So you know what that means right?
Present time! I don’t know about you but I find husbands the very hardest to buy a present for. I always seem to get him a watch, a book and some shoes. He subsequently now has lots of books and watches and pairs of Converse. This year I actually got organised MONTHS in advance and asked our friend Col, to make a piece of furniture for Rob that I could give him for his birthday. Do you like what I did there? A little something for Rob, that was actually a little something for me too. And it was ready yesterday! So we managed to get it in our hot little hands a few days early.
Ever since we had kids, we haven’t had a coffee table. In our terrace house we literally didn’t have the space and with little people around the floor was needed for playing and stuff and little people. Well not any more. No! We now have a GROWN UP LOUNGE ROOM! Complete with hot table!
If you read the last issue of BEVERLEY you might have seen Col’s story about his furniture making. He sources the wood from the paddock and creates some beautiful objects, furniture and platters. The timber from our table comes from an old house down the road. The steel from another old place in the Village. How good is that? Pretty bloody good I reckon.
But now! I have the VERY important task of styling a coffee table. You just can’t say I don’t tackle the really important issues on here…you just CAN’T. So tell me! What goes on a coffee table? As in a vignette type scenario? I’ve had a crack and came up with books, candles and a GREEN RABBIT. Clearly help is required. And because I am crackers I have looked on Pinterest and can see that there is all kinds of options: trays, books, plants…STUFF. I made my clever sister in law send me a picture of her hot coffee table for inspiration, unfortunately her 4 year old had just made it the office for her play home handy business she had set up and had a whole lot of other, non vignettey (so IS a word) stuff on it, so I’m out of luck there.
If you are someone who would even begin to place inanimate objects arranged in a vignette fashion on a coffee table, what do you have on yours? Tell me! I’m all ears! If not, then please click away without sniggering too loudly. THIS STUFF MAKES ME HAPPY. And yes, it’s a green rabbit. What of it?
You can learn some more about Col’s beautiful stuff on his website here or on his Facebook page here. He even has a special album on our new table here.
I would dance on that hot looking coffee table ANY day. Col certainly is a clever clogs with loads of talent. As for the gift that keeps on giving? Well played Beth! 😉 xx
As Col actually knows me, he put extra reinforcements underneath for table top dancing that you know will occur in the years to come!
I always moon over Samantha Wills vignettes, and her coffee tables do not disappoint…. not sure if it’s too joozhy, but it sure is pretty.
http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-ywZ_r3eMGMQ/UVIiTlo5-FI/AAAAAAAAJLA/6DdfvUFLIZY/s640/Samantha-Wills-by-Trent-Bailey-Photography-00003.jpg
See, I could just look at that pretty for HOURS. I see glass bottles. And flowers. And lots of STUFF. It’s totally not about using it for anything other than pretty STUFF is it? Got it!
So lovely to have something like that – knowing its origins makes it extra special. On my coffee table I have a stack of books but not in a neat pile just kind of carelessly strewn. I also have a glass medicine bottle thing which I’ve filled with peacock feathers and I recently planted a round glass vase (from the $2 shop) so it looks like a terrarium. Of course there’s no room to put an actual cup of coffee but I like it! Good luck!
Ahhh terrariums! Yes! I’ve actually been wanting to get one of these bad boys for some time now: http://www.squigglyrainbow.com/ thanks for the reminder!
I love, love, love that table.
We have a HUGE coffee table…which is wonderful because Toddler C can spread out and get his toddler on but it is awful because it is always dominated by toddler stuff. I really want to downsize, reclaim the coffee table as adult space and maybe get Toddler C his own little table? And this is exactly the sort of coffee table I would like.
As for styling it, the wood is so beautiful I wouldn’t do much at all.
I think you might just be right. Harps has already pulled up her little toadstool and used it as a desk lots of times already. It’s perfect!
Love the table, it is exactly what i’m looking for to go under a wall mounted tv so i can put baskets of the kids toys underneath ! If you take the slip covers off your books they will look alot more “vignette-ish” and add more character and a little potted faux succulent in a rustic looking pot would look fab too. These marble pears are just gorgeous too – http://store.maisonetjardin.com.au/Marble-pear-stained-Small_p_238.html
They are some HOT pears. Thank you. LOVE the idea of baskets underneath too… genius!
That is a lovely table Beth and an awesome Birthday present for Rob,I love it! I have one of those huge distressed coffee tables with big drawers and on mine I have a big glass blue bowl with those caney balls in it ,a magazine/book cane box and a vase with flowers and a wooden handmade box with essential oils and some cool coasters that are handmade glass with mermaids on them ,but I am sure you can do a better job at tablescaping than me ,I love the green rabbit you just put things you love and it will look right,well that is what I think.
Thanks Lisa! As ever! You are very kind x
I’d love to know where you go the sign? (It’s almost Rob’s Birthday)?
Yes! It’s fab right. That was my Christmas pressie to Rob! See what I did then too? It’s from an Australian company I got it from a shop down here but this is them…I think? http://www.top3.com.au/categories/candles-and-lighting/lighting—decor-objects/pg33-cinematic-light-box/
Mmm wot about you naked on it hahaha well it is his birthday present after all…. Just saying:)
Rob? Is that you?
Our coffee table is a very old NZ Kauri pine blanket box that my Great Grandfather made and my Dad restored. I love it. But vignettes (I had to scroll up to see how to even spell it), ummm, no. Ours has remotes, magazines and feet on it. That is all.
I LOVE that vignette. Feet. Remotes. Mags. I know that trio well Ingi!
where are the cute little tealights from please?? Love the coffee table and excellent idea of reinforcing for table dancing. That has been known to happen at our house too!!
I’m not sure Linda…they were an Easter present from my Mum.
You will find on my old cheap ikea coffee table, a terrarium and a ceramic bowl by the divine Gregory Bonasera gifted for my wedding day by a very dear friend, filled with currency from our travels together. Puke! I just read that back to myself and realized what a wanker I sound like. But anyways, it is what it is.
It IS. And I like it. Filled with stuff that means something. I get it Bec.
crap was on our coffee table so I got rid of it…. and our place is too small. We now have an Ottoman which has CRAP on it.
Any flat surface in our house accumulates CRAP and JUNK!
so no, I cant tell you how to style a coffee table. Unless you count bills, jumpers, shoes, childrens homework and various other bits and pieces as stylish……
I know that flat bench space problem…sometimes less is more right?
Great present…
I have a beautiful custom made coffee table too…sigh….I used to fancy it up, not anymore….
I just don’t know what fancy is anymore…sigh…
But I do remember dancing around and around a coffee table one night, I didn’t even have any bruises the next day, it was a hoot. Sigh!
You are VERY busy. That’s where that fancy went. You’ll get back to that dancing one day…promise!
My hot tip is to check out Anna Spiro’s website & blog for plenty of tablescape inspiration. Claire
Oh Claire I bow down to the altar of Anna Spiro. TABLESCAPE. What a word!
We are coffee table less at our house. First house way too small. Now house I waver between yes and no. Love Rob’s. Well chosen
Thank you! I am very pleased with the outcome!
I brought my coffee table back out of hiding only a month or so now that the kiddoes are 3.5 and somewhat less inclined to smash their heads open on it, and have been struggling with making it look pretty. Trays, vessels and flowers seem to be KEY according to the Everygirl : http://theeverygirl.com/feature/how-to-style-a-coffee-table/
Gorgeous table. There’s something about reclaimed timber. Good choice.
Thanks Jen – great link thanks so much!
Good Wife Points in the bag Beth! Erm, shouldn’t Rob get to decorate the table with whatever his heart desires, it is afterall his present, isn’t it? : )
Matthew, if you haven’t worked it out already, this coffee table has NOTHING to do with Rob at all!
I shall follow your lead and buy Anna a nice bottle of whisky for Mother’s Day, like your style.
Great coffee table. What goes on a coffee table you ask? Well, in this house it is Lego and kids crap. Not very pretty.
Can i just say that the country side is so beautiful. We have moved to North Queensland and I so miss the hills of Gerroa where we used to spend our weekends and your photos remind me of this beautiful time of year. My hubby made us a coffee table out of massive pieces of timber. We styled it with an enormous round tray filled with rocks from the garden – as there was a crazy 2 year old around – the rocks were so heavy that she couldn’t budge them. People thought we were crazy to have rocks and kids together but after a while the kids didn’t even notice them. Love your style and site – thank you.