Do-it-yourself coffee table decor +50 photos of ideas

Coffee tables so often decorate the interiors of homes and reception offices, that it begins to seem as if this element has always existed. In fact, it was invented relatively recently, just 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 make outside the house and set it in the 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 the steel was manufactured separately. The change in height probably occurred under the influence of Eastern culture. The coffee table began to be called because of the arisen tradition of storing periodicals on a special lower shelf. This interior element is made of wood, plastic, metal, stone, glass and various polymers. The decor of the coffee table can be done by yourself with the help of scrap materials: fabric, thread, glass, pieces of ceramic tiles, paints, planks. Usually decorate the old furniture, which has an unpretentious look to give it a new life. In the article we will examine in detail the master classes with the use of popular decoration techniques.

Ways to design tables

To decorate the table, we will use four main techniques:

Decoupage The method of transferring and fixing the image on the surface to be decorated.
Mosaic technique. Table pasted numerous pieces of different sizes and colors. In cases where the level of skill allows, they add up to a picture.
Craquelure. The method of artificial aging of the surface, due to the formation of small cracks on it, which are all seen in old paintings.
The painting. Table decoration with do-it-yourself drawings. Do not be afraid of this technique to those who do not have artistic talent. You can work with stencils.

From the materials that are pasted over the tables, you can select the shells, glass, wooden fragments. The richly decorated element will look beautiful on its own and should not be overloaded with additional decoration in the form of souvenirs, vases, knickknacks and books.

Decoupage

To decorate the table using decoupage technique, you need PVA glue, varnish, emery paper, primer and “carrier” of the picture. In its role can be napkins, pieces of cloth, photos, and even old wallpaper. If the table is made of wood, then it is pre-sanded or sanded so that the surface is perfectly smooth. Then put a layer of primer. After its complete drying, the table is smeared with white glue. Then they apply a picture or a picture, fix it and wait until the composition "grabs". To fix the image, it is sequentially covered with several layers of varnish. Only wooden or plastic surfaces are recommended to issue in this technique. On the 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 you use pieces of thick fabric or wallpaper, they must be carefully smoothed, so that after drying there are no ugly folds left. Fix the naughty fragments with clerical buttons. By the way, metal caps sometimes fit into the decor and remain after processing.

Mosaic

To start the table must be prepared. Its surface is cleaned and treated with a single layer of paint from a can. After its complete drying, the places where the mosaic pattern will be laid out are smeared with special glue. It is possible to use both pieces of old tile of different colors, and a special net 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 unprocessed by the mosaic, then before finishing the work with the joints between the fragments, they must be closed with a cloth or sealed with masking tape.

Mosaic table will look great in the garden. It is often supplemented with a set of chairs decorated in the same technique.

Painting

To make a painted table, you only need a brush, paint, stencil and varnish to fix the picture. If the surface is wooden, then it is first prepared:

Remove the layer of old paint, if any.
Sand the surface, thereby removing irregularities and defects that can distort the image.
Coat with primer to ensure better adhesion between wood and paint.
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 picture. After the paint is dry, the adhesive tape is removed and, if necessary, the contours of the image are fed with a thin brush. This will have to be done if the stencil does not fit snugly to the table and part of the pigment has "spread" beyond its borders. As for the color solution, it is recommended to use contrasting 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 layer of paint. These substances contribute to the cracking of the surface. Exactly the same cobweb decorates paintings by famous artists. No restorations are able to save the canvases from the formation of a grid of cracks after years. The surface is prepared in advance (wash, grind, ground). Then put a layer of paint. While it is still dry, 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 oval frames on cracked background look great and incredibly similar to the decoration of antique furniture.

Mirrors

A magnificent addition to the modern style, high-tech, minimalism and even a loft will be a mirror table. Such an element of furniture will emphasize the severity and elegance of the situation. To make it yourself is quite simple. For work you will need:

Paint silver.
Liquid Nails.
Mirrors, cut to size on order.
Durable box of chipboard.

Mirror table will not have shelves inside, so you will need to store everything you need right on its surface. So, the base box is covered with a layer of silver. This paint is sold in cans, is conveniently applied 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 are glued, 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 with exactly the number of faces, but the number of modules can be increased by decorating only the top, that is, the tabletop with a solid piece.

Seashells

Of course, you can finish the already finished “two-tier” tables with shells, but a homemade 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 will require:

Sheet of impact resistant glass.
Silicone gaskets.
A rope or a twine from which it is possible to twist its similarity.
Sea shells, pebbles, starfish.
A sheet of plywood is identical in size to glass.
Thick bamboo stalks.
Fasteners.

Four pods of bamboo are attached to the plywood base along the perimeter. The edge of the sheet is decorated with a twine rope. It can be nailed with small carnations or put on staples. Then the bamboo and twine is covered with a layer of varnish. Next, you need to prepare a place for fixing the pads of silicone. Plywood bottom is decorated with shells, stars and other "seafood". Then fix glass from above. The legs for such a table can be sawed off at the old.

Wooden pads

The table decorated with pads is ideal for styles that use everything natural. For the manufacture of original decor will need a box-based. It is noteworthy that its bottom should protrude approximately 2-3 cm behind the walls. This indent is necessary to secure the lower part of the pads. So, the tape measure the distance from the bottom to the top of the box. To the resulting value add 2 cm - and this will be the height of each pad. After their preparation and processing, the elements are attached to the lower ledge on the glue along the entire perimeter of the base. Between themselves they are also glued to provide greater strength. Then create a countertop. For its manufacture using pads with a height of 2 cm. Bottom of each coat with glue and fixed on the surface of the base. After this, the slits are covered with a grout, and the table itself is varnished.

Veneering

If the coffee table completely suits the owners by design, but its surface is already slightly worn, then veneer layers are applied to the old layer of wood. This natural material has an original pattern and is characterized by a rich color range. Fix the veneer cold and hot method. For the first, you 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 it dries, the veneer is applied to the desired area, covered with a white sheet of paper and passed through it with a hot iron. During the process, ugly air bubbles can form. They need time to get rid of. It is enough to pierce a hole with a thin needle and gently press it so that the vial is blown away. Then the place is re-treated with a hot iron.

Combined table decoration

Above we have already mentioned one variant of the combination of techniques (decoupage and craquelure). These features are not limited to the designer. The tables decorated with mosaics and partially painted look original. Usually 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 sea wealth will increase, and if you add glass to them, which have been polished for a long time with waves, the decor will sparkle and shine. Wooden pads can be combined with a smooth veneer or glass surface of the table top.

Conclusion

Independent decoration of the coffee table will be an exciting process if approached with a store of creative ideas and a good mood. Home-made furniture, contrary to delusions, can have a very presentable and stylish look. From the traditional handemade there is almost nothing left.

With the fashion on the use of antiques, came to the popularity of the technique of decoupage and craquelure. Mirror surfaces never lost their positions. Mosaic is widely used in antiquity and continues to be used in the same (and not only) style. The painting was always considered the standard of beautiful decor. The shells became an integral part of the maritime style, and the pads were integrated into the environment in parallel with the eco-direction. Under 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 furniture.