When you have a full-scale obsession with old things, it’s rare to buy the same item twice. I might buy variations on items — collections, if you will. I have a hard time walking away from the perfect chinoiserie chair or an ornate gilded frame that needs a new home. But new items? I’ll buy them if I really need them but, otherwise, they don’t exactly get me excited.
The one exception is a cocktail table. I don’t find them particularly easy to source secondhand, but I have a few go-to tables that I use throughout my home, including one from Target that I own multiple of.
A Little Cocktail Table in Every Room
I use a cocktail table — typically, a small pedestal table that’s 10″ or less across — in every room. I use one in the bedroom next to a chair for holding a cup of coffee while I get ready in the morning. A cocktail table in the living room and one in the parlor are perfect for a drink while hanging out. There’s one by every seat. Yes, there’s even one in the bathroom, where it holds a small lamp in an otherwise dark space.
I always tell people, think about your coffee table. Is it actually functional? Do you actually want to lean that far forward every time you want to grab your drink? Absolutely not. A cocktail table eliminates the awkward reach.
And, I swear, I find an excuse to incorporate a cocktail table into every design project I work on. And, while not every client buys every single item I recommend, this is one that is nearly always a must-purchase. Most often, I recommend this table from Pottery Barn or this darling marble version from Greenrow. It’s not unusual for a client to come back and request another table or two, which is exactly what I would expect. You can never have too many tiny little tables.
