ever so slightly less convenient, but means no parts moving when you don’t intend them to!
With a solid stainless steel and aluminum construction, sturdy porcelain and glass tabletops, and smooth gilders, you can be sure you’re getting a table that’s both functional and beautiful. Perfect for seating a crowd of any size, any time!
