Last Updated on December 26, 2015 by Kristi Linauer
I need your help with something, and I thought it would be fun to turn this into a contest…with a winner…who gets a prize. Sound fun? Let me explain.
I have about 10 to 15 old weathered cedar fence pickets that I want to use to use for a project. I don’t have a picture of the particular pickets that I have, but they look very similar to this…
They have that grayed patina, they’re wonderfully weathered, and they’re perfect…for a coffee table top!!
I’d absolutely LOVE to be able to make something like this Restoration Hardware coffee table…
Isn’t that amazing?! It’s made out of reclaimed French floorboards, and that thick, distressed wood is simply gorgeous.
In my search for inspiration, I actually came across this DIY coffee table from The Handmade Home that was inspired by the Restoration Hardware table…
Very nice! I love the top! But sadly, this table wasn’t completely a DIY project, as they paid someone to weld the base for them. Well, I don’t want to do that.
So here’s where you come in. I need your brilliant ideas. Or ideas that you’ve seen. I really don’t care where they come from…whether it’s your own brilliant idea, or it’s from a blog that you’ve read, or a magazine that you have…whatever!
But help me come up with a unique coffee table base idea that will complement my beautiful weathered wood pickets.
Here’s where the prize comes in! If I use your idea, then I’ll send you something handmade by me. Ready to see what it is? It’s two matching patchwork Euro shams, similar to these, but in the color family of your choice (I’ll select the fabrics based on the color family you choose, and pillow inserts are not included)…
That’s a nice little prize, right? You could keep them for yourself, or give them away as a gift, or whatever your little heart desires. Okay, so get those creative juices flowing, and tell me your ideas!!
Again, it needs to be DIYable, and I’m looking for ideas for a coffee table base only. The worn weathered fence pickets will be used as the coffee table top. Got it? Okay, share away! You can explain your original ideas, you can link up a blog post that you’ve seen, you can link a magazine article…whatever! It’s pretty flexible.
Oh, and in the event that I don’t use any of your ideas (like if I happen to come across the most amazing metal table base in Goodwill or something), then I’ll take the names of everyone who contributed an idea, and put them in a drawing for the prize. So someone will definitely win!!
Now start sharing those ideas, alrighty?! And since I probably won’t get to this project this week, I’ll give you until midnight on Sunday (May 22nd) to submit ideas. Ready? Set? GO!!
By the way, you can leave as many suggestions as you’d like, and if I end up doing a drawing instead of using one of the ideas, each suggestion will be one entry. And for the record, your suggestions don’t have to be something metal. That’s just where my mind immediately went. Okay…NOW go!
Addicted 2 Decorating is where I share my DIY and decorating journey as I remodel and decorate the 1948 fixer upper that my husband, Matt, and I bought in 2013. Matt has M.S. and is unable to do physical work, so I do the majority of the work on the house by myself. You can learn more about me here.
I hope you’ll join me on my DIY and decorating journey! If you want to follow my projects and progress, you can subscribe below and have each new post delivered to your email inbox. That way you’ll never miss a thing!
33 Comments
Tracie Stoll
May 17, 2011 at 1:04 pmHi there! What about using copper piping and elbows to create the base? Or I think they also have steel pieces (in the plumbing dept?? at Lowes or HD) . It would be a nice contrasting texture to the warm wood. Can't wait to see it!!!!
Missy-My Cottage Charm
May 17, 2011 at 1:12 pmHow about using a metal shelving unit structure as the base…you know like they have at Lowes. You could remove the shelves and even cut it down using a hacksaw if the size wasn't exactly what you wanted. (but they do have several sizes). Just a thought off the top of my head, but I'll keep thinking. 🙂
Hollie
May 17, 2011 at 1:21 pmI am loving Tracie's idea. I used metal piping and ends to make my curtain rods and I spray painted them "hammered bronze" by Rustoleum. I LOVE the curtain rods and I think they would be PERFECT for a coffee table. Just spray paint those babies and use the elbows to connect the pieces as Tracie mentioned.
Cat de Merode
May 17, 2011 at 1:52 pmHow about stacks of old looking books? Or maybe something not as heavy that just looks like that…
Stephanie
May 17, 2011 at 2:04 pmI like Missy's idea. 🙂
Another thing you might consider is using 2"x2" pieces of wood, cut to length, nailing/gluing them together for the frame, and then spray-painting them with a "metal" finish. You already have the tools for woodworking, and since the top wouldn't be that heavy, you wouldn't necessarily need full-on steel tubing to support it. And you could use strategically-placed nails w/large, rounded heads to look like bolts when they were spray-painted.
Jeannine Bruner
May 17, 2011 at 2:45 pmWhat about building a chunky frame out of wood, wrapping it with metal flashing, and giving it a patina with some sulferic acid? OR, you could find a couple of cool metal wine racks & affix them to make a base.
Julie
May 17, 2011 at 2:58 pmWhat about looking for old metal outdoor bistro chairs and using a sawzall or grinder to cut the backs off and use the bases as the base for your pickets??? You could even use the backs as legs if they were really pretty…
Domestic Jenny
May 17, 2011 at 3:18 pmLove this coffee table, and actually we're going to be building this one in the near future! My wonderful husband is handy with the welder so we'll be taking that route.
Jennifer Steger
May 17, 2011 at 6:28 pmI like the idea that I saw here: http://www.hellocotton.com/diy-coffee-table-of-an-old-window-and-two-crates-1328708, instead of a window, you could use the pickets…or you could use the pickets as your base and use a window as your top.
Jeannine Bruner
May 17, 2011 at 6:40 pmI just had another thought, but it may be too shabby chic for your style. I think it would look cute to find an old radio flyer wagon & affix the top to it- maybe with a piano hinge so you could use the inside for storage. You could either leave the wagon red, or easily paint & distress it! 🙂 I would totally do this, but my kids would then be pulling my "coffee table" all over the house!
Caseykiehne
May 17, 2011 at 7:23 pmWe used the darker plumbing pipe for our diningroom table and LOVE it! It is so solid and rustic looking… the hardest part was to get the stickers off! ha!
Caseykiehne
May 17, 2011 at 7:34 pmI also love this idea…
casey Kiehne
May 17, 2011 at 7:36 pmWe used the steel from the plumbing dept and Love it!
casey Kiehne
May 17, 2011 at 7:41 pmhttp://www.horchow.com/store/catalog/prod.jhtml?itemId=cprod71680031&parentId=cat6050748&masterId=cat2020732&index=16&cmCat=cat000000cat000001cat000010cat2020732cat6050748
I love this! Just using two different wheels add so much more interest and isn't a heavy looking base…
Missy-My Cottage Charm
May 17, 2011 at 7:45 pmThanks Stephanie! :0)
Missy-My Cottage Charm
May 17, 2011 at 7:51 pmI had another idea..what if you could find an outdoor patio table or even a kitchen table at Goodwill or Salvation Army (or yard sale) and just cut down the legs. You'd even have something to attach the wood to in that instance. You could always just build a base….ana-white.com has tons of easy to use building instructions for EVERYTHING! 🙂
Beverly Johnson Pennington
May 17, 2011 at 10:21 pmI don't know where I saw it (and maybe I should scroll comments first) but I saw somewhere that they used those metal air conditioner risers (two side by side) for a base.
ChrissieT
May 18, 2011 at 12:26 amWhat about using storage trunk(s) as the bases to the table? Depending on how heavy the top of the table is, the trunk(s) (depending on if you use one or two) could also provide some storage.
Melissa Mariott
May 18, 2011 at 12:35 amI really like this idea. And i think it would look amazing with the picket fence slates on top. http://en.espritcabane.com/furniture-plans/pallet-coffee-table.php
casey Kiehne
May 18, 2011 at 1:47 amHey again! I was thinking that it would be really different to use those inexpensive metal lanterns as legs… the square ones that you can get in tons of different colors… I think it would look unique if you could find a bunch of different ones too… I might give this a try…
Stacy Haugen
May 18, 2011 at 2:00 amI cheated and googled it, but I really like this idea!
http://www.re-nest.com/re-nest/inspiration/10-diy-coffee-tables-to-get-your-inspired-118733
Stacy
Erinpearce
May 18, 2011 at 4:07 amwhat about building little sawhorses for the table legs?
or hairpin legs???
or wire decking? i saw in the lowes creative ideas magazine they used wire decking to make a W shaped base (which can also hold magazines!) the metal decking is sorta shiny and flashy and looks very modern but i think it would be amazing spraypainted ORB! see it here http://www.lowescreativeideas.com/idea-library/projects/Wire_Table_0511.aspx
patio deck
May 18, 2011 at 4:52 amI am impressed with
the research you made to make this article awesome. Thanks very much for
sharing very helpful ideas.
patio
deck
Tracy
May 18, 2011 at 9:52 pmThis is a very simple idea, and it wouldn't require any metal work.
http://www.myhomeideas.com/room-galleries/neutral-serene-living-room-10000001702457/
Ann
May 19, 2011 at 3:02 amHow about this idea?
http://www.lowescreativeideas.com/idea-library/projects/Side_Tables_0511.aspx
Emilyralph87
May 20, 2011 at 7:15 amWell this metal welding really looks odd but you can definitely use some dark colored wood as this table's leg which will definitely enhance the table's look.
Emilyralph
May 20, 2011 at 7:17 amWell this metal welding really looks odd but you can definitely use some dark colored wood its leg which will definitely enhance the table's look.
http://www.hellotrade.com/itml-horticultural-products/decorative-pots-cache-pots.html
patio deck
May 21, 2011 at 11:39 amI am
impressed with the research you made to make this article awesome. Thanks
very much for sharing very helpful ideas.
patio
deck
Bellegrace2611
May 22, 2011 at 2:24 amWhat about using some sort of fencing materials… I know they sale the decorative metal panels..or even the more industrial pieces… is there a way you could manipulate them to work as a base?
Helen
May 22, 2011 at 3:14 amLove , Love , Love this idea…check it out http://www.wisteria.com/French-Industrial-Coffee-Table/productinfo/W2328/
Aliciam Hart
May 22, 2011 at 3:19 amSomething that can be done is a fence in a bedroom, living room, or any other room in the house. It can also be turned in to lattice work for a climbing garden.
Barbtilton
May 22, 2011 at 12:46 pmNot sure what the metal base pieces are called, but consider something like Thomasville's Boulton and Watt cocktail tablehttp://www.thomasville.com/Furniture/Living-Room-Furniture/Reinventions/i318453-Boulton-and-Watt-Flip-Top-Cocktail-Table.aspx
Melinda Smith Faranetta
May 22, 2011 at 4:42 pmI would make a simple rectangle coffee table. Planks running vertically on the sides and along way across the top of table. I then would glue several planks together and use a jig saw to cut a more ornate shape out of them and overlay it on either end. I did a similar thing out of barnwood for my boy's tub surround.