Author: ModFruGal

My Favorite Outdoor Table

I needed an outdoor table that was lightweight and didn’t need repainting every 2 years like all my others. Modern Outdoor, DWR, even West Elm didn’t have quite what I was looking for. I’m in Home Depot and as I turn the corner in the plumbing section, there it is…gleaming galvanized metal.

Home Depot's Water Heater Stand
Home Depot's Water Heater Stand

It’s a stand for a water heater tank, but it was my new outdoor table…for $19.99.  I’ve had it 4 years and it looks as good as new – takes the weather like a champ, is easy to move around and has a nice amount of table top space to use as either a coffee table or a side table.  Loft livers might like this indoors as well and the smooth table top surface is good for kids arts and crafts too – just hose off the paints!  Get a couple more and you can group 3 together as a long coffee table for appetizers on the deck.

Nakashima Wannabe

I’ve always dreamed of owning a Nakashima table….maybe when I win the lottery.  In the meantime, I’ll settle for a tiny knock-off found at none other than TJ Maxx.  One of my better fashion bargain stops is slowly becoming a real contender in home decor.  Most urban areas have one and it’s worth sifting through the piles of ugly floral plates to find something like this.  It adds the rustic touch to a modern setting without screaming “log cabin”.  It doesn’t have the elegantly honed legs that a real one would have, but for $35 vs. $3,500…I can live with that.  If $295-$350 sounds like a deal to you, then Pearl River has a nice option.

Another strategy is to buy a slab top from someone like Newton Woods and adding your own legs.  For example, the piece below is currently selling for $249 – plus shipping. I have also seen slab tops on e-bay for a wide range of prices – many affordable.  Classic mid century turned legs or retro metal hairpin legs would make your table a showstopper.

Photo-Synthesis

So I had fun with this over the holidays.  If you’re Gen X, you’re probably the last group who can remember the joy of a Polaroid.  Now you can download the software developed by Paul Ladroid for free (donations are encouraged but not required) and drag and drop your photos to create Polaroid-like photos.  It’s hilarious and it even makes the noise the camera does as it spits your picture out, and then you wait for it to develop on your desktop. Both PC and Mac versions are now available for download.

http://www.poladroid.net/