Singing the praises of the Brio table by Romano Marcato
27th November 2007
“Con brio” means with great energy, vivaciously, with vigor. It’s a term that’s often used in a musical context, but with the Brio bar table, Romano Marcato has extended it to the furniture industry. Now I’m not sure whether I could call this table vivacious, but some other appropriate adjectives spring to mind, namely “versatile,” “fluid,” and “adjustable.”
That’s because adjusting the Brio table’s height is as easy as do-re-mi. Through a lever-activated gas cylinder, you can make it as high as a bar counter or lower it to dining table height in a matter of seconds. Also, no need to worry about unwanted or unpleasant surprises that will have you jumping out of your bar chairs in shock, like the table suddenly sinking or shooting up at the most inopportune moments. This is because the adjustment lever has a lock, which makes sure the table stays at the height you want. Adding to the Brio’s stability is its heavy stainless-steel base, ensuring it remains steady on a level surface. If there’s one thing that’s sure to irritate me, it’s having my coffee or cocktail slop over because of a table that wobbles at the slightest movement.
The Brio isn’t meant to accommodate large groups of people, but it will do fine for parties of two or three. The round table top comes in several versions: birch-white laminate, HPL, blanched oak, wenge-stained oak, and oak-stained dark walnut. Not only do they look attractive, they’re resistant to warping in addition to being easy to clean and maintain. Non-wooden table top finishes are also available: 59cm stainless steel or tempered and screen printed glass that measures 60cm in diameter.
The Brio has a multi-ply core, while the support cone is made from die-cast aluminium. The table’s leg is matte chrome and the base’s diameter is 18 inches. Its height can be adjusted from 28.75 inches to 39.25 inches.
