I bought a 1950s ranch house and set out on sourcing a coffee table that would best fit my very narrow living room. My mom and I were at a Salvation Army one Saturday morning just browsing to see if there were any good candidates for a project, when I stumbled upon this big ugly round 1970s rattan coffee table. It was like love at first sight! I immediately saw what it could be and excitedly talked my mom through my idea of a modern gray coffee table that could show off my love of wine and provide my four dogs with a nice spot to rest. We purchased the table and awkardly crammed it into her SUV so we could get it home. My dad is very handy, so I knew he would be on board with this recreation.
First step was to remove the rattan pieces from the top and three sides. Then we sanded the table down and primed it. When looking at paints, we explored a lot of options, but ultimately my dad recommended General Finishes Milk Paint in Seagull Gray. We used a paint sprayer to apply it and it went on beautifully. Its very durable and was the perfect neutral gray I was looking for!
After the paint dried and cured, we cut a piece of plywood to sit under the top and provide a bottom for the decorative top I was creating - using wine corks. We attached the plywood piece (also painted in Seagull Gray) and moved on to the three side panels.
The three side panels alternate with three openings to provide a cozy little den underneath the tabletop, and I envisioned a neutral upholstery with nailhead trim to bring a soft, modern touch. My mom and I selected a durable off white fabric and nailheads at a local upholstery store in Bartlett, TN to complete that look. Dad focused on curving three thin pieces of plywood to support the upholstery. It was a bit of a beast to upholster three slightly curves pieces of wood, but the three of us made it happen!
For the finishing touches, I had a piece of glass cut to fit the top and set to work placing hundreds of corks underneath the glass. At the same time, my mom was cutting a piece of foam into a circle and sewing a cover to create a soft, easily washed dog bed for the bottom of the table!
Since we finished the table, my dogs have claimed it as their favorite spot to relax and I have continuously updated and added new corks to the tabletop, replacing duplicate corks with new and unique ones!
