Searching for a Coffee Table

April 4, 2008 9:45 AM

I am shopping for a new coffee table and found this one at Crate and Barrel. It's a black aluminum frame with with slots for 8 large tiles. You can buy the frame without the tiles and supply your own. I'm looking for others like it.

I really like the concept of customizing the table with my own tiles. Since it's for an indoor space, I don't need a rustproof frame - something in wood or another, lighter material might even be better.

I've tried googling, but I keep ending up finding mosaic inlaid tables which isn't what I want.

Anyone know where I can find some other tables like this one? Thanks.

posted by natalie b to Home & Garden (3 answers total)

I've seen something similar on either http://www.makezine.com/ or http://ikeahacker.blogspot.com/

http://ikeahacker.blogspot.com/2007/08/touch-of-glass-for-humble-lack-side.html is beautiful. It's mosaic, but looks like it could scale to larger tiles.
posted by dws at 11:56 AM on April 4, 2008

This may not be much help, but the Big Lots in my town (Gainesville, Fl) has something similar made by Ashley for $100. http://www.colemanfurniture.com/store/coffee-tables-products.htm (fourth item down) Maybe yours does as well? I tried searching the Big Lots site but it won't let you search beyond the home page without joining their little club,... so, yeah I gave up on that.
posted by Epsilon-minus semi moron at 1:44 PM on April 4, 2008

You can make one using picture framing material. Find an old wooden table that meets your specs, find a framing supply store and choose the border that you like after measuring the edges of your table, find tiles that will fit the "canvas" and you can lay the tile first then frame or frame then tile. You can attach the borders with finishing nails or adhesive product of choice.
posted by jadepearl at 10:38 PM on April 4, 2008