The Coffee Table Grows Up
The image that the phrase "coffee table" conjures up for me is of a warm, inviting piece around which family and friends gather. Maybe there's a puzzle in progress. Maybe there are actual mugs of steaming coffee. It's a lovely vision. Though as a mother, my mental image of this quickly devolves into a horrific one in which kids are banging into the battered table and knocking that steaming coffee all over the puzzle. Meanwhile, the adults are pleading for someone to find the TV remote and turn the sound down.
If we rename that exact same piece of furniture, calling it instead the cocktail table, it evokes a completely different attitude — a more mature one. Though you may not be able to change any behavior within your household, you can alter the perspective of how the table is respected, and so too the room it inhabits. If you're ready to upgrade your living space with a more sophisticated table, take a look at these beauties for inspiration.
If the Little Drummer Boy were real, he'd most certainly grow up into a man who would appreciate this vintage drum covered with glass. Project designer Rebekah Zaveloff found it at Marco Polo Antiques.
This table, made of driftwood topped with glass, may look delicate, but even a herd of wild children on the hunt for snacks couldn't knock it over. Just be sure to hold on to those precious wine-filled goblets.
This custom piece offers another take on the raw wood table. Portland, Oregon, designer Pangaea sourced it from a local vendor, who matched the slab to the base. Left untreated the raw table will take on a patina over time that will only add to its beauty.
This table also celebrates wood in its natural state, though with an entirely different feel. Project designer Lizette Marie struck an elegant tone in this living room with a section of a teak tree she found and had ebonized.
This table never ceases to amaze guests. Designer Tineke Triggs commissioned the piece from an artist in New York City. It's made from actual motorcycle engines and topped with glass.
While this riveted metal table has a custom look, Triggs found it at ABC Carpet & Home. The company offers a host of tables that have firmly attained cocktail status.
Downstairs from the room shown in the previous photo, the basement continues the household's refined aesthetic in a completely different way. Here a Black Hawk Coffee Table has a spitfire finish that takes its cue from the historic Spitfire jet fighters of World War II.
Triggs found the piece at Homes of Elegance. Aluminum panels are interlocked with curved edges for a shape reminiscent of the famous Black Hawk helicopter.
See more rooms from this project
Project designer Valerie Wills outfitted this living room with the Zanzibar table from Z Gallerie. As if its exterior weren't enough, antique maps lining the drawers add to the piece's intrigue. It's like a treasure hunt for adults. A tray ensures that drink spills don't mark any spot.
This cushioned ottoman doubles as a cocktail resting area with the help of a trays to suit the drinks being served. The wood base is covered in two fabrics that designer Lizette Marie chose to complement the surroundings.
Your turn: Please show us your cocktail table — post a photo in the Comments.
