Table...Proper and Pretty

Your color is lovely, your drape beautifully, and your favorite is perfectly positioned near the window with a view of your .  One thing is missing; the perfect table.  You’ve got to have a table, right?  You’ve otherwise created the perfect spot to sit and chat on the phone, sip your morning or steal a few precious moments to read a , newspaper, or magazine. But where to manage the mug?  Where to lay the ?  Where to properly position the pictures?  

Finding the perfect table sounds like an easy task...until you actually set out to do it.  Too tall?  Too round?  Too square?  Too big?  Too small?  It’s enough to make you want to crawl into the above-mentioned chair and cover your head with the throw pillow!

Here are some rules of thumb to help you in your search.  It’s about visual balance, visual weight, and that golden rule of “form follows function”. 

You should take into consideration your body height when you are sitting in the chair.  Hopefully your elbows rest comfortably on the arms of the chair without strain or slumping.  Your table height should be no lower or higher than two inches above the top of the arm.  The shape of the table should also be taken into consideration.  Are you forming a corner in a seating arrangement?   Consider a square, rectangular or round top.  If you are nestling the chair and table beside a window, round or oval shapes are perfect to create a harmonious space and follow the recommendations of feng shui by allowing the curves to softly move the energy, or chi, of that space.

If you want a on your table, you should be able to sit comfortably in the chair and not be able to see the light bulb in the lamp, so a lamp base of approximately 15 to 18 inches, depending on your body height, is a good size range for your table top lamp.

Now that you have your table size and shape determined,  perhaps you will want to add a table skirt.  Skirting a plywood table is an incredibly easy way to add extra storage to your room.  Tuck of basket of your underneath, or a or a tub of coupons to be clipped. 

Depending on which size you select, you might be able to find ready-made table skirts at .  These ready-made sizes are generally 72” round, which is very limiting.  Making (or selecting custom-made) skirts  using that are complimentary to your décor is the ideal solution.  Consider using the same color and patterned fabric as your drapes or main upholstered piece, perhaps with a kerchief cover over the full size table cloth in a contrasting or textured design with tasseled or fringed ends for a beautifully detailed finish.  There are many patterns and instructions available through an .

You might also want to consider a glass top for your new table, cut to size and shape with polished edges from an area glass supplier. Peace of mind from the damage of drips or spills and protection of your table cloth or wood surface is worth the cost of  the glass.  It’s easy to make a template by putting your table face down onto a sheet of old newspaper, trace around the table edge neatly with a marker, and deliver it to the glass cutters.  They can have your glass top ready for you usually within 24 hours.

Once you’ve determined your height, shape, and details of your new table and it is nestled beside your favorite chair, go ahead and take a seat, a deep breath, and welcome yourself to your new favorite spot in the house!