Friday Favorites: Small Tables

This Week’s Favorite: Small Tables

I love small tables. If you took a trip down to our basement, you’d see just how much! Over the years, I’ve collected quite a few, and in our smaller home they work incredibly well. A small table gives you a place to set a cup of tea, a lamp, a good book, or a few seasonal pieces right where you need them, without taking up much room.

There are so many kinds to love: end tables, drink tables, nesting tables, C tables that slip over a sofa arm, pedestal tables, garden stools, and slender accent tables for an entry or hallway. Each one can move from room to room as your needs and the seasons change.

End Tables

My end tables get redecorated often, and they really don’t need much. This deep blue end table holds a lamp, a ginger jar set on a couple of burlap-wrapped books, and plenty of open space to set down a cup. The lower shelf is a bonus, so a pair of white ceramic artichokes and a few more books fill it without crowding. Swap the smaller pieces with the seasons and the table always feels fresh.

Drink Tables

A drink table is small but mighty. This black spindle table tucks right beside a chair, so there’s always a spot for a cup of coffee or the book you’re in the middle of reading. A favorite book and a vase of fresh flowers are plenty. The dark finish adds a little contrast to a light room, and because it’s so light, it moves easily wherever guests gather.

How To Use Drink Tables

Beside a reading chair. A drink table gives you a place for a lamp, a book, and your glasses right where you sit.

Between two chairs. One small table can serve both seats, which works well when space is tight.

At the end of a sofa. When a full end table feels too bulky, a drink table offers a spot for a cup without crowding the room.

On a porch or patio. A drink table beside an outdoor chair makes morning coffee or an evening glass of iced tea easy to enjoy.

As a bedside table. In a small bedroom or guest room, a drink table holds a lamp and a book while leaving the room feeling open.

When guests come over. Pull drink tables into the living room so everyone has a place to set a plate or a glass.

Also Loving This Week

Item I’m Loving: A Blue And White Ginger Jar

I absolutely LOVE this ginger jar. It’s almost 16 inches high and makes a big statement in our home, and turned it into a lamp.

You can see easy directions HERE to make it without any wiring. I actually bought a second ginger jar so I could use it as a beautiful piece of accent decor.

A Small Habit

Every night after dinner, I clean my kitchen sink and wipe down the counters before turning off the lights. It only takes a few minutes, but waking up to a clean, clear kitchen makes the whole morning feel calmer and more welcoming. It’s a simple habit that gives back more than it asks.

Something I Watched

We recently hosted a dear friend and her sweet grandchildren for dinner and a movie, and we chose Hachi: A Dog’s Tale. It’s the true story of a dog’s remarkable loyalty to the man he loved, told so gently that it works beautifully for all ages. The adults loved it every bit as much as the kids. If you’re planning a family movie night this fall, keep a few tissues close by.

12 Weeks Until Christmas: Or 77 Days

Christmas Things To Do

1. Make a master gift list by person with budget notes
2. Plan parties, family gatherings, and outings

Home Organization

Set up or straighten a gift-wrapping and craft supply station, and keep going through your Christmas decor, culling what you love and letting go of the rest.

You Choose

Choose one thing personal to you and your family that is not on the list. My choice this week is buying new comforters (red and white stripes) and flannel sheets for the new bunk room.

Fun

Make or buy a Christmas ornament for your tree.

Personal Note

I’m in the middle of picking out tile for our basement bathroom. It’s a small room, so the main floor and the shower floor will be the same tile, with a simple, complementary tile on the shower walls. I’m having a hard time choosing between two very different directions. Should I go bold with a deep green, or keep it simple and traditional with white and neutral tones? My good sense says go simple, especially with resale in mind someday. But since it’s a basement bathroom, I’m feeling a little adventurous. I’d love to hear what you think, so leave me a comment and let me know which way you’d go.

Before You Go

As the season moves toward November, take a little time to browse my Fall Archives here on StoneGable. You’ll find plenty of late fall decorating ideas to carry your home well past the pumpkins, along with Thanksgiving table settings, centerpieces, and simple ways to welcome family and friends for the holiday. It’s a lovely place to gather inspiration for the weeks ahead.

Happy Friday, friends…