Both the ordinary and the designer interior of the living room, bedroom, dining room or office space will be decorated with a glass coffee table. Glass furniture comes to the fore in the use of designers in interiors of various styles, and coffee or coffee tables are unique interior items not only in their functionality, but also in aesthetic appearance.
Features and Benefits
New materials processing technologies and production methods have made it possible to use a rather fragile material - glass in furniture production. Furniture made entirely of glass, or only with a glass surface, first appeared at exhibitions of interior design elements relatively recently. Since 2015, glass furniture has been among the top most used elements of room decor, and glass coffee tables are widely used in interiors of various styles.
A table with a glass top or an all-glass coffee table has a number of features and advantages, what supports the constant demand of both interior designers and ordinary buyers:
- Stylish and location versatility: a variety of models of glass tables allows you to choose the right model for a room in any style. The glass table can be used in the living room, hall, dining room, bedroom, etc.
- Wide functional range: a glass coffee table is a decorative element of the interior, a place for storing magazines, books, as well as for serving dishes, a surface for board games for the whole family.
- Strength and lightness designs - the glass surface looks airy and light, does not clutter up the space of the room, and at the same time, this modern material is quite durable. strong, safe.
- Ease of care - dust is easily removed and does not accumulate on the surface, pathogenic organisms do not multiply on the glass, ensuring its hygiene.
- Glass is environmentally friendly and non-allergenic material.
- Durability of use products - the strength of the structure allows you to preserve the original appearance of the product for many years, and the design and main material of the product retain the current appearance of the product in the interior
- Aesthetic versatility - a glass coffee table complements and completes the furnishings of the room in the chosen style, and can also refresh the existing interior.
- Combinability of base material: The coffee table can be made entirely of glass, or the glass top can be mounted on a base made of wood, metal, plastic, stone, etc.
- Variety of shapes and design features of the product: unusual and classic forms, mobility and transformation of the product due to the design features are presented in the design of glass tables.
Glass tables also have a number of disadvantages: glass is considered a cold material, the surface of the tabletop requires increased care in order to avoid damage to the surface, and there are traces of hands or dishes from touching the tabletop.
Despite a few shortcomings, glass coffee tables remain the leader in living room and office interiors due to their design features and functional benefits.
Material combinations
The table structure consists of a base (frame) and a table top. Glass is a product in which the main part of the table top is made of glass. In the design and production of glass coffee tables, the following combinations of glass top with other materials are used:
- Solid wood - maple, oak, larch, beech and other valuable tree species are used for the base, as well as for decorating glass countertops. Cold glass products get a cozy and warm feeling thanks to the wooden elements.
- Metal - the base of the table can be made of hand-forged author's element, on which the table top made of transparent glass is attached. Such a product will become an art object in any room. The metal frame in bronze, chrome, with gold or silver plating is produced in an industrial environment and is a four-, three- or single-support structure for a glass table top. Metallic blotches or embellishments can also be present on the countertop as decorative elements.
- Natural materials (rattan, animal horns, bamboo stems, etc.). Rattan glass coffee table bases are a common material combination. Such models are often included in a set of rattan furniture for verandas, gazebos, balconies, and terraces. Exclusive versions of natural foundations are found in expensive design works or are custom-made.
- Plastic - modern production technologies make it possible to use interesting types of plastic of unusual colors, textures, giving the material all kinds of shapes.
- Textile frame - as a continuation of the sofa group, the basis for the coffee table can be a furniture board frame, sheathed with the same textiles as the sofa. A glass table top is attached to the top of the frame.
The combination of materials creates a unique coffee table design. The variety and beauty of materials is emphasized by a properly selected glass tabletop, which can be made of glossy or frosted glass, be completely transparent or painted in monochromatic or multi-colored tones, with or without decorative elements.
The special properties of tempered glass make it possible to manufacture products without the use of additional materials. Tempered or triplex glass has increased strength, is resistant to damage and scratches, and is safe when broken. The base of the product can be made of curved glass; there are also monolithic models of glass tables on the market, in which the tabletop and frame are a single whole.
Models
Glass coffee tables are gaining popularity in the interior, and the design variety of models makes this element not only decorative, but also a multifunctional piece of furniture. By type of product design, the following models are distinguished:
Monolithic glass: high plasticity properties of glass allow making both the tabletop and its frame as a whole. Models made of transparent glass look spectacular, creating a feeling of lightness of the interior, and objects that are located on the surface seem to float. Under different lighting conditions, such tables will look different due to the refraction of light rays. On monolithic models made of frosted glass, traces from touching hands and scratches are less noticeable
Sliding: the design of the table provides for a mechanism for sliding the table top and an additional insert to increase the area of the product. The transformation allows you to accommodate more people for a pleasant and comfortable leisure time. There are models in which the height is adjustable, in which case it is possible to transform the product to the size of a dining table. The sliding structure also changes the shape of the tabletop: from square to rectangular, from round to oval
Folding: in the design of such models, folding or sliding elements are provided that increase the area of the table. Additional tabletop elements are mounted on sliding rails or hinges. When unfolding such a model, a multilevel surface or an irregularly shaped table may turn out
Tabletops can be mounted on different types of bases. Table models by frame type:
- On wheels: the use of furniture wheels makes the coffee table mobile, lightweight, safe and quiet to move on any floor covering.
- By the number of points of support: classic support on one, three or four legs. In designer experimental models, the number of legs can be arbitrary.
Unusual design solutions
There is no limit to the imaginations of leading manufacturers of novelties in the furniture industry, which is proved by unusual glass tables. Such products can rather be called works of art than just furniture:
- Italian designers propose a new way of attaching glass elements, by gluing glass plates and creating products of extraordinary shapes.
- The futuristic mood or the rebellious imagination of young designers is embodied in the combined models of glass and wood. The unusual shapes of the base for the transparent table top in the form of two infinity signs make the coffee table an accent in any interior.
- Expression and originality of the designer's thought is reflected in the table with wheels. Only the wheels are not on the floor, but between the legs and the table top, thereby allowing the table top to rotate.
- Furniture pieces with history that have served their time find a second life in coffee tables. A glass kitchen cupboard sits on wooden legs from a low chair, transforming into a coffee table with a glass top and a useful space with a partition (former shelf) for storing small items.
- The transparent glass top accentuates the special workmanship and illumination of a rough solid wood or natural stone base. Such models will become a luxury addition to the design of a living room, hallway or even a high-tech office reception area.
At the interior exhibitions, among fashionable novelties, there are coffee tables based on an aquarium with colorful fish or a terrarium. Young designers experiment with unusual materials for the base of the table (chipboard, plywood, compressed cardboard), come up with various forms of glass surfaces.
Forms
Glass coffee tables vary in tabletop shape:
Classic options: square, rectangle, oval, circle. Rounded shapes are preferable for small rooms, where every square centimeter counts. Oval and round shapes are in demand in families with small children, since these models are devoid of dangerous sharp corners
Square and rectangular countertops look stricter and more monumental in the interior. The usable area of these models is larger, and the tempered glass and edge processing technology reduce the degree of injury. Square and rectangular models are suitable for the interiors of living rooms and office premises.
Abstract or irregular shape: geometrically irregular shapes or contours of natural elements (leaf of a tree, sea wave, drop), due to the plasticity and flexibility of glass, can be embodied in the table top. Such countertops are interesting not only in their shape, but also in their color scheme
Some models can change their original shape in the presence of sliding mechanisms or pull-out units. Such an increase in size should be taken into account with a limited area of \ u200b \ u200bthe room so that the table does not turn into an obstacle.
Dimensions (edit)
The coffee table, depending on the design purpose, can be of any size, but smaller than the dining option. Classic coffee table height 40-55 cm.
Depending on the general style of the room, the size of the table should also be selected. Small coffee tables are suitable for interiors in Japanese or oriental style. Small models are more of a decorative function. The height of small tables does not exceed 20 cm.
Glass models of medium (40-50 cm) and large (over 50 cm) sizes are a fully functional piece of furniture. Invisible lift-and-slide designs make it possible to transform the coffee table into a dining option. This option saves space and money.
Some models of coffee tables are composed of two pieces of different levels of height: small and medium size. Moving partially under each other, they make up a complete composition of a single product, and when sliding apart they can serve as two independent tables.
Color solutions
The variety of shapes and unusual materials for the base of the table are not limited to the classic look of the glass surface. The glass top can be made in various colors on a matte or glossy surface:
- Classic color: glossy or frosted glass with a traditional blue tint.
- Colored tempered glass, which is colored during the production process, which allows you to maintain brightness and color saturation throughout the entire service life. In modern models, rich and deep black, blue, green colors, all shades of pastel colors, juicy yellow, orange, blue tones, classic white, icy color on matte surfaces are popular.
- Gradient coloring glass: multi-colored glass coloring from dark to light or in different colors.
- Glass top sprayed: a classical or colored glass base is additionally decorated with gold, bronze, silver dusting in an abstract form or in the form of a specific pattern.
- Glass colors of natural materials: The color of the table top is matched to the color of the table base or edging materials. As a rule, the materials for edging the countertop are metal or wood, therefore the popular colors of glass are wenge, metallic, ivory, coffee with milk.
Models with a colored tabletop are difficult to match with the existing interior, so such options are often made on individual orders. To demonstrate interesting shapes and modifications of the table base, in order to make the interior airy and light, transparent matte or glossy glasses are used.
Manufacturers overview
When choosing a glass coffee table, you must first of all decide on the manufacturer, since the assortment of each manufacturer is unique and inimitable.
Various manufacturing countries of this type of product are represented on the market:
Russia… In recent decades, Russian furniture manufacturers have been delighting buyers with high-quality, relatively affordable and design interesting furniture. Among the manufacturers of glass coffee tables are such large companies: Respect, Legion Mebel (Kuznetsk), Domoteka, Nasha Mebel (Moscow), Makhaon (Krasnoyarsk), Mebeltorg (Naro-Fominsk), "Orint" (Rostov-on-Don), "Zircon" (Penza). Advantages of Russian manufacturers: they accept individual orders, provide design assistance in selecting the desired model, a warranty period of 18 months, delivery and assembly, a wide price range
Italy… The products of Italian designers are represented by expensive premium goods. Handmade designer models, unexpected materials and innovative production technologies will satisfy the demand of the most demanding customers. Among the leading manufacturers are such factories as Tizianno Moletta, Vaccari International, Metamorfosi, Coleart, Tonelli Design, Pushau and others
Spain… Products of Spanish manufacturers on the domestic market are presented in the middle and high price range. The quality and appearance of the products attract buyers who want to get an exclusive model for reasonable money. Spanish factories manufacturers: Dupen, Marcelo Ibanez
Germany… German models of coffee tables stand out in design for their laconicism, simplicity, high quality and environmentally friendly materials. Leading German manufacturing plants on the Russian market: Lambert, Bretz, Die-Collection, Bruehl, Koinor, Rolf Benz and other companies
China… Chinese manufacturers are actively promoting furniture products of sufficiently high quality on the Russian market. There are a lot of Chinese manufacturers, but they still cannot apply for an individual design. Chinese-made coffee tables are replicas of famous designers. The price range of Chinese products ranges from affordable to premium products
The Russian policy of import substitution allows you to choose the desired model of domestic production, but if the brand is important, then you can consider products from other manufacturing factories from England, France, Belarus, Ukraine, France.
Russian manufacturers also offer author's design models, which will be made in a single copy, while the terms and delivery are significantly shorter than those of foreign factories. Thus, the choice of model is limited only by price and personal taste.
Stylish examples in the interior
Exclusive glass coffee tables for individual order or author's work will become an elite piece of furniture.
Classic upholstered furniture will be decorated and tables of unusual shape will add designer charm, creating coziness and comfortable atmosphere.
A group of coffee tables, made in the same style, but of different sizes and shapes, fits organically into a spacious living room.
The glass group of tables in the Art Nouveau style will be a good addition to the bedroom interior.
Fashionable models of glass coffee tables are used with sets of rattan furniture on the balcony, veranda or in gazebos.
The exclusive author's model of the table will become the central independent element in the hallway or corridor.
Every year, at interior exhibitions, designers do not ignore a glass coffee table, offering new models and options for using in the interior.
For information on how to make an original glass coffee table, see the next video.