10 Great Rustic Coffee Table Ideas

Coffee tables are a key piece of furniture in any living room, and a rustic coffee table can add even more character. They usually take the center space in the room, where our eyes are drawn too, and are a fantastic opportunity to bring more color and texture into the home, on top of the useful functions it provides for our daily lives. The first ever coffee tables were low and wide rectangular or circle tables intended for hosting tea in Britain, but their usage has expanded worldwide and so has their style. Coffee tables can be made and purchased in almost any material and any shape, and can even be combined with other items of furniture, such as ottomans or shelving, to create a clever and multipurpose unique piece of furniture.

Since the ‘shabby chic’ trend exploded in the 2000’s, people have been clambering over antique, rustic, and any other type of furniture that looks and feels ‘old’ and worn. The trend glamorizes run-down pieces of furniture that aren’t expensive to buy or update, to create a bright and welcoming atmosphere in the room. Floral patterns, sanded wooden furniture and mismatched tableware and home decorations are also prominent features in the trend.

More refined and perhaps masculine than ‘shabby chic’, is the fashion of bringing rustic pieces of wooden furniture, like coffee tables, into modern homes. Traditionally shaped, bulky, and a little bit worn – these pieces can put a fantastic twist into any contemporary home. Often left untreated so that the table can reflect the marks and dents it’s earned through years of family life, the best rustic tables are chunky, brown shades of wood and often imperfect. Genuine vintage pieces made from solid oak are fantastic pieces, and their makeup and craftsmanship has allowed them to stand the test of time, which means they are durable can withstand any pressures you might place on them, from heavy ornaments to informal (and sometimes messy) family dining. Rustic coffee tables are reminiscent of classic farm houses, informal, family-orientated and a relaxing place away from the hardworking farm, but they also complement the ‘Victorian Gothic trend’, which uses lots of raw materials, such as wood and metal, to create a dramatic and intense home atmosphere. Dark woods are ideal for this interior design movement.

Rustic coffee tables are charming, welcoming, warm, and comforting. They bring warmth and a hint of traditional family life into your living room, which might be what you need when juggling children, work, and any other everyday pressures and considerations. The best pieces, which have achieved their own natural rustic style, will pop up at vintage fairs and antique sales, but since rustic is now a very popular home trend, you can also purchase rustic style coffee tables from high street furniture stores, department stores, and online. There are so many sizes and styles available to suit all budgets and lifestyles. If you enjoy getting your hands dirty, you can reclaim an old piece of furniture and transform it into a rustic coffee table by adding more visible fixtures such as nails and screws, give it a rougher finish with sandpaper, and use a wood stain to give it a deeper and warmer color.