Coffee tables decorate the interiors of homes and reception offices so often that it begins to seem as if this element has always existed. In fact, it was invented relatively recently, just a couple of centuries ago. The invention is attributed to the English architect Edward Godwin. Initially, the table was called a coffee table and was used for tea drinking during receptions. A little later, this furniture began to be taken outside the house and installed in the garden or gazebo. The first coffee tables were 70 cm high, and they were made by cutting off the legs of ordinary ones. A little later, the bar dropped even lower to 45-50 cm, and this furniture began to be produced separately. The change in height may have occurred under the influence of Eastern culture. They began to call it a coffee table because of the tradition that arose of storing periodicals on a special lower shelf. This interior element is made from wood, plastic, metal, stone, glass and various polymers. You can decorate a coffee table yourself using available materials: fabric, thread, glass, pieces of ceramic tiles, paints, planks. It is common to decorate old furniture that has an unsightly appearance to give it new life. In this article we will analyze in detail master classes using popular decorating techniques.
Mirrors
Mirrors have always added mystery and expansion to a home. Reflective surfaces, whether on the wall or on furniture, always increase space and are appropriate in the smallest rooms. Well, by decorating a coffee table with a mirror, you can get an unusual piece of not just furniture, but decor. You can use either the whole canvas or its small pieces. A mirror mosaic or a “broken” mirror looks original, refracting more light. To get small pieces, the mirror cloth can be placed between two wet wipes and lightly tapped with a hammer - this will prevent the fragments from scattering to the sides.
Most often, only the table base is decorated with a mirror, but you can go even further and decorate the legs of the table by ordering a mirror of the required size in the workshop:
Please note: to fix the mirrors, you must use a special glue that does not damage the back part - the amalgam.
Well, the legs can be easily repainted in the desired color.
Types of decoration
At the first stage, you need to decide - is it really necessary to change the appearance of the furniture? Often this should be done if it no longer fulfills its functions - operational and aesthetic.
You can make unique and attractive decorative coffee tables yourself. First, the degree of change is determined. In most cases, the design remains the same - the color changes. But the easiest way is to install decorative items - books, boxes, trays, vases, etc. The choice is determined individually and depends on personal preferences and capabilities.
Decorating a coffee table can be done in the following ways:
- Applying a pattern or decorative material to the tabletop;
- Installation of a new covering - glass, plexiglass, wooden panel;
- Modernization is the addition of new components that will become an integral part of the design.
Most often, the choice is made on the first two methods, since the third involves the use of special tools and skills in working with wood or metal. To decide what to put on the coffee table for decoration, you can check the contents of the cabinets and mezzanines. Old books, a small radio in a wooden case, or similar things would look good in a classic interior. The classic solution is to install a vase.
Before you start changing, you need to select the material in advance and draw up the final design. To do this, you can attach decorative material without installation and check its consistency with the rest of the interior details.
Glass
There are several ways to use glass to decorate a coffee table.
- Option 1: using glass with photo printing. Glass with an applied ornament or photo printing is simply glued to the base, and the legs can be painted in any color. Frosted glass with ornaments will be original.
- Option 2: bars are attached around the perimeter of the tabletop, on which the glass is laid. Any items for decoration are placed under it: colored sand, buttons, beads, shells, pebbles, memorable items. It is better to attach glass to the bars, but for this you need to make holes in it (it is better to order glass where they can do this).
- Option 3: very thick glass is used, simply placed on the tabletop, and photographs, compositions of dry leaves, fabric or paper are placed under it. Since the material is very heavy, there is no need to fasten it; with its weight it will tightly press all the elements.
You can decorate the glass with your own hands: on the back side (the one that will lie on the table) any design is applied through a stencil. This move is relevant if your table has a glass top, but you want to update its appearance. You should choose colors that contrast with the table; you can use both stained glass and acrylic paints - they are more resistant to moisture and safe, since they do not emit toxic substances into the air.
Installation of mosaic tape
This technique is less labor-intensive, but differs from the one described above in limitations in appearance. This is due to the range of ready-made mosaics. There is an option to do it yourself. But since they prefer to decorate a coffee table with minimal cost and labor, the choice is made with factory-made mosaic models.
Surface preparation will require a lot of effort. It should be taken into account that the mosaic will have a certain thickness. Best of all, its upper plane will not protrude above the surface of the countertop. Therefore, restrictive sides are made of decorative veneer, the height of which is equal to the thickness of the mosaic.
Stages of work execution.
- Cleaning surfaces.
- If necessary, apply a layer of paint.
- After drying, a preliminary mosaic layout is performed. If the drawing is prefabricated, it is best to number each element.
- Adhesive base. To do this, it is necessary to use special compounds that will not damage the wood material. The layer should be the same thickness.
- Installation of mosaic.
After the glue has completely hardened, you can begin to use it. But before doing this work, you should check the compatibility of materials. This is especially true for wooden surfaces.
Often, the decor of a coffee table with mosaics is done not only for living rooms, but also for so-called “wet” rooms - the bathroom, dressing room, etc. In this way, the protective properties of the structure are improved, since a layer of varnish and mosaic prevents exposure to moisture.
Original ways to decorate a table with your own hands, master classes
Old tables can last a long time if they are properly cared for. But sometimes you get tired of furniture and want something new. In this case, you can make a table decor with your own hands, suitable for any interior. Thus, without large investments, you can completely change the look of your living room, kitchen or workplace.
- Basic Techniques
- Creative methods for decorating table surfaces
- Table decor
- Color combinations
- Location rules
- Master class on decorating
- Old table surfaces
- Creating a composition for the kitchen
- Video
Basic Techniques
There are many ways to decorate your table with your own hands. It may seem difficult, but in reality, all you need is an idea and free time. High-quality table decor requires accuracy, patience, and you don’t have to be an artist to create. There are two main methods of decoration:
- finish the surface itself, mask imperfections in order to completely change the look of the furniture;
- use decorative elements for decoration.
The second method is suitable for those who are satisfied with the quality of the surface and do not want to radically change the design. Table decorations are convenient - you can always easily change them, without wasting effort and time, updating the interior every day. The original decor will look especially beneficial on a coffee table. An interesting tablecloth usually only emphasizes the beauty of the kitchen, but it is better not to overload the workplace with table decorations.
Before decorating a coffee table, you need to assess the condition of the tabletop. The choice of decoration method will depend on this.
Transformable coffee table for the living room
When choosing a coffee table for the living room, clearly think about what “responsibilities” you assign to it. If you need a decorative element of the interior, then take a closer look at the unusually shaped tables that are often offered by various designers.
The table in the living room can be decorated with fruits
However, if you want to get not only a coffee table, but also a dining or computer table all in one, then you should look at folding models - transforming tables. With a little effort, in just one minute, you can transform your unimpressive coffee table into a full-fledged dining area for several people.
Where to start
Any finishing, in construction, room decoration or decorative art needs preparation. Before you start decorating an old piece of furniture, you need to remove the old paintwork. You can use all suitable means for this: from sandpaper to special solvents. It can be especially difficult to work with Soviet lacquered tables, because they were made to last.
Whatever method of removing old paint or varnish you choose, you cannot skip the next step: the table must be thoroughly cleaned with fine sandpaper.
Then the item is inspected for cracks or holes that need to be repaired with wood putty. The dried composition must be sanded again.
The next mandatory step is applying a primer. This is the only way to be sure that the decorative layer will not fall off over time, and that the varnishes/paints will apply more evenly. After the primer mixture has dried, you can begin decorating.
There are several ways to decorate a coffee table, and we will tell you about them.
Ceramic tile
There are no limits to the imagination of modern designers and a variety of materials are used to achieve a certain goal.
If none of the above methods for decorating a coffee or coffee table suit you, pay attention to the following unusual methods.
You can decorate the surface of any table in an original way using ceramic tiles. The only difficulty is to select the required quantity according to the size of the table. You can decorate it in different ways: lay out an original panel in the center, framed with monochromatic elements, or come up with a geometric pattern (zigzag, checkered pattern, squares, herringbone) - such decor will look original and fresh.
How to decorate a coffee table with ceramic tiles: master class
For work you will need:
- the tile itself or a panel made from it;
- adhesive composition (you can use liquid nails or dilute special tile adhesive);
- spacer elements “crosses” (the smaller they are, the thinner the joints between the tiles will be);
- you can use any grout, but epoxy is more practical and reliable;
- rubber spatula for applying grout;
- notched glue spatula;
- sponge;
- several clean napkins (both wet and dry).
First, decide on the pattern of how you will lay out the tiles: it is better to lay them out on a flat surface so that the pattern on the panel matches. The tiles should be laid the way they will lie on the table.
Then the material needs to be prepared: wipe the tiles from dust with a napkin - the back part should be dry and clean. We hope you have already prepared the surface of the table.
Apply the adhesive composition to the surface of the table with a notched trowel, laying each tile on it, carefully pressing down with your hands so that there are no bumps. Place crosses between the elements. Wipe the adhesive off the face of the tiles as needed.
Please note: you should not apply glue to the entire surface of the table at once, otherwise it will have time to dry by the time you reach the last tiles.
After gluing, leave the table to dry for at least a day.
The next step is to fill the joints with grout. We hope you have chosen the appropriate composition and read the instructions on how to use it. Fill all the seams with a rubber spatula; remove excess with a damp sponge. As you fill, remove all spacer crosses from between the tile joints. If necessary, create seams using either your gloved fingers or a rubber spatula.
Once all the seams are filled, remove excess grout from the face of the tiles with a dry cloth, being careful not to touch the seams. Leave to dry for at least a day. Wet cleaning of the table can be carried out according to the instructions on the grout packaging.
Non-classical solutions
You can still adhere to the rule of three (it's foolproof), but the groups can be changed.
For example, not flowers or a living plant, but a bowl of fruit. Not books, but a board game.
painting
The easiest way to change the appearance of furniture is to apply a pattern. The choice of sketch is made independently. It is important that there is a technical ability to do this. This method often works well for wooden surfaces.
First, the countertop is cleaned of the layer of varnish and old paint. To do this, you can use sandpaper and a sanding machine. Old layers should be removed carefully so as not to damage the wood.
Then you need to complete the following steps.
- Selecting a picture. You can apply it yourself or use special stickers or old magazine covers.
- Using a simple pencil, outlines are drawn and painted over.
- You can use masking tape to define the processing boundaries.
- After some time, when the paint has dried, a layer of varnish is applied.
These are the most common ways to change your appearance. It is important that the protective surface layer is as strong as possible. Under unavoidable mechanical stress, scratches should not appear on it.
When opening the varnish, you need to make sure that it completely covers the design. The paint layer is not allowed to protrude above the protective surface.
