Rustic Charm V Sleek – Let Battle Commence

You have to choose a coffee table for a contemporary industrial inspired space (that’s also a period building); but which do you choose?  Rustic or Sleek?

Decisions, decisions.

In the blue corner stands the proud champions of the ‘upcycling’ trend: fabulous innovative creations that ensure sustainability remains high on the (design) agenda. They embrace the ‘discarded’ and ‘unloved’, and transform them into works of art; design statements that bring individuality to the table (pardon the pun). You want character? They have it by the bucketful. You want a little bit of quirky? They laugh in the face of quirky! Yep, these fine little specimens have it all sewn up but the question is: are you brave enough to stand out from the crowd?

Then in the red corner we have the cool customers of the more mainstream and commerical category. These tables are elegant and refined, but they’re savvy and just a little shrewd – because they take traditional styling similar to the fluid lines of the Cabriole leg and make it abstract enough so that it can be called ‘modern’ (remember, this space is a period building). How devious. You want sleek and sophisticated? They have that and more. They are inoffensive and appeal to a wider market, but do they really make a statement?

But then there’s always one that likes to throw a spanner in the works. The table that likes to combine the best of both worlds. This little fella has all the charisma and all the contemporary, sleek trappings; yet he’s completely upcycled using recycled steel. How cheeky.

So, which corner are you backing?