Butterfly tables are also characterized by splayed legs, which add to the sense of movement created by the wings. The table top itself can be oval or square, sometimes with a drawer, as shown in the illustration. Legs are usually turned, connected with a plain or ringed box-stretcher, and rest on ball or bun feet or casters. Thought to be American (probably from Connecticut) and developing around the turn of the 18th century, it is typical of William and Mary style furniture. Frequently made of maple, a plentiful wood in colonial New England, butterfly tables were often painted red, black or other colors. Many variations and updated versions have been made since then. The tabletop itself is usually round or oval, and plain, while the legs are often elaborately turned or spiraled and connected by stretchers. A single drawer is common. Most examples are made of oak, walnut or maple (if from New England), though fancier mahogany versions do exist. Dating from the late 16th century, this Baroque-style flourished throughout the 17th century and is highly characteristic of Jacobean and William and Mary furniture, representing the less formal, more intimate dining customs of the period. It was commonly used throughout the 1700s, gradually waning in favor of more graceful portable designs, such as the Pembroke table. The later 18th-century versions usually have thinner, simpler legs, and rectangular tabletops. Later versions were also made, especially during the Great Depression years in the United States. Often the chair base has a drawer or compartment—hence the name “hutch.” Though dating from the Middle Ages, this form was perfected in the Jacobean era and remained popular in England and America through the early 19th century as a space-saving, multi-purpose piece of furniture. Most hutch tables are plain country pieces, so those found decorated with delicate carving are the most prized among early furniture fans. This style remained the dominant form of dining table until the late 17th century and continued to be popular in institutional and country furniture thereafter. It and was revived by Arts and Crafts furniture-makers like Gustav Stickley around the turn of the 20th century. They are sometimes referenced as refectory tables or kitchen tables. Trestle tables have seen a resurgence in popularity in modern farmhouse decorating of late, and they are often used with chairs on one side and a bench on the other.
