Hi moms,
I love these two mid century tables. Technically, I guess they are night stands, but I'm curious if they would work as end tables flanking my couch. The only thing that may not "work" is that at 18" deep, they would be a bit short depth-wise for people sitting on the couch to put drinks on, etc. But could I float them out from the wall, or would that look too weird in the end? What do you think? The dimensions are 26" W x 18" D x 20" H
Thanks for your opinions!
http://vintageandbeyond.files.wordpress.com/2013/04/dscf3...
Yes, couch is a Cameron sofa from Crate and Barrel:
http://www.crateandbarrel.com/cameron-sofa/s596920?a=1552...
Okay, so some great food for thought here, thank you so much! I took the advice of several of you and mocked up some cardboard of the same size last night and SADLY, I don't think the size will work after all. Too wide and not enough depth. DARNIT. I've been admiring these babies on Craigslist for months and months and months. The guy first listed them at $600/pair but now has dropped price down to $300/pair so I really was trying to find a way to make them work. Unfortunately, I already have nightstands in our master bedroom that I like and have no where else to put these. Oh well. Thanks for helping me avoid a mistake! :)
I think they're cool. They didn't look like night stands to me, either. I can see these next to a couch.
Ya know, anything can be used for anything.
You can use the tables as you wish.
If it works, great.
If not, then place it elsewhere.
Really.
And main thing, it reflects YOUR personality.
I worked in interior design. Got a degree in it too.
I love your tables.... great pieces! Looks like something I would buy myself. ;)
It could be used anywhere.
I like the tables. The style looks like it would work in a living room, if it works with your sofa.
Height is the most important factor, for function and looks. HOWEVER, I think these pieces really were meant to go against the wall, and the fact that they are much wider than they are deep could make them look a little awkward when used as living room end tables, because I think they will look odd if pulled out substantially from the wall. Also, because they are so wide, you have to have a very large sofa, or the scale will be wrong.
I don't know LeeLee, I think it's iffy, actually. I have quite a large sofa -- it's quite deep and about 128" long, and I think your end tables might look a little massive next to my large sofa, so if yours is any smaller, it's hard to envision. (I took out the measuring tape and visualized it.) One thing that's critical, if you get them, is in addition to having a large sofa is that you must have a fairly large room. I think they will definitely look out of place in a small-ish living room.
I think the idea to cut out cardboard is a good one, especially if these will be difficult to return. If you can easily bring them back to the store, then definitely try them out. But if you have to have them shipped, I think you should create a mock-up, because I really think there is a good chance you aren't going to be happy with the way they look when pulled out from the wall.
As long as the scale of the sofa and night stands work together (difficult to tell from photos) go for it! If ordering online make sure the tables can be returned inexpensively in case you get them next to the sofa and don't like them together. A room looks more interesting if you use a piece in a nontraditional way.
I have round end tables flanking my couch and they are floating about 8" from the wall. They are about 28" round however.
Not sure if the 18" depth, even if it is pulled out from the wall will just look too small. If I were you I would cut a piece of card board with those dimensions (minus the height😊) and ask someone to hold it up next to your couch or use a chair for balance so you can see what it would look like.
These would look fine in the living room. If you're concerned about size, get some cardboard boxes and duct tape and mock up a couple of these "night stands" to see how they would fit next to your couches. Sometimes it's not the depth but the scale of the piece that makes an arrangement work. Move the boxes around. It might look nice to have one next to the couch and the second one up against the wall across the room.
I don't believe furniture should only be allowed for one thing, in fact my night stand is actually an old flip top desk. I even know people who use old suit cases stacked up for night stands or end tables. Just do what you like.
Tables don't need to be against the wall. The style matches great, go for it.
They are a bit industrial for my taste, but that being said, if you love them then go for it. Are your couches modern and sleek? I bet some modern lamps will look great. And storage - got to love that.
I read somewhere that an end table should be about an inch shorter than the couch. I went home and realized that mine are higher since they are antique. Oh well. Who will notice?
So go for it.
while these pieces are not my cup of tea, i really love when people use furniture and other bits and pieces of life to suit them, and don't feel constrained by arbitrary rules.
floating them out from the wall could be weird, or it might not be noticeable at all. it's probably one of those things you'd have to try and see how it looks. if they are too shallow, could you put a tall 'interest' piece behind 'em. you know, a statue of anubis or something<G>.
post a pic when you've done it and let us see!
:) khairete
S.
The most important factor for an end table is not so much the depth, but the height. So, if the tables are about the same height as your sofa? Should be fine.
they look like a lot of the furniture from ikea. i think you could use them in the living room an office or the bedroom. versatile pieces are a really good thing to have.
Honestly, if they are too short, it will stick out and look awkward. Already they look a little long for the couch based on dimensions.
I wouldn't use 'em. but that is what I think. Heck, I am no interior decorator, so if you like them, use them. to remedy the height you can get posters that screw in the bottom and use those to raise the height.
Those are nice!!!! If I walked into someone's living room and saw them it would never occur to me they were for a bedroom instead. They're nice, neutral pieces style-wise.
Looks great to me! I love vintage pieces used in unexpected ways.
You could turn them sideways. So that the doors open away from the ends of your sofa, rather than to the front. That would make them both deeper and narrower. win-win.
And why not? Unless your sofa is crammed up against a wall so there would be no access to the doors, why would it matter which direction the doors open? And, even if your sofa is up against a wall, unless you need the storage space, you could still do that. Unless the flat ends of the tables are damaged so that you wouldn't want that "inside" side exposed...
Design-wise, I think these would look great pairing with the couch.
What about building a temporary table or platform 18" tall to just try out the feel of it? Just stack up books high enough to get the right idea..How easy is it to place a glass of liquid on it? Our couch is very tall and we ended up using an antique book table on one end for drinks. (The other side is just out of luck, no room!)
