Tables are a surface where we leave the flotsam of the day’s life – keys, change, earrings and pieces of paper. They are often the centre of a room, be it a dining table, desk or a place to put a lamp and a book. Let’s talk tables!
The Dining Table
Call me old fashioned but I love a big dining table. Don’t be afraid of the size. We bought a French nineteenth century, fruit-wood farmhouse table that has had a bit of wear and tear and has one slightly wobbly leg! Check out the size of your dining area and its proportions that would suit a table. The rule of thumb is to allow around 110cm between the table and wall with the ability to push a chair back. Think of how often you have people around, and how many. Do you need extensions so you can change the length? Having lived in a small New York apartment we placed our table against the wall of the kitchen and pulled it out when we had guests. Our neighbour had a coffee table that had extendable, levered legs to transform it in to a dining area.
Feng Shui practitioners prefer wood as a natural material and recommend avoiding modern glass-topped dining tables. Rounded edges and turned legs are on the Feng Shui list. If you prefer metal, avoid sharp edges where possible. If you are renting, think out of the box. We bought an outdoors wood and wrought iron table. We white washed the top and it looked modern and cool in a studio.
Coffee Table
First, what are you going to use it for? I confess we use it for books but also to put our feet on! So it needs to be the correct height with the cushions of your sofa and ideally around three quarters of the width of the sofa. Consider trunks and boxes if you need storage. If you can manage it, avoid sharp edges. Our glass coffee table has a soft rounded metal edge which avoids Feng Shui poison arrows. Don’t be afraid to think outside of the box, paint, cover, colour! In our French shoebox space, we chose a classic oval coffee table that added warmth to the room and mixed with the modern and the old.
Side Tables
Bedside tables are often tricky as they need to be the right height for lights and for the bed. Keep this in mind. It was tricky in France as the space is tight. We had a lovely French tradesman who was a plumber, carpenter and just about everything else! He made two floating shelves that just fitted in and we were really thrilled with the soft light in the bedroom.
Outdoor Tables
I am not a fan of the classic plastic faux weave outdoor tables you see. The best advice I was given was to see the balcony or garden as an outdoor room and dress it as such. As I say, think outside of the box, use indoor furniture outside if the area is sheltered. We hd Chinese side tables outside and they were easy to keep clean and look dramatic.
