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One aspect of tables was they became ways in which social rank was displayed. Those from prominent families or status ate at the head of the table, sometimes on a raised dais, while others were further away from the raised part or front of the table. If anything, it was only later in the Medieval period that dinning tables began to reduce in size again. This was seen, in part, due to the Black Death and declining larger gatherings held. Uprisings and political instability, in part due to the schism between Catholics and Protestants in the 16th century, led to smaller dinning gatherings in general, as it was seen less beneficial to have too many large banquets as divisions emerged in society. This led to a reshaping of dinning into more intimate type gatherings and smaller tables becoming more fashionable. Round dinning tables also began to be seen as giving a more intimate gathering than traditional long dinning tables.<ref>For more on dinning around tables and rank in society, see: Weiss Adamson, M. (2010). <i>Food in medieval times.</i> Westport, Conn. [u.a.: Greenwood Press.</ref>
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In the Renaissance period, there was renewed interest in all things Classical. Tables were among the many types of items and furniture where they were created to resemble Roman or Greek style ornate tables. Highly elaborate designs found in wealthy households from the Roman period began to be copied and reproduced. There were innovations though by the 17th century. As the urban elite and rich began to imitate Roman or Greek designs, the trestle table was a development of this period in the countryside. It was seen as a simple but elegant design for dinning.<ref>For more on the trestle, see: Sparkes, I. G. (1980). <i>An illustrated history of English domestic furniture, 1100-1837: the age of the craftsman.</i> Bourne End [Eng.]: Spurbooks.</ref>
==Variations of Designs==
More activities within the home and at work led to new types of tables being designed. Console tables, pier tables, side tables and hall tables were all variations of tables that were put along the walls of homes or larger buildings for activities ranging from eating, socializing, working, and drinking. Darker tables became more fashionable from the 19th century, including the use of heavy woods such as rosewood and mahogany. Coffee tables, with shorter legs, became features of the home by the 19th century. It was also during the renaissance and later centuries that tables were used for different types of games, including chess billiards.<ref>For more on activities and table design, see: Cohen, M. F. (2005). <i>Professional domesticity in the Victorian novel: women, work, and home.</i> Cambridge, U.K. ; New York: Cambridge University Press.</ref>
In the mid to late 19th century, tables began to be simpler in design and less elaborate in general, as mass production increased, leading to new concepts of faster construction of tables where parts were pre-made and put together after being shipped to shops or furniture sellers. By 1890, Art Nouveau style tables began to replace the more classical appearance of tables, which helped to diminish their central importance in homes. Table design was now seen to be inspired by influence outside of the Classics or the past. In the early 20th century, there was more of a desire to remove the cluttered look of Victorian style homes in the UK and elsewhere, leading to simpler designs for tables and smaller tables.<ref>For more on design and decor that became popular in the late 19th and 20th centuries, see: Binstead, H. E. (2007). <i>The furniture styles: Design from Elizabeth I to Art Nouveau.</i> JM Classic Editions.</ref>
In the 20th century, table designs began to apply sometimes more color or variation in design from traditional shapes. This reflected society's increase access to leisure time where the home became a place to entertain and enjoy ones time in. Tables, became less formal and, often, more associated with informal gatherings and activities as well as retaining the traditional dining role they had.<ref>For more on modern furniture design, see: Quinn, B. (2004). <i>Mid-century modern: interiors, furniture, design details.</i> London: Conran Octopus.
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