Home Entertaining, Lifestyle, Tabletop
Upgrade your Coffee Table or Dining Room Table
Make a statement with cool accents and fabulous conversation starters.
A lesson I learned from my mother: if it has dust on it, it’s been out too long. The lesson from that idea may not be what you immediately think. She tended to toss things out and wasn’t very fond of collecting (even silver I’m sad to say). BUT she did like to change out her home décor from season to season so that the whole house seemed to constantly renew itself. Truly, one of the only things that stayed the same was the amazing Chinese Red silk wallpaper she had put on the ceiling in the living room!
The focal point of your living room is your coffee table. It really is the center of the room, you literally sit at it. For that fact alone, it’s probably one of the first things in your whole house that your guests notice. Imagine what happens when you go to a friend’s home and you see this beautiful Fabergé egg on the coffee table. You know the kind – intricate porcelain design – amazing colors. It’s a fabulous egg. It’s gorgeous. But year after year it’s in the same spot and is never moved. It now becomes a boring egg, doesn’t it? What fun is it once everyone has seen it so often that it becomes ‘old news’?
Because it is the center of attention, the coffee table is potentially your best tool for starting conversations. If you want to be a star in home entertaining, this is your stage. At least, it’s one of them. From the time that guests first arrive until the last one leaves; what’s on your coffee table can trigger icebreaker conversations. Sometimes there’s a lull in the conversation but the décor on your coffee table can help keep the ‘buzz’ going.
True story: a friend of mine collects what she calls “stupid stuff” like toys and bobbleheads. It is kinda silly – I have to admit – and I’m not the biggest fan. But there we were at a recent gathering, laughing and giggling over these silly things. It really started off a great evening on the right foot. She’s a terrific cook and always serves some of the best food and drink but I think it even made everything she served taste that much better.
Let me put one big caveat on what I mean by “changing out” your home décor. I don’t mean to say you shouldn’t be attached to certain items in your home, even if they have to be dusted off, from time to time. But, think about what can easily be refreshed which might mean only adding a couple of items but moving what you do love to different spots so that they look new.
I have some examples that can start wonderful conversations. They’re easy upgrades for your coffee table or dining room table: cool accents that will set off just about any room. Watch my video to see them in my home.
Let’s start with what we can call the center attraction. I’m already getting ready for a spring look (it’s been pretty sunny here in Cali), so I looked around and found glass sculptures from Kosta Boda. I fell in love with a piece called “My Wild Life” by master glass artist, Ludvig Löfgren. The pieces are not mass produced – each piece is a unique work of art.
Then I found a collection by Michael Aram that I think complements the room. I selected a piece called Butterfly Ginkgo Centerpiece that’s made from natural bronze and nickelplate. The Ginkgo Biloba or Butterfly Ginkgo is a tree that has leaves that look like butterflies.
I liked the Kosta Boda piece so much that I went back for more and found these colored glass brick candle holders that are especially lovely for tea lights. Remember, design looks best in odd numbers – in this case three, especially candles and candle holders. And if you don’t like the hassle of real candles, I recommend flameless candles from Crate and Barrel.
Finally. A nice ‘coffee table’ book is always a great way to set off a conversation. If you pick a travel book, make it someplace you’ve been or is on your ‘bucket list’. I have books about Italy, India, and places all over the U.S. Other types of books work – depending on your interests: historic photojournalism (e.g., great moments in history), art books, astronomy, architecture, flowers – or even pets, if you have a penchant for cute and cuddly.
The point is – make the centerpiece the center of conversation. That means it should change with your life and the seasons. Your guests will love it. And to be honest, so will you!
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