Coffee or Cocktail?

But certainly not a tea!

Table that is.

I think they originally were called coffee tables

and they really date to 1920 when the President of the Imperial Furniture Company

decided to cut down the legs of a table and when he saw the result, it occurred to him that it was suitable for placement in front of the sofa and a perfect place to set down one's coffee

In the 30s, the repeal of Prohibition brought about another name for the low table in front of the sofa --

Cocktail Table!

We always called it a "coffee table"

And it's what I think of when I think of the tables that are longer than they are wide.

Big chunky ones, whether round or square

are

"Cocktail tables"!

In our living room, our coffee table

was really a cocktail table

Brass and glass with a Chippendale feel

And it was a nice table

But . . . 

I hated the glass -- it needed spritzing every morning

The area where the glass fit into the brass was a perfect catchall for little crumbs

And the brass needed polishing

So for the last year, whenever I've been anywhere, I've looked

for a coffee table

I found one that I liked but it was an Empire sofa table

(which could be cut down)

But with a $599 price tag

It wouldn't be coming home with me!

I was picky --

My wish list:

a solid top -- no groves (to catch crumbs -- been there done that)

no glass - which is the major reason I wanted a new one

no brass - or at least not an unprotected brass

one that is easy to move -- I always felt like I was going to mess up that table trying to move it to clean under it and that was sometimes a daily chore

I did like the look of the table

As big as it is, the glass made it seem like it wasn't so much

And it did look nice in front of the sofa

And yesterday, while we were in the city,

we visited a favorite Thrift Store

(which didn't have anything I would be even remotely interested in)

And so I decided to go to a favorite furniture consignment shop

I walked in

And right there in front was this!

It was "my" table!

It would not have been Husband Jim's first choice

But he did understand the cleaning issues

And so we bought it

And this morning I made the swap

I like it

It's not as big and so makes the living room seem more spacious

The wood is a nice change from the brass and glass

I think it goes well with the other furnishings

It is small and so the books have been moved

And on top there is a plant in a brass jardiniere, a Waterford ashtray (which we use as a coaster) and a Waterford biscuit jar

I love the smooth top of the table!

Easy to keep clean!

And I like the way it looks in the living room

Classic!

It's Monday and I'm joining Susan at Between Naps On The Porch for Met Monday