What can I use as a coffee table?

My wife and I have sold our table set (dining, coffee and end) and are trying to think of some "out of the box" ideas for things to use as a coffee table... our style lately has been kind of antiquey, but we'd like something of a conversation piece (but still functional) for the living room. To give you an idea of where we're considering going with this, we've already looked at an antique wooden chicken cage and an old wood luggage trolley from a hotel. it doesn't have to be wood, but just not glass.

Come on you creative decorators! Help me out here!

I use a toy box that I keep toys in and just upholstered it to go in my living room. if you don't have toys you could store anything else. I padded the top so we could use it as a footstool too. I also have a cobblers bench I use in the family room. good luck!

A book about coffee tables.

Go to a garage sale if possible and find a chest about the size of a regular coffee table and go to the hardware store and buy some squatty legs and then just stain or paint and it is good for storage also.

I would find an old steamer trunk, maybe the leather type with the studded straps. You can see some of them on movies like Titanic and Mummy. it would be flat enough to put stuff on but its fairly unique and would definitely start a conversation. no idea were to find one except the internet, but specialty stores should have it.

is a trolley the same as a trunk? i've seen trunks used as tables and the gorgeous bonus is you can store lots of stuff inside

In the past, I've used stacks of vintage suitcase for end and coffee tables which not only look nice, but do double duty for storing magazines, photographs, and board games.

We've also used antique fruit produce crates, a very old beer keg, old piano benches, steamer trucks, a vintage radio flyer wagon (handle removed), WW2 ammunitions cases, and a vintage spool holder from an old notions store. anything with a flat surface will do the trick

If you like the idea of having a conversation piece, custom making it would be impressive, as well as, one of a kind.

You could start by salvaging an old door. Locally, I am able to go to a Habitat for Humanity Restore location that sells used items. they have a lot of old doors and windows. You could look for a door that has nice detail but no glass and one that you would be able to modify without disrupting the attractiveness of the door. You could cut the door down to a good size then sand the edges and paint the entire door. You can add detail by antiquing it...which is easy. You can find antiquing gels/paint at Hobby Lobby or Michaels.

You could also go a step further...if the door has some inset panels, you can buy some decorative material that looks like old tin and cut then glue it to fit inside the panels. You could paint the "tin" the same color (and seal it) as the door or purchase it in the color you want. This would look like the old tin ceilings that are so attractive. Home Depot has some of this material that you can purchase in square sheets that are meant for kitchen backsplashes. the texture on these sheets aren't as rough as the faux tin which may work better for cups or other items you place on the table that you don't want to tip over.

As far as the base goes, you can find an old coffee table and replace the top with the door. You can even purchase legs online (which I did for my kitchen) or go to Lowes or Home Depot to find legs. You may be able to attach the door to a chest or even use another matching door to make rectangular legs.

Anyway...just have fun with it!

Colette

Here are some:
http://www.homelement.com/products/Accen…
http://www.homelement.com/products/Occas…

Good luck!

What can I use as a coffee table?

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