Coffee Tables - Time for a Break?

Coffee tables take many shapes and forms but,imitation-wood, or veneer-covered "chipboard" coffee
generally speaking, a coffee table is considered to betables, but these can have a somewhat tacky
a fairly small, low sitting table that would typically beappearance and will tend to be poorer in quality.
the centerpiece of the common waiting room,If you are willing to spend big money, anywhere
lounge, or family room. Coffee tables are utilitarian, inupwards of US$200 for this small article of furniture,
that they are normally used to store remote-controls,then you can find good quality solid wooden coffee
for the entertainment suite, books and magazines,tables that can really set a room off. With supplies of
and fittingly, are a great place to set down snacks orgood timber and the loss of most of the world's
one's coffee mug when entertaining guests.old-growth forests, the only place one can find
However, as the center-piece, contemporary coffeebeautiful coffee tables made from solid wood (with
tables are also usually chosen to suit the style andthe exception of pine) for less than about $1000, is
match the existing interior-decoration of one's homeat an antique furniture store.
to add to the overall effect.If your pockets aren't quite that deep do not despair!
Accordingly, it is easy to find a very wide variety ofIf you're prepared to put some work in the best
modern coffee tables in different sizes, colors,option is to look around for something you like at
shapes, fashions, and construction materials. Glasssecond-hand stores. For bargain prices one can find
coffee tables are quite popular and if kept free ofbeautiful coffee tables in need of sanding down,
dust, add a pleasing aspect to the room. If combinedstaining, possibly some filling or new fasteners, and a
with a stainless-steel or chromed frame, a glass-topcouple of coats of clear varnish. The end result can
coffee table will help to add to an overall clean, sleek,be quite stunning, rendering a $60 stick of furniture
modern feel in a room.into a $400 centerpiece that any homeowner would
Art-deco style tables are still readily available too asbe proud of.
something of a relic from the 80's that is one styleWith the nature of business today the cost of
that seems to be diminishing in popularity as we nowproducing complex hand-crafted mosaic coffee
approach the end of the "noughties". Even still, onetables, either made with inlays of slices of wood with
can still find lopsided pastel-colored plastic blobs andalternating patterned shades, or ceramic-tile based
planes that appear to be stretched straight fromtable top surfaces, has become prohibitive. One may
some Picasso work, serving as coffee tables. Due tostill purchase machine manufactured tables like this,
their diminishing popularity and simple construction,with a less pleasing effect, or one could import such
they tend to be cheaper these days. It should befurniture from places like Pakistan and India at great
noted that it is possible to find more "tasteful"expense. Once again real masterpieces in need of a
designs built around similar themes.little attention can be sourced at second-hand stores
If you are after a more classical look in your coffeeand the like, rewarding industrious home-improvement
tables then you probably want to be looking atenthusiasts with coffee tables of outstanding quality
wooden construction. On the cheaper end of theand appeal.
scale you can find new tables made from plastic