Occasional Tables

Occasional tables are small tables that can be placed anywhere in your home for a little accent. They can also be functional and seem to fill an unexpected niche quite thoughtfully. For example, you may want to place one just inside your entryway for you or your guests to put keys so they don't get lost or set down handbags while you take off your coats.

Consider the height and style of your occasional tables carefully. While other styles of tables lock you into form by way of their function, occasional tables don't have to be any particular height or size. You can put a low, round, circular table in your den, centered so that people on the couch and chairs can all reach it. You could place a much taller, narrower table in the hallway outside of a guest bedroom with a little lamp that visitors can turn on if they need to venture out of their rooms at night, or with a welcoming vase of flowers.

Occasional Tables for Storage

Occasional tables with cabinets can also be used for storage of items that you want to have in the room but don't necessarily want on permanent display. Board games, for example, are lots of fun and you may have guests who want to play them. That doesn't mean that you want the dog-eared cardboard boxes visible on a shelf or table-top all the time. Just keep your games in a table with a cabinet and they'll be right there when you need them. And children are sure to come across them without any prompting, as they can't resist looking behind closed doors.

If you have a beautiful wood occasional table, make sure that visitors know your policy about setting things on it. While it may not be your favorite option, it's usually advisable to have coasters on any table that guests might use to set down a beverage. You can find really lovely coasters, and you will be grateful when they save your wood from being stained by a thoughtless guest's or child's damp glass.