| Coffee tables take many shapes and forms but, | | | | imitation-wood, or veneer-covered "chipboard" coffee |
| generally speaking, a coffee table is considered to be | | | | tables, but these can have a somewhat tacky |
| a fairly small, low sitting table that would typically be | | | | appearance 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, in | | | | upwards 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 or | | | | good 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 coffee | | | | beautiful coffee tables made from solid wood (with |
| tables are also usually chosen to suit the style and | | | | the exception of pine) for less than about $1000, is |
| match the existing interior-decoration of one's home | | | | at 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 of | | | | If 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. Glass | | | | second-hand stores. For bargain prices one can find |
| coffee tables are quite popular and if kept free of | | | | beautiful coffee tables in need of sanding down, |
| dust, add a pleasing aspect to the room. If combined | | | | staining, possibly some filling or new fasteners, and a |
| with a stainless-steel or chromed frame, a glass-top | | | | couple 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 as | | | | be proud of. |
| something of a relic from the 80's that is one style | | | | With the nature of business today the cost of |
| that seems to be diminishing in popularity as we now | | | | producing complex hand-crafted mosaic coffee |
| approach the end of the "noughties". Even still, one | | | | tables, either made with inlays of slices of wood with |
| can still find lopsided pastel-colored plastic blobs and | | | | alternating patterned shades, or ceramic-tile based |
| planes that appear to be stretched straight from | | | | table top surfaces, has become prohibitive. One may |
| some Picasso work, serving as coffee tables. Due to | | | | still 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 be | | | | furniture 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 coffee | | | | and the like, rewarding industrious home-improvement |
| tables then you probably want to be looking at | | | | enthusiasts with coffee tables of outstanding quality |
| wooden construction. On the cheaper end of the | | | | and appeal. |
| scale you can find new tables made from plastic | | | | |