Jazz Up That Table In Your Living Room
It’s kind of like the chicken and the egg. Which came first? The coffee table or the cocktail table?
I think it has something to do with the way we perceive ourselves.
If we’re from the bacon-eggs-sausage-biscuits-gravy breakfast crowd, then we probably go for the coffee table. On the other hand, if we think a fresh fruit salad topped with honey yogurt chased with a latte is the perfect starter, we probably prop our feet (are those Ferragamos I see?) on a cocktail table.
Whichever way your social consciousness tells you to go, the coffee table (I do love sausage gravy) can be and should be a lot more creative than a hunk of oak slapped down on the living-room or family-room floor.
My neighbors offer a prime example of how a coffee table can rise from afterthought to thought-provoking. They’ve used two classic concrete pedestals as a base, then topped them with a sheet of glass. It’s clean. It’s simple. It impresses. It offers classic good looks, no matter what you happen to be wearing on your feet when they need a rest.
An old library table - look for them at auctions, consignment stores, even garage sales - can be converted to a coffee table as long as you’re handy with a saw or know someone who is.
Cut the legs down to the appropriate height. The most useful height is 17-19 inches, but lower or higher can also work. That depends on you and the particular situation. If the table is a bit battered and has some carving - like BT loves GS - all the better. Call it historical.
Whimsy? We love whimsy. Old metal wagons, the kind we all had when we were kids, aren’t hard to find. Once you’ve cornered the wagon, bring it indoors and fill the bed with an inch or two of sand.
That’s right, sand. Then lay some of your favorite collectibles on the sand and top the whole thing with a sheet of clear glass. It’s a twofer - coffee table and display case. Country cottage comes to mind. If the handle of the wagon protrudes too far into the room, remove it.
Simple terra cotta pots fit well into a country look. Buy two of the appropriate size at a nursery. They can remain as they are, or you might paint them to fit with your decor by picking up a pattern already existing in the room. Top with a piece of clear glass and you’ve got it. Terra cotta pots also are the perfect base for a patio coffee table nuzzled up to wicker furnishings.
For a more modern look, one that dictates the use of vivid color, look to ordinary wood storage cubes you’ll find at home centers. Two or three should work.
Paint them bright primary colors; deep, rich pastels; metallic tones. Mix and match the painting for a checkerboard effect. Each cube doesn’t have to be entirely one color. Paint them inside and out.
The interiors of the cubes can be used for exactly what they were designed for. Fill them with books, magazines, sculptures, interesting pottery on stands. Instant interest. Top with clear glass.
Coffee or cocktail table? When it’s all said and done, we don’t really care what you decide to call it as long as it works for you. That works for us.