Benchmark Victoria Table Review
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The chances are you already own something designed by the man behind this table. Yes, this dining table made from sustainable European wood was sketched up by Sir Terence Conran, the man who founded the first Habitat shops, and who is often acknowledged as the Grand-daddy of contemporary British design.
Conran's class shows in the design of the eight-person table. The styling's very similar to Benchmark's Clifton table, with simple V-legs supporting a single slab of wood on the top. The overall effect and the detailed finishing are unfussy, minimalist and classic as they come -- we like it a lot.
On first look, the most striking thing is the raw tabletop. Where most tables arrive replete with a varnish -- a.k.a. chemicals you might not want -- this one comes raw and untreated. While you can ask Benchmark to finish it for you, they deliver it untreated by default. The theory is that the table seals itself over time through cleaning and scrubbing over a few years' use.
We spilled a couple of drinks on the table and found they cleaned off easily with a cloth and water, leaving no stains. The table certainly feels like it'll last for decades -- the one-inch-thick tabletop is incredibly solid and the entire thing felt robust as we moved it around SmartPlanet towers for video shoots and more. As well as good value for money, a durable long-lasting table like this also makes more eco sense than buying half a dozen short-lived tables from Argos.
From a practical point of view, the table's easy to transport. The legs and supporting arm unscrew from the two-metre-long tabletop, meaning you should be able to manoeuvre it into most homes.
All this would matter little, of course, if it wasn't so thoughtfully made. The wood is solid oak and you can rest assured it's come from a good home -- it's all certified as sustainable by gold standards FSC and PEFC. In the case of this table, most of the timber hails from France and Germany. There are no glues and Benchmark pledges to reduce, reuse and recycle materials wherever possible.
The carbon footprint's also likely to be lower than most furniture mass-produced in China, since the table's made in the UK from European materials rather than shipped in from Asia. By buying the table, you're also giving a much-needed shot to the UK crafts and manufacturing industry -- Benchmark employs 45 people. In addition to its use of good wood and its pledges to recycling, it supports the Woodland Trust on an ad-hoc basis, too (though it's worth noting there's no periodical donation).
There really is little to moan about here. Sure, the price is more than you'd pay for a typical high street dining table -- but it doesn't feel like poor value since you're getting such impeccable quality in return.
Quality
Value
Ethics
Green
