Tag: C-table

Why the C-table is a design trifecta

Whoever invented the C-table must have had me in mind.

I have two C-tables. One of them, a red and black one, I keep near my favorite spot on the couch.

It holds my cup of coffee in the morning, my glass of wine at night and my bottle of water in between. I can’t live without it.

If you’re thinking, “She’s going to write another love letter to a table, isn’t she?” The answer is yes. This is a design blog, after all, and I hear personal stories are popular. (See published posts for “The story of an accent table,” April 13, 2020.)

Now back to the C-table.

I bought my first one at Pier 1 Imports several years ago. I was living at my condo at the time and space was at a premium.

I loved that I could move the table around to where I needed it.

The tabletop, legs and base are shaped like the letter C, allowing the base to slide under a couch or chair and the tabletop to practically rest on my lap.

I’ve used the table to polish my fingernails. I’ve used it as a TV tray. I set my phone on it. Notebooks. Laptop. You get the idea.

Even in the new house, the C-table is perfect.

I don’t have space on either side of the couch for end tables unless I block the flow of traffic in and out of the room. The C-table solves that problem.

I bought the second C-table during the construction of the new house. It is situated next to a chair in the living room. It hardly gets used but it’s there because I’m sure the time will come when I’ll need it.

To be honest, I bought the second C-table more for the green-leaf design that I’m brining into the living room. But that I found the perfect pattern in a C-table was a match made into decor heaven.

I’m being silly now. But these small wins in the design world are astronomical when it comes to furnishing a home. Function is key. Yes from the outside, it’s all pretty stuff. And sometimes that’s all it is.

But if you can design a space that is functional, stylish and comfortable, well that’s the design trifecta.

The C-table is a great alternative when space is limited. Photos by Cindy Hernandez

When to splurge on decor

So you’ve bought some decor on sale. You’ve shopped the clearance section. You even found some pieces at a garage sale.

But there’s a piece you just gotta have and it’s not going down in price anytime soon.

What do you do?

The rule of thumb I use is, if I’m still thinking about the piece the next day, the next week, the next month, I buy it.

Or if there’s nothing like this piece anywhere and it’s unique, a statement piece, a conversation starter, a head-turner and the presence of this piece will elevate the space, I buy it.

Take, for example, the ottoman with leaf motif from At Home Stores.

The price: $30.

Did I need it? Nope.

Did I want it? Yup.

I saw it on a shopping trip one Saturday, stayed thinking about it all week, and bought it the next Saturday. It can be used as an ottoman or as extra seating.

The fabric has a leaf motif that goes perfect with the C-table I bought at Pier 1 Imports. It adds color to the sea of grey and silver that’s running throughout the room. It’ll round out the nature look I’m going as I bring in more faux plants and succulents.

When you think of all that it does for the space, the ottoman was a steal at $30.

The ottoman with leaf motif adds color, style and function to the room, making it a steal at $30.
Photo by Cindy Hernandez