For many years I used a trunk painted Chinese red as my coffee table. When I moved to my condo, it no longer seemed to work. If it sat too close to the sofa, you couldn’t stretch out your legs. When it was pushed more to the centre of the room, it blocked the path to the balcony.
I experimented with several smaller tables which made the room feel more spacious. However, with more than three people visiting, serving drinks and snacks was fussy and annoying.
After much agonizing, I chose a lovely 19th Century Chinese bench and it feels perfect for the room. I wish I had seen this new book in our collection. It would hav
e made the decision easier.
Good Bones, great pieces: the seven essential pieces that will carry you through a lifetime is the new title by designers and bloggers Suzanne and Lauren McGrath. They identify seven essential pieces of furniture that can be used in many different ways and move successfully from house to house along with the owner.
Those seven pieces are loveseat, bench, side table, slipper chair, occasional chair, dresser and demilune. For each piece, they demonstrate multiple uses. They also provide a glossary that shows nine versions in different styles, such as traditional, modern or country.
They show a bench in an entrance, on a porch, in the living room, dining room and at the foot of a bed.
The demilune table snugs up against the wall in a tiny kitchen to provide a charming breakfast spot. It tucks into a hallway or onto the landing of a staircase. A pair of them flanks a fireplace in a living room and another works as a lovely little desk for laptop use.
This is a great source to help you plan major furniture purchases or rethink the use of a favourite piece that you already own.