The design of the living room will be incomplete if it lacks a multifunctional piece of furniture - a coffee table. Manufacturers offer a wide range of products of this type, so choosing at first does not seem like a difficult task. However, upon closer examination of the options, it becomes clear that the purchase requires a serious approach and consideration of many factors.
How to make a coffee table
To work you will need:
- drawing;
- hardboard;
- legs and fastenings to them, which can be purchased at a building materials store.
Progress
- On a sheet of paper with the size of the planned table, draw what shape you want the table to have. It can be round or oval, square or rectangular, or perhaps you want a triangular table.
- After the workpiece on paper is ready, you can transfer it to a piece of hardboard and cut out the tabletop along the contours.
- Process the edge and apply varnish.
- Attach the legs to the table.
At this stage, the work is completed, and the coffee table for the living room can delight the owners.
Using the same scenario, you can make a table from chipboard, MDF or natural wood. But natural wood needs to be sanded and then varnished.
Mechanical brutality: Industrial Scissor Lift Table Iron Restoration Hardware
Want to add brutality to your living room? Check out the all-metal Industrial Scissor Lift Table Iron Restoration Hardware, which is height adjustable using a wheel on the side. The model is suitable for masculine loft-style interiors, but get ready for the fact that guests who find themselves in your living room for the first time will definitely want to spin the wheel and evaluate how this unit works.
Photo: loft-concept.ru
Photo: loft-concept.ru
How to make a folding table
Among the options for coffee tables, the folding table is very popular.
To make it yourself, you will need everything the same as in the previous version, but you need to add a spring mechanism. It is attached to through hardware. After this, the table can be folded out. If there is not enough free space in the room, then it is better to make a table with a folding table top and legs. It can be made either from solid wood or using pallets.
Such tables are not used for storing items. But if you are smart, you can consider equipping the table with additional drawers. Only after this the table will no longer fold out.
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Underframe
The tabletop can rest on 4, 3 or 1 leg. Their shape depends on the overall design of the product: massive straight, graceful curved, openwork, made of forged parts.
The angle of inclination also varies.
Many people prefer tables with a central support and a wide base.
The presence of a roller system will allow you to freely move the table as you wish. High-quality fittings operate silently, provide good maneuverability, and do not damage the floor covering.
What helps improve the functionality of the table
Wheels on the bottom of the legs. With their help, it is convenient to move the table around the room without fear that the legs will scratch the floor covering.
Pull-out drawers and storage niches. They are convenient for having the necessary items on hand. They store magazines and newspapers, remote controls for equipment and books, and other small items.
Devices that are mounted on a table for a laptop or phones.
Lifting tabletops or retractable ones, which are used if you need to get a larger table area.
Tabletop materials
The appearance and functionality of the product largely depends on the countertop. First of all, you should decide on the material of execution so that the model does not come into dissonance with other furnishings.
- The tree occupies the leading position. The wood used in production is oak, beech, maple, larch, birch, and pine. Solid wood products are durable, reliable, beautiful, do not pose a health hazard, but are quite expensive. It is also worth taking care to comply with special operating and maintenance conditions. To maintain an attractive appearance, it is necessary to avoid temperature changes, low and high humidity, and mechanical stress. Regularly treat with protective impregnations and renew varnish.
- Wood boards with decorative veneer and laminate coating are used for the manufacture of budget furniture. Weaknesses: low design variability, shorter service life, low reliability. The danger is more toxic than the fumes that chipboard releases when the top layer is damaged. For residential premises, materials of classes E0 and E1 are allowed, which must be confirmed by a certificate.
- Plastic will please you with its reasonable price, bright colors, minimal weight, easy care, and resistance to moisture. However, its strength leaves much to be desired; the surface of the product quickly becomes scratched, fades when exposed to sunlight, and does not tolerate contact with hot objects. In addition, cheap types of plastics can release harmful substances.
- Glass gives the model an airiness, visually enlarges the space, and adds light. Available in transparent, matte and tinted versions. The glass surface is easy to care for, but you will have to do it often. It is not afraid of moisture, but there is a risk of damage from careless handling. Don't discount the high cost either.
- Natural or artificial stone will provide the table with high strength and great weight. Such products are quite expensive, but have an almost unlimited service life. However, natural stone is quite capricious. Due to its porosity, traces of spilled liquids may remain on its surface, and care requires special means.
Based on their design, the following types of countertops are distinguished:
- solid;
- folding;
- sliding;
- rotary.
The first option does not have special devices for changing size and shape; its appearance always remains unchanged. Products that can transform look more attractive. This ability increases functionality and at the same time promotes efficient use of space.
The lid of the sliding model consists of two parts. Thanks to the guides, they are moved to the sides, and an insert is placed between them. The round coffee table takes on an oval shape.
In some models, the tabletop folds in half. The truncated shape allows you to place the table close to the wall, thereby saving space. And when needed, the table quickly transforms.
When assembled, the item looks as compact as possible. To increase the working surface, it is enough to rotate the lower part around the lateral axis.
To organize a workplace, it is enough to raise one half of the tabletop.
Models with the function of changing height and increasing size can replace a traditional dining table.
What are the options for coffee tables?
As you can see, there are many options for coffee tables, and there is no need to buy them in a store if a person can make it himself with his own hands. By investing in materials and fittings, you can get analogues much cheaper than they are sold in furniture stores.
But by making an interior item according to your own sketch, you can achieve the individuality of the product. Craftsmen come up with many options for coffee tables, and make them from scrap materials.
Frame
The frame takes on the main load and ensures a stable position of the tabletop.
For its manufacture, it is better to choose materials with a high margin of safety.
- Tree.
- Metal.
- Wood boards.
The frame design also includes additional parts:
- multi-level shelves;
- open and closed compartments;
- drawers;
- spacious cabinet support.
What can a table be made from?
From an old barrel, if you cut it in half and connect the convex parts. Then one part will serve as legs, and the table top is attached to the second. The barrel is sanded and painted or varnished.
From old suitcases. Plywood is attached to the bottom of the suitcase, and carved legs are screwed to it. The suitcase acts as a table top. If you cover it with white paint and apply a design, then it will be nice to have a tea party on such a table in the yard or garden. This table has storage space.
From pallets or trays. They are assembled in the form of a table and processed with sandpaper. Then they are opened with varnish. This stool has space for storing items.
From car tires. They are covered with twine and a tabletop is attached to the top.There are a lot of options for making coffee tables, and the main thing is to find your own style so that the interior is transformed with a new piece of furniture, and it is used functionally.
Aged harmony: Industrial Metal Rust Triple Table set
Brutal design again, industrial chic again: a set of Industrial Metal Rust Triple Tables. The basic package includes three tables in the same style, which allow you to create a table of the ideal shape for your living room and change it if necessary.
Photo: loft-concept.ru
Photos of coffee tables
Where to buy the product
Currently, there is no shortage of furniture stores. They grow like mushrooms after rain, constantly expanding in volume and regularly updating their range. Global manufacturers try to please their fans by releasing new products every year and using innovative technology in the manufacturing process. Which company is better to purchase products depends on many factors, including a person’s personal preferences. IKEA is very popular.
You can order a product for your home online in an online store. The recommendations of experts are as follows. Before placing an order, you need to familiarize yourself with the rating of quality products, view the photos provided on the site, and study user reviews. There are times when a product arrives of poor quality or with obvious damage. This is especially true for glass and plastic tables. Therefore, before picking up the structure from the delivery point, open the packaging and check it for mechanical damage.
