Thursday, January 17, 2013

Coffee Table Search (It's On)

We've slowly been changing up our family room furnishings over the past year. In August we ditched our donated (but very nice) sofa and armchair for the Milo sectional and did a little room rearranging. Then over Christmas we ordered a new rug (holla!). We're still waiting on it to be delivered, so I don't have any photos yet (I'll provide some pics and all the gory details about rug selection when it finally comes our way).

Next on the agenda is to switch the Ikea coffee table I've had forever for something better suited for our space. A little background on the table—I bought it for my first apartment in Brooklyn right after I graduated from college. It came with me when I moved to Orlando and has lived in both our first apartment and our house. It's definitely served us well over the years, but it's too long (it sticks out too far past the sectional) and low (you can't really put your feet up on it comfortably) for our current set up. It's also really dark and, set in front of a dark couch, it just brings the whole area down.

There's the table, being all long and low.

So the search is on for something to stick in front of the sectional. We were thinking an ottoman at first (maybe something comfy with storage that we could put our feet up on). We started looking around for ottomans but just didn't hit on anything we liked. Some things that seemed promising ended up being too expensive or just didn't have the right dimensions for our space. I'm not closed off to the ottoman idea, but I'm opening up the search to coffee tables as well. I like the idea of a coffee table because:

1. I think a hard surface will last longer, wear better, and require less maintenance than an upholstered surface (re: ottoman), especially if it's something we're constantly using.
2. I'd really like to commit myself to buying more well-made, vintage pieces rather than new furniture (not that vintage ottomans don't exist but I think vintage tables are easier to find).

Here are some coffee table styles that I'm digging:

Bel Air Oval Coffee Table, Crate and Barrel






Etsy




Picked Vintage

















Interior Trade

I'm off to the Renninger's Antique Extravaganza this weekend to do some hunting, so maybe I'll find something special to bring home.

1 comment:

  1. I like so much your blog and i think wood furniture can age gracefully if it is carefully protected and gingerly used. Some types of furniture, such as coffee tables ,usually see much more abusive use than this, and can end up with stains, scratches, and a faded or chipped finish

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