Beautiful coffee table...no idea what to put on it!

This site just keeps becoming more and more useful. I saw this forum page and am need of some practical inspiration.

My wonderful boyfriend built me this table, knowing I was too picky to have one of those cheap coffee tables that only last a year and aren’t at all worthwhile for $100 or sometimes $200 or more! He built it and I stained it antique white.

I think I might like this coffee table more than I like him lol! It’s really wonderful, but that creates a harder challenge for me — now whatever sits on it has to be perfect.


It’s long, about 5ish feet by 3ish feet, so it’s really going to need something substantial on it. I did order one photography book on dogs (it was adorable!) but now I’m thinking I’ll need a tad bit more.

 

beats me! I like to see a clean surface and when its time to clean just wipe and go to the next job.

 

A nice vase with pads put underneath to stop it marking the wood with fresh flowers would look nice...he's done an excellent job ...mind you my hubby is the same, he wanted another shed priced it up over £200 for the size he wanted next thing I know he comes back with decking wood and builds his own.

 

Thankfully I sealed it with a few coats of polycrylic...totally worth the $8 for a teeny can. If I spill anything on it, it’ll just bead up till I wipe it off. I’m thinking books and flowers too. It’s a shame I don’t have a real garden I could cut flowers from. However there’s a year round farmer’s market that sells flowers, so I’ll have to pick some up from them.

Thank you Gail ?? I guess these DIY guys are worth keeping around!! Sounds like your husband and my guy are cut from the same cloth...

 

Well I think flowers would look beautiful and a vase that contrasts the table and your room...oh yes I keep my hubby at my side mate he's an ex-builder so he sorts the maintenance out

 

Thank you Eileen!! I can send you the link to the plans we used, I’m afraid the legs can get up there in price though. The only ones that I found that were substanial enough for a table like the size of mine were around $30 each...so I would’ve spent $120 before even getting started! Thankfully we got the legs as gifts — my boyfriend’s mom lives in Istanbul and she has a “guy” who did all of her custom cabinetry and tables and now our legs

All in all, stain & sealant included, we spent around $145 on the table. It’s a knock off of one I saw at restoration hardware that retailed for $1,500+

 

It looks like your other half could start a business and Eileen the first customer

 

Here’s the restoration hardware table:

They have all kinds of pricing listed from $1,276 to $2,495, so I’m not sure how that all works. I’ve also attached the link if you feel so inclined as to spend thousands of dollars on the original lol!
https://www.restorationhardware.com...?productId=prod1617003&categoryId=cat10180118
But also so you can pull up a better picture for yourself...

Now for the plans —

I found these on Ana White’s website, and modified them so it was tall enough for my couch, which sits at 22 inches high, taller than most from what I understand.

http://www.ana-white.com/2014/05/plans/balustrade-coffee-table

If you’ve never been on her website, definitely take the time!! If there’s anyone remotely handy around, I’m positive they can tackle a good majority of her projects. That’s how I convinced my wonderful guy to make my table the good ol’ “honey, look! This girl built this table, I’m sure you can!!!” Did the trick! Somehow convincing him that a girl did it made the task feel more achievable to him...lol

What’s even better is that you’re right Eileen, this thing is going to be around forever. It’s as solid as can be, and I’m looking forward to having it for a long time. Besides, I got a CUSTOM coffee table, for less than $150!

 

Excellent point Eileen and it is quite disgusting the prices they put on furniture today...it makes you wonder how much a table like that would cost from "Oak furniture land"

 

What you got planned next in line ...with that smooth talking

 

Gail, I’m trying to get him to build us some new nightstands. But he’s been really busy at work so I’m waiting for a better time to ask lol

Eileen, to RH, the “salavaged” wood is a whole other process! They go to old abandoned churches and railroads in Europe, then ship the wood back here to make the tables. By the time they’ve done all that and paid all these expert wood-finders and the guy who’s actually made the table, I can see why it’s so incredibly expensive. Plus wood like that isn’t cheap anymore! Unless you know where to go or you already have some, it’ll cost you an arm and a leg to buy it.

 

Keep clutter to a minimum, though it sounds like you're thinking along that line anyway. Nothing makes for a cluttered surface faster than a large collection of small knick-knacks. On the other hand, just displaying one large item can make it look stark, or heavy and cumbersome. To create a harmonious balance, group large and small items in pleasing arrays. And anything goes when it comes to displays these days...fruit on a coffee table is A Thing for example, no longer reserved for the kitchen counter.

A splash of bold color would look amazing against the light of your table too. There's no reason not to use a plant as a centerpiece, or a grouping of them.

Here are some visuals that I like.

See what I mean about the color? Imagine that splash of red (the flower and one of the books) against the light of your table.


This is a great look too...the tall flowers contrasting with the lower sight line of the other things.


Personally I think there's too much going on with this coffee table, but it has a second layer like yours which made me think about how I'd rearrange it. I'd put that wicker on the lower level (you won't be able to see much there, but the wicker would be a nice counterpart to the wood and you could see the sides of it) and then group the bowl of green apples and the vase of flowers on the top, maybe positioning the apple bowl on top of a couple of books. And then do away with everything else. Too cluttered for my taste.


A couple of plant ideas:


I really like the wooden holders...again, that kind of contrast with your table would look particularly striking.