The Secret Life of Nesting Tables

The nesting tables were shipped to me from my hometown, along with some other items I claimed, after my father sold the house my sister and I grew up in. I wanted these particular items because each one I had chosen reminded me in some way of my mother and represented to me the comfortable home she created and recreated throughout the years.

I also chose the nested tables because, after working at Cymax Stores combined with living in an apartment, the value of multipurpose or multifunctional furniture pieces has become clearly evident to me. The three tables, of varying heights, sit one underneath the other and can be used as a single unit or separated and used as accent tables or end tables. The handy thing about these tables is that, when entertaining, they can be moved around the room to accommodate those not sitting next to a surface upon which they can put a drink or a plate.

The wood nesting tables resided for a good portion of their lives in the living room of my childhood home. Even though they had been moved about the room from one place to another over the years, I don’t ever remember a time when I didn’t pass by them on my way to somewhere else. I have walked passed them so many times, even if they weren’t in my possession, I could describe them to you by heart. They have bowed fronts with routed edges, fluted legs, arrow feet and a fluted, three-sided stretcher. How then could I not notice that the feet of the two smaller tables never touched the ground?

Perfect size for a telephone table, ever since they arrived at my apartment, they stand against the wall next to the big armchair. The top nesting table holds the phone, a funny pen holder and a small basket of assorted note pads collected over the years from stocking stuffers and promotional handouts. But one evening I came home from work late, and because a favorite TV show of mine was about to start, I broke my own rule and ate dinner in front of the television. I grabbed one of the nested tables, placed it in front of the couch, put a placemat on it and sat down to dinner. After I had eaten, I cleared everything away. That’s when the trouble started.

When I tried to put the table back, it had me totally stumped. Like the Powell Brown Cherry Two Piece Nested Accent Tables, I thought it would simply slide in underneath the two other tables. But it didn’t. Something seemed to stop it from slipping back into place. Sometime later, I finally figured it out. Working on the theory that something was blocking the way, I removed the middle nesting table and turned it upside only to find grooves on the inside edges. The nesting tables should be slotted not slid into place. Hence the reason for the legs of the two smaller tables floating above, rather than resting on, the floor.

I experienced a weird sensation. I sat on the floor, just staring; these tables had been so much a fabric of my life, they were now revealing something new to me, after all these years? The more I stared, the more I appreciated the simple elegance of the design of these nest tables. All three tables can be lifted up and moved as one without any slewing around or unnecessary juggling. Ingenious! I returned to the couch and what was left of my show.

But all the time, I wondered what other secrets my mother’s nesting tables were keeping from me.

Redecorating the House for Halloween

Last year, the night before Halloween, you bought several bags of candy, which you poured into a huge orange bowl with black witches and white ghosties on the sides approximately ten minutes before the door bell rang for the first time on Halloween night. This bowl was judiciously placed on the edge of the coffee table. This meant trotting back and forth between the living room and the front door every time trick or treaters showed up.

But this year, you are determined to be prepared and better organized.

You move a small accent table from the living room into the hallway, near the front door. It’s the perfect size for the orange bowl, but the table looks a little lonely standing all by itself. So, you drag the accent table back into the living room; move the lamps, the remote and yesterday’s comics section from the end tables and haul them out into the hallway.

Now it’s perfect; there’s a table on either side of the door, one for candy, one for spare change should any UNICEF boxes make an appearance. Pleased with the preparations you’ve made, you walk into the living room to take a break with your favorite soap, only to discover the lamps on the floor and the other displaced items piled on the coffee table and scattered across the seating area of the sofa.

However, you have the perfect solution to this dilemma. You will buy a new table for the front hallway. You go over to the computer and pull up the Cymax Stores website. There are so many to choose from, but you are perfectly happy scrolling through the list.

That’s when you discover console tables. Having one table in the hallway, one that could be used year round would be ideal. You really like the Linon Anna Console Table. Then you make another amazing discovery: the matching end and coffee tables also includes drawers and shelves. You don’t even need to turn around to be reminded of the mess; you cheerfully add one coffee table and two end tables to your shopping cart.

You realize, while it’s only the first week of October, you will need to give the manufacturer some time to send your items to you. There should be plenty of time. Hmmmm…maybe it’s not too early to place an order for some more dining chairs, an ottoman, and heck why not a comfy arm chair, just in time for a house full of people at Thanksgiving.

Didn't they teach you Home Ergonomics in school?

Most of us who make the daily trek to the office are aware of ergonomic office furniture that will help get us through the day comfortably and safely. But what about the furniture in your home? It might look and feel comfy to sit and relax on, but is it being kind to your back?

Making a home ergonomic may sound complicated (and expensive) but it doesn't have to be. Ergonomics is simply how we use furniture, tools and equipment in relation to our immediate environment in a way that reduces physical discomfort and the risk of injury. A soft sofa or a fluffy, oversized chair may appear to be comfortable and inviting. However, if it encourages you to slouch, it can have a lasting, negative effect on your body, especially your back. You can ensure that your living room and dining room are ergonomic by following a few basic principles.

When shopping for a couch, look for one that allows you to sit at ease, with feet flat on the ground, thighs parallel to the floor, head centered over the shoulders and back fully supported. This would also apply to any type of chair you are considering purchasing, including dining room chairs, side chairs, arms chairs and recliners. When choosing the perfect recliner, make sure that when sitting upright, your lower spine is fully supported by the backrest and that it cradles your shoulders and neck. If you do find a recliner that you just must have, but it isn't an ideal fit, you can select one with a matching ottoman. This will take the pressure off the backs of your legs, one of the first places to experience discomfort when not sitting properly.

If, when using your sofa, you are in the habit of lying down, ensure that your back, neck and shoulders are being properly cushioned. Before purchasing end tables, take into account whether or not your couch has arms. If it does, are the arms high or low? If they are high, you will want end tables of a comparable height, so that you can easily place items on the end table without having to twist uncomfortably. The same goes for coffee tables: they should stand at a height in conjunction to the couch's seating area when you are sitting, so that you can easily reach anything on the coffee table without effort or strain. This will also apply to an accent table being bought specifically to stand beside an armchair; you want the table to be high enough or the arms to low enough to avoid having to overreach when putting something down on the table top.

In the dining room, similar ergonomic principles can make mealtimes more comfortable and enjoyable. Dining chairs should be bought with the dining table in mind. The seat height of the chair should be anywhere from 10 to 12 inches below the dining table edge. For example, if the height of your dining table is 30 inches, the seat height of your dining chairs should range from 18 to 20 inches high, depending on the size and height of the person sitting in the chair on a regular basis.

Before purchasing a dining room table, take into account how many people will be using it and then buy one that will be large enough to easily accommodate everyone. A person generally needs a minimum of 24 inches of personal space to feel comfortable, but an additional 6 inches will provide extra elbow room. Allotting the maximum amount of personal space will also facilitate each person's ability to reach for things effortlessly, reducing the risk of muscle strain.

At Cymax Stores, customers can choose from a wide range of reliable furniture manufacturers for a comfortable and personalized online shopping experience. Taking time to choose ergonomic furniture for your living room and dining room will be worth it when you come home after a busy day to the perfect place to relax and unwind.

New Puppy...New Furniture?

About six months ago a friend of mine got a new puppy. My husband and I went to visit them not long after. The men took off and went to do what ever it is that men do. Gail and I went to sit in the living room and visit. The cute little puppy 'Brownie' followed us in. While sitting there I noticed that her coffee table had what looked like gnaw marks on it. The next thing I knew, there was Brownie chewing on the table like it was her very own chew toy. Gail told her to stop and found her bone.

Gail told me that getting Brownie to stop chewing on all of the wood furniture was driving her crazy. I suggested that she look into getting some metal furniture. When Gail looked at me funny I assured her that I was very serious. Metal furniture has come a long way. I asked her if she had ever looked at the Cymax website for furniture. She shook her head no. We went over to the computer and pulled up the Cymax web site.

I showed her that all she had to do was type in coffee table and she would get a nice choice to scroll through. She really liked the Bass Theatrical Collage Coffee Table. Even more so when she noticed the matching end tables. I pointed out that they looked pretty puppy proof to me. We continued going through the web site, chatting and laughing the whole time while we decorated our own and all of our friend's homes. When our husbands came back they thought we had lost our minds. They couldn't see what was so funny about a furniture web site.

My husband and I said good night and went home. Gail phoned me a few days later. John (her husband) hadn't really liked the Theatrical Collage Coffee Table. They went back to the web site and found furniture for the living room that they both could agree on.

A month later my husband and I went over to visit with Gail and John. Gail had told me that they redid the entire living room. I couldn't believe how great it looked. They bought the Diamond Sofa Paramount Leather Sofas in Beige and the Bass Real Art Table in Champagne Chrome. It made their living room look wonderful. Of course, now Gail wants to redo the rest of the house. When we were on our way home,my husband told me that I couldn't get a puppy because we could not afford all new furniture just now.