Design for a Versatile Conference Table

(Note that the lighter green rectangle under the table is there only to help visualize the position of the four anchor points).

This idea would work best with a rather large table. The concept could work with smaller tables too, but I conceived it as a way of making a large conference table more versatile.

The table surface is suspended, rather than held up by legs. It's suspended from points away from the edge of the table.

Of course, if all you did was suspend it, it would swing around like a oversized swingset. That's why it's anchored to the floor.

There are four anchor points on the floor that are set back from the edge of the table to avoid interfering with the legspace. Each anchor point has two cables attached. One that crosses to the far side of the table, and one that crosses to the far end. A total of eight cables secure the table.

By detaching all eight anchor points and raising the table ona pulley system, you could store the table on the ceiling.

To secure the anchor points, you simply lower the table below the designed height and lock it in place temporarily. You then attach the four pairs of leg anchors which, at this point, are still loose. You then raise the table, pulling the leg lines taut in the process and then lock the height.

And by installing anchor points in the floor that are positioned closer together, you could anchor the table at coffee table height. By putting them farther apart, you'd have a standing-height work table. You'd simply lock the top cables at a different height. By putting the upper suspension cables on a pair of rails and putting anchor points at different positions on the floor you could move the table from one end of a room to the other.

You could anchor the cables more directly- more or less straight down- but the length of the leg cables wouldn't allow for multiple height configurations, would interfere more with legspace, and would require higher tension (and therefore, stronger cables) to dampen lateral sway.