How the Coffee Table originated from a husband’s quest to please his wife.

This one resonated with us, as we are a husband and wife business (and we love Coffee Tables!)

Having delved into the origins of how the coffee table came about, we see that an F Stuart Foote of the Imperial Furniture Company in Grand Rapids, Michigan is credited with its invention – apparently, because his wife was about to host a party in their home and wasn’t sure where her guests were going to put their cups and glasses.

Quick thinking Stuart trimmed the legs off a dining table, and the coffee table was born! His company then went on to sell his invention which became incredibly popular. This was helped by the fact that coffee soon became the most popular beverage in the States, moving from actual coffee houses into the home. Well-to-do, stay-at-home ladies would host parties at home, whilst in the workplace, the large coffee companies lobbied employers to give their workers coffee breaks!

Well done to Stuart who pleased his wife and boosted his bank balance at the same time!

Putting a hot drink onto a table was not a new idea entirely though, as tea tables certainly originated much earlier in the history of furniture, dating back to the time of the Ottoman Empire. In Ancient Japan low tables were used in tea rituals. Tea became more popular in Europe in the early 18th century when the British East Indian Company struck a deal with Canton’s tea.

The first tables made specifically for use with coffee in Britain however, seem to have been made in the late Victorian era. The coffee table then became a stalwart of the British living room, ideal for enhancing a small space and often placed in front of the sofa.

We love our coffee tables at Bonnie Hame, and the more eye-catching and unusual the better. Our current range has gems such as the stylish Sandford, with its smoky brown glass base and smooth gold circular top. Coffee table sets of varying heights are popular now, such as the Hathaway, with emerald green and grey glass bases, or the Huxley nesting tables which fit together to save space. The Art Deco style Dalton holds only one cup or mug, but also has room for your glasses and the TV remote control.

Coffee tables are a brilliant way of expressing your personality in home décor. The next time you go to put down your coffee mug give the table an extra glance. Beginning life as a functional item, the coffee table has become a thing of beauty- you can’t imagine a well-dressed room without one!

Have we got you thinking? To browse our full range, click here. We know they’ll be something perfect for your ‘hame’.