Coffee tables so often decorate the interiors of houses and reception offices that it begins to seem as if this element has always existed. In fact, it was invented relatively recently, only a couple of centuries ago. The invention is attributed to the English architect Edward Godwin. Initially, the table was called coffee and was used for tea parties during receptions. A little later, this furniture began to be taken outside the house and installed in a garden or gazebo. The first coffee tables were 70 cm high, and they were made by cutting the legs of ordinary ones. A little later, the bar dropped even lower to 45-50 cm, and they began to produce this furniture separately. The change in height may have occurred under the influence of eastern culture. They began to call the coffee table because of the tradition that a periodical should be kept on a special lower shelf. This interior element is also made of wood, plastic, metal, stone, glass and various polymers. You can do the decor of the coffee table yourself with the help of improvised materials: fabric, threads, glass, pieces of ceramic tiles, paints, boards.Usually decorate old furniture, which has a plain appearance to give it a new life. In the article, we will analyze in detail master classes using popular decoration techniques.
To decorate the table, we use four basic techniques:
Decoupage. The method of transferring and fixing the image on the decorated surface.
Mosaic technique. The table is pasted with numerous pieces of different sizes and colors. In cases where the level of skill allows, they add up to the picture.
Craquelure. The method of artificial aging of the surface, due to the formation of small cracks on it, which everyone saw in old paintings.
Painting. Decorating the table with hand-drawn drawings. Do not be afraid of this technique for those who do not have artistic talent. You can work with stencils.
Of the materials used to glue the tables, you can distinguish shells, glass, wooden fragments. A richly decorated element will look beautiful on its own and should not be overloaded with additional decor in the form of souvenirs, vases, trinkets and books.
Decoupage
To decorate the table using decoupage technique, you will need PVA glue, varnish, sandpaper, a primer and a “carrier” of the picture. Napkins, pieces of cloth, photographs, and even old wallpapers can play its role. If the table is made of wood, then it is pre-sanded or sanded so that the surface is perfectly smooth. Then a primer layer is applied. After it has completely dried, the table is lubricated with PVA glue. Then they attach a drawing or picture, fix it and wait until the composition “grasps”. To fix the image, it is successively covered with several layers of varnish.To design in a similar technique recommend only wooden or plastic surfaces. On a glass table, only a lace pattern will look original. Such an element can be put in the living room, decorated in a light style of Provence or shabby chic.
If pieces of dense fabric or wallpaper are used, then they must be carefully smoothed so that after drying there are no ugly folds left. Fix naughty fragments with clerical buttons. By the way, metal hats sometimes fit into the decor and remain after processing.
Mosaic
To start, the table needs to be prepared. Its surface is cleaned and treated with a single layer of paint from a spray can. After it has completely dried, the places where the mosaic pattern will be laid out are lubricated with special glue. You can use as pieces of old tiles of different colors, and a special grid tile, which is already divided into many small fragments. After the pattern is laid out, he is given time to fix. Then the seams are treated with grout, after which the entire surface of the table is washed. If the designer decided to leave the areas untreated with the mosaic on it, then before finishing work with the joints between the fragments, they must be covered with a cloth or sealed with masking tape.
A mosaic table will look great in the garden. It is often complemented by a set of chairs decorated in the same technique.
Painting
To create a painted table, you only need a brush, paints, stencil and varnish to fix the picture. If the surface is wooden, then it is first prepared:
Remove a layer of old paint, if any.
They grind the surface, thereby removing bumps and defects that can distort the image.
Coated with a primer to provide better adhesion between wood and paints.
If necessary, the surface can be painted in a neutral, background color (usually white).
Then a stencil is applied to a separate area. If necessary, it is fixed with buttons. The rest of the surface is carefully covered with masking tape or cloth. Now you can apply the drawing. After the paint has dried, the adhesive tape is removed and, if necessary, the image contours are brought with a thin brush. This will have to be done if the stencil does not fit snugly on the table and part of the pigment “spreads” beyond its borders. As for the color scheme, it is recommended to use contrast combinations:
White and black, red, blue.
Yellow and green.
Violet and gray.
Red and pink.
The choice of shades depends on the overall color composition.
Craquelure
Craquelure technique is an artificial aging of the surface. A special composition (PVA, gelatin, vinegar, egg whites) is applied to the still not completely dried paint layer. These substances contribute to surface cracking. Exactly the same spider web decorates paintings by famous masters. No restoration can save the canvas from the formation of a network of cracks over the years. The surface is prepared in advance (washed, ground, primed). Then apply a layer of paint. While it has not yet dried, you can supplement it with a second contrasting color and composition for cracking. Combined options look very original.
Craquelure technique is often combined with decoupage. Floral bouquets, portraits or landscapes in an oval frame against a cracked background look magnificent and incredibly similar to decorating antique furniture.
Mirrors
A great addition to the modern style, hi-tech, minimalism and even a loft will be a mirror table. Such an element of furniture will emphasize the severity and elegance of the environment. Making it yourself is quite simple. For work you will need:
Silver paint.
Liquid Nails.
Mirrors cut to size on order.
Strong box from a chipboard.
The mirror table will not have shelves inside, so you will have to store everything you need directly on its surface. So, the base box is covered with a layer of silver. This paint is sold in cans, is easy to apply and dries quickly. After that, mirrors are attached to the surfaces. They are simply “planted” on liquid nails. So that the fragments do not fall off before they stick, they are fixed with adhesive tape. After complete drying, it is removed, and the surface is thoroughly wiped. Simple tables are decorated with five mirrors exactly according to the number of faces, but the number of modules can be increased by decorating with a single piece only the top, that is, the countertop.
Shells
Of course, with shells you can finish ready-made "two-tier" tables, but a home-made model will look much more original. At any time of the year and in any interior, it will bring warm, pleasant memories of summer and the sea coast. To work, you will need:
Shockproof glass sheet.
Silicone gaskets.
A rope or twine from which you can twist its semblance.
Seashells, pebbles, starfish.
A plywood sheet is identical in size to glass.
Thick bamboo stems.
Fasteners.
Four bamboo stems are attached to the plywood base around the perimeter. The edge of the sheet is decorated with a twine rope. It can be nailed with small cloves or put on staples. Then bamboo and twine are covered with a layer of varnish. Next, you need to prepare places for fixing silicone gaskets. The plywood bottom is decorated with shells, asterisks and other “seafood”. Then fix the glass on top. The legs for such a table can be sawed off from the old one.
Wooden pads
A table decorated with pads is ideal for styles where everything natural is used. To make the original decor, you need a base box. It is noteworthy that its bottom should protrude beyond the walls by about 2-3 cm. This indentation is necessary to secure the bottom of the pads.So, tape measure the distance from the bottom to the top of the box. 2 cm is added to the obtained value - this will be the height of each block. After their preparation and processing, the elements are attached to the lower protrusion on the adhesive around the entire perimeter of the base. They are also glued together to provide greater strength. Then create a countertop. For its manufacture, pads with a height of 2 cm are used. The bottom of each is coated with glue and fixed to the surface of the base. After this, the cracks are covered with grout, and the table itself is varnished.
Veneering
If the coffee table is completely satisfied with the design owners, but its surface is already slightly frayed, then veneer sheets are applied to the old layer of wood. This natural material has an original pattern and has a rich color scheme. Fix the veneer with a cold and hot method. For the first, you will need a special technique (at least a press), but for the second, PVA glue, a sheet of paper and a hot iron are enough. The surface is cleaned and prepared for the procedure. Then it is covered with glue. After drying, the veneer is applied to the desired area, covered with a white sheet of paper and a hot iron is passed through it. Ugly air bubbles can form during the process. You need to get rid of them in time. It is enough to pierce a hole with a thin needle and press lightly so that the bubble deflates. Then the place is re-treated with a hot iron.
Combined table decoration
We have already mentioned one variant of the combination of techniques (decoupage and craquelure). The possibilities of the designer are not limited to this. Original look tables decorated with mosaics and partially painted. Typically, both techniques are used when applying different fragments of the same pattern. Shells can be laid not on plywood, but on the mirror bottom. Visually, the amount of marine wealth will increase, and if you add glass to them, which have been polished by waves for a long time, then the decor will sparkle and sparkle. Wooden blocks can be combined with a smooth veneered or glass surface of the countertop.
Conclusion
Self-decoration of a coffee table will be a fascinating process, if you approach it with a supply of creative ideas and a good mood. Homemade furniture, contrary to misconceptions, can have a very presentable and stylish look. From the traditional handemade there is almost nothing left in it.
With the fashion for the use of antiques, popularity has come to the decoupage technique and craquelure. Mirror surfaces have never lost their positions. Mosaic was widely used in antiquity and continues to be used in the same (and not only) style. The painting has always been considered the standard of beautiful decor. Seashells became an integral part of the marine style, and the pads were integrated into the situation in parallel with the eco-direction. For any interior, you can choose the original decor of the coffee table and arrange it in such a way that the author’s element is in harmony with the rest of the decoration.
Coffee tables so often decorate the interiors of houses and reception offices that it begins to seem as if this element has always existed. In fact, it was invented relatively recently, only a couple of centuries ago. The invention is attributed to the English architect Edward Godwin. Initially, the table was called coffee and was used for tea parties during receptions. A little later, this furniture began to be taken outside the house and installed in a garden or gazebo. The first coffee tables were 70 cm high, and they were made by cutting the legs of ordinary ones. A little later, the bar dropped even lower to 45-50 cm, and they began to produce this furniture separately. The change in height may have occurred under the influence of eastern culture. They began to call the coffee table because of the tradition that a periodical should be kept on a special lower shelf. This interior element is also made of wood, plastic, metal, stone, glass and various polymers. You can do the decor of the coffee table yourself with the help of improvised materials: fabric, threads, glass, pieces of ceramic tiles, paints, boards.Usually decorate old furniture, which has a plain appearance to give it a new life. In the article, we will analyze in detail master classes using popular decoration techniques.
Content
Ways to make tables
To decorate the table, we use four basic techniques:
Of the materials used to glue the tables, you can distinguish shells, glass, wooden fragments. A richly decorated element will look beautiful on its own and should not be overloaded with additional decor in the form of souvenirs, vases, trinkets and books.
Decoupage
To decorate the table using decoupage technique, you will need PVA glue, varnish, sandpaper, a primer and a “carrier” of the picture. Napkins, pieces of cloth, photographs, and even old wallpapers can play its role. If the table is made of wood, then it is pre-sanded or sanded so that the surface is perfectly smooth. Then a primer layer is applied. After it has completely dried, the table is lubricated with PVA glue. Then they attach a drawing or picture, fix it and wait until the composition “grasps”. To fix the image, it is successively covered with several layers of varnish.To design in a similar technique recommend only wooden or plastic surfaces. On a glass table, only a lace pattern will look original. Such an element can be put in the living room, decorated in a light style of Provence or shabby chic.
Mosaic
To start, the table needs to be prepared. Its surface is cleaned and treated with a single layer of paint from a spray can. After it has completely dried, the places where the mosaic pattern will be laid out are lubricated with special glue. You can use as pieces of old tiles of different colors, and a special grid tile, which is already divided into many small fragments. After the pattern is laid out, he is given time to fix. Then the seams are treated with grout, after which the entire surface of the table is washed. If the designer decided to leave the areas untreated with the mosaic on it, then before finishing work with the joints between the fragments, they must be covered with a cloth or sealed with masking tape.
Painting
To create a painted table, you only need a brush, paints, stencil and varnish to fix the picture. If the surface is wooden, then it is first prepared:
Then a stencil is applied to a separate area. If necessary, it is fixed with buttons. The rest of the surface is carefully covered with masking tape or cloth. Now you can apply the drawing. After the paint has dried, the adhesive tape is removed and, if necessary, the image contours are brought with a thin brush. This will have to be done if the stencil does not fit snugly on the table and part of the pigment “spreads” beyond its borders. As for the color scheme, it is recommended to use contrast combinations:
The choice of shades depends on the overall color composition.
Craquelure
Craquelure technique is an artificial aging of the surface. A special composition (PVA, gelatin, vinegar, egg whites) is applied to the still not completely dried paint layer. These substances contribute to surface cracking. Exactly the same spider web decorates paintings by famous masters. No restoration can save the canvas from the formation of a network of cracks over the years. The surface is prepared in advance (washed, ground, primed). Then apply a layer of paint. While it has not yet dried, you can supplement it with a second contrasting color and composition for cracking. Combined options look very original.
Mirrors
A great addition to the modern style, hi-tech, minimalism and even a loft will be a mirror table. Such an element of furniture will emphasize the severity and elegance of the environment. Making it yourself is quite simple. For work you will need:
The mirror table will not have shelves inside, so you will have to store everything you need directly on its surface. So, the base box is covered with a layer of silver. This paint is sold in cans, is easy to apply and dries quickly. After that, mirrors are attached to the surfaces. They are simply “planted” on liquid nails. So that the fragments do not fall off before they stick, they are fixed with adhesive tape. After complete drying, it is removed, and the surface is thoroughly wiped. Simple tables are decorated with five mirrors exactly according to the number of faces, but the number of modules can be increased by decorating with a single piece only the top, that is, the countertop.
Shells
Of course, with shells you can finish ready-made "two-tier" tables, but a home-made model will look much more original. At any time of the year and in any interior, it will bring warm, pleasant memories of summer and the sea coast. To work, you will need:
Four bamboo stems are attached to the plywood base around the perimeter. The edge of the sheet is decorated with a twine rope. It can be nailed with small cloves or put on staples. Then bamboo and twine are covered with a layer of varnish. Next, you need to prepare places for fixing silicone gaskets. The plywood bottom is decorated with shells, asterisks and other “seafood”. Then fix the glass on top. The legs for such a table can be sawed off from the old one.
Wooden pads
A table decorated with pads is ideal for styles where everything natural is used. To make the original decor, you need a base box. It is noteworthy that its bottom should protrude beyond the walls by about 2-3 cm. This indentation is necessary to secure the bottom of the pads.So, tape measure the distance from the bottom to the top of the box. 2 cm is added to the obtained value - this will be the height of each block. After their preparation and processing, the elements are attached to the lower protrusion on the adhesive around the entire perimeter of the base. They are also glued together to provide greater strength. Then create a countertop. For its manufacture, pads with a height of 2 cm are used. The bottom of each is coated with glue and fixed to the surface of the base. After this, the cracks are covered with grout, and the table itself is varnished.
Veneering
If the coffee table is completely satisfied with the design owners, but its surface is already slightly frayed, then veneer sheets are applied to the old layer of wood. This natural material has an original pattern and has a rich color scheme. Fix the veneer with a cold and hot method. For the first, you will need a special technique (at least a press), but for the second, PVA glue, a sheet of paper and a hot iron are enough. The surface is cleaned and prepared for the procedure. Then it is covered with glue. After drying, the veneer is applied to the desired area, covered with a white sheet of paper and a hot iron is passed through it. Ugly air bubbles can form during the process. You need to get rid of them in time. It is enough to pierce a hole with a thin needle and press lightly so that the bubble deflates. Then the place is re-treated with a hot iron.
Combined table decoration
We have already mentioned one variant of the combination of techniques (decoupage and craquelure). The possibilities of the designer are not limited to this. Original look tables decorated with mosaics and partially painted. Typically, both techniques are used when applying different fragments of the same pattern. Shells can be laid not on plywood, but on the mirror bottom. Visually, the amount of marine wealth will increase, and if you add glass to them, which have been polished by waves for a long time, then the decor will sparkle and sparkle. Wooden blocks can be combined with a smooth veneered or glass surface of the countertop.
Conclusion
Self-decoration of a coffee table will be a fascinating process, if you approach it with a supply of creative ideas and a good mood. Homemade furniture, contrary to misconceptions, can have a very presentable and stylish look. From the traditional handemade there is almost nothing left in it.
With the fashion for the use of antiques, popularity has come to the decoupage technique and craquelure. Mirror surfaces have never lost their positions. Mosaic was widely used in antiquity and continues to be used in the same (and not only) style. The painting has always been considered the standard of beautiful decor. Seashells became an integral part of the marine style, and the pads were integrated into the situation in parallel with the eco-direction. For any interior, you can choose the original decor of the coffee table and arrange it in such a way that the author’s element is in harmony with the rest of the decoration.