Cattelan Italia Fixed Dining Tables

If you have the room for a substantial fixed dining table, this is where Cattelan Italia is particularly strong. Many of the designs are intended to have a permanent presence in the room, combining generous proportions with architectural bases, distinctive top shapes and carefully considered finishes.

That makes them especially well suited to a dedicated dining area where the table does not need to become smaller between occasions. If your room needs to work harder day to day, an extending table may still be the more practical answer; the important thing is to choose around the space rather than the brand.

Plan around the whole dining setting, not just the table length

Cattelan fixed tables often come into their own at larger sizes, frequently around two to three metres and beyond. At that scale, width matters as much as length. A generous top gives diners more space and can also provide useful clearance around one of Cattelan's substantial central bases.

We generally allow around 60cm per person when planning Cattelan seating. Their chairs can be more generously proportioned than some of the other Italian ranges we carry, and where the room allows it there is little benefit in squeezing the maximum possible number of seats around the table.

Look closely at the base and the shape of the top

The base is often an important part of a Cattelan table's design, but it also affects how the table works. Large pedestal and sculptural bases need to leave comfortable legroom, so we consider the width of the top, where people will actually sit and the chairs being used rather than judging the table from its overall dimensions alone.

Shaped tops can also make a practical difference on a long table. The softened sides help open up sight lines along its length, so someone sitting near one end can see more of the people around the table than they might with two completely straight sides.

Choose the ceramic from more than a small online swatch

Ceramic is an important part of the Cattelan dining collection. Matt finishes are well suited to everyday use, coping particularly well with normal scratching, staining and heat, although the edges still deserve sensible care. Gloss finishes have different characteristics and can show marks and surface scratching more readily.

Pattern and colour are also difficult to judge from a small photograph. At Ash Vale we have large physical Cattelan samples that show far more of the veining and overall character of the ceramic. We can combine these with Cattelan's imaging portal to compare different top and base finishes before you make a decision.

Bring the chairs into the decision early

A Cattelan table does not have to be paired with Cattelan chairs. We can compare its own seating with our wider dining chair collection, taking account of comfort, chair width, legroom, proportions and budget. Trying the table and chairs as one setting is much more useful than choosing each piece independently.

Tell us about access before a large table arrives

Some of Cattelan's largest ceramic tops are extremely heavy, particularly where ceramic is bonded to glass, but that is something our delivery teams are accustomed to handling. Delivery and assembly are part of our service, and we have both experienced teams and specialist handling equipment for furniture of this scale.

If the route into the room includes steps, tight entrances or other restrictions, talk to us before you order. We can consider the access in advance and plan the delivery appropriately rather than leaving those practicalities until the table arrives.