Design Dilemma: French Industrial Vs Vintage Classic

Amye Mae
by Amye Mae
We find ourselves in need of a side table for a seating area in the living room, between a pair of matched chairs similar to this.
And I find myself between two fantastic, but dramatically different looks. Allow me to share:
18th Century French Tilt-Top Brasserie Table from Restoration Hardware


Pros: Pedestal design saves floor space. Plus, its just plain gorgeous.


Cons: No storage, and what if the “industrial” look is just a trend?
Ludlow Trunk Side Table from Pottery Barn


Pros: Great storage with wood-lined compartments, and the raised legs keep it from feeling too heavy.


Cons: You’d have to remove everything from the surface to access the storage. And its faux-vintage, not a true original.


And now for a Side by Side Comparison (see what I did there? Side tables. :) )
It was easy to narrow in on these two options, but now I’m completely torn. And ultimately unsure if this is the place to spend a decor budget, or if I should explore other options (e.g. DIY or waiting-for-the-perfect-thing). Storage vs design? Iron vs wood? Boxy vs rounded?


While I set my wine glass on the floor next to the table lamp and objet d’art waiting for a surface to call home, I await your advice, mes amies. Do you vote for (A) French Industrial, (B) Vintage Classic, or (C) none of the above?


Share your vote in the comments on my blog, or tweet me @msamyemae with your vote for French Industrial or Vintage Classic.
Amye Mae
Want more details about this and other DIY projects? Check out my blog post!
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 5 comments
  • Jeanette S Jeanette S on Sep 27, 2014
    Both are lovely! But it depends a lot on how often you need to access storage and the activity of the room. Maybe neither of these is workable. Sometimes an old double drawer bedside table can be painted or re-stained to the color you desire and would better serve your needs. Example is when my guys did not like to use the living room. The fancy tables (like your Restoration Hardware choice) did not invite them to set drinks on the tables. I was given 2 walnut (dark to blends with my mahogany choices) end tables with Formica tops. Now that they know they can't hurt anything, we often use this room instead of the den...AKA man cave!
    • See 3 previous
    • Jeanette S Jeanette S on Dec 20, 2014
      @Colleen Schake The other one is 6 sided and has a door on front that makes up 2 of the sides. I have seen on HT where people take the door off, paint the table and fancy it up to make a cat or small dog bed! People on HT can use any object for any purpose they need! Love it!
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