This year we celebrate the 30th anniversary of the very first Extremis piece of furniture. It was back in the last millennium - in 1994 - that this multifunctional garden table pioneered the battle against the disposable plastic furniture that was the standard in many gardens. The contrast between the 1990s and today is striking in several respects: there were no cell phones yet and hardly any Internet, and certainly no smartphones or social media. In a digital world, the need for real togetherness has only increased. We want to celebrate that this family table has become a design icon, and more relevant than ever.
The Great Gargantua Quest
And the winners are...
That's why last year we launched a contest to reward some owners of a Gargantua from the Nineties with a nice togetherness moment: we were looking for the coziest Gargantua setting, the most beautiful story written around this picnic table, and finally, the best maintained Gargantua. A strict independent jury bent over the entries, and awarded a Gargantua Party - in collaboration with Vonken - to these 3 owners:
Winner: setting
The owners of this garden in Moorsele, Belgium, testify, "the Gargantua table is the center of the festivities at every gathering. Whether we just want to enjoy the garden with our family or we invite 12 people, the picnic table attracts everyone, young and old, even up to four generations at a time, like a magnet. The highest position of the benches, which increases the table area to 2m diameter is therefore very convenient."
Winner: story
One story grabbed our jury by far the most: Steve's. We let him speak for himself: "The special thing about the Gargantua for me is that the table is a part of our family. It is the first piece of furniture that I bought with my – back then – girlfriend Trui, the first piece of furniture on which our daughter sat independently, the piece of furniture on which we adjusted the position of the benches each time to suit our growing daughter, and unfortunately also the piece of furniture on which the last photo of my wife Trui was taken, before she left us much too soon."
Winner: maintenance
For this table from Stefan in Germany, the judges' mouths fell open. The table looks brand new, but in reality, is almost 30 years old. "On vacation at my uncle's house in Freiburg, we experienced countless priceless moments. The transformation of the table always fascinated me, and he pampered the table with much devotion ... and lots of wood oil. Then an emotional phone call followed five years ago: it was my uncle's wish that I become the new owner. I promised him to always take good care of it, and so I did. And the good times around the table just continue..."
With big thanks to:
- The winners for their openness and the conviviality we were allowed to record on film.
- The chefs at Vonken, who assembled an entire menu with the help of just one Vonken oven.
- All the contest participants! You moved us and made us deeply happy with your fantastic stories about the Gargantua table.