DIY: Glass Coffee Table

First off - did you watch Downton Abbey last night?! I cannot wait to see what happens this season. The 2-hour season premiere on a Sunday night is making this Monday morning a bit sleepy but how could I not watch? I won't say anything else in case you've taped it or haven't caught up yet. And if you haven't watched it yet, you definitely should. The accents, the wardrobe, the storyline - so captivating.

If you've been reading this blog since I first started it last year, you may have seen me looking into some new coffee tables. Our living room is small, and the chunky coffee table we had was taking up way too much visual space.

The great thing about glass or lucite tables is that they tend to disappear from your vision. They don't take up visual space. 

Here is a great example. I fell in love with this living room from the minute I saw it and have pinned it to my "Future Living Spaces" board for the someday home. There's so much I love about this room, from the black doors and cream walls, to the hide rug, greenery and sunburst mirror. Did you even notice the coffee table at first? 

Here's another view. 

Both images via

So while I really loved the coffee tables I discussed here and here, there was something off about them. They both had a black finish. And maybe that wouldn't have been a big deal, but I really wanted something in oil rubbed bronze. That's the finish on the ceiling light above the coffee table, and we also have a dark brown leather storage ottoman not too far from it. So if I was going to spend the money on a new coffee table, I wanted it to be perfect.

Thank you craigslist for saving the day! After our kitchen table project, I was confident I could clean up a coffee table if need be. I'd casually search from time to time, and keep my eyes open for something with a glass top and metal legs. Well, she finally showed up. And for a whopping $30, it was worth a try.

Originally, the base of the table was a strange green color. So we left her in my car until we could make a trip home to give her a makeover. One can of metallic brown later, and I have to say, she looks like a million bucks.

Here's a close-up of the before and after. Crazy, right?!

Although it certainly takes up some visual space, it looks way better than what we were working with before. And is a great addition to our living room.

A Place for Shoes

What woman doesn't love a great pair of shoes? But having the space to store them/display them can be tough.

Here are a few amazing shoe closets found on pinterest: 

 

I would take any of these options for a shoe closet really. But the first photo, is where my inspiration came from. According to comments left from other pinterest users who also adored this display of heels, it's simple. All you need are IKEA's Bygel Rails. Yup, that's it. We have one of these rails currently in our kitchen to hold dish soap and sponges above the sink and it has worked out great. So back we went to IKEA, b-lining it straight to the kitchen section for a couple Bygel Rails, and then on to shelving since not all shoes can be displayed this way. 

After a few measurements and drill holes, J had built me the perfect solution (a little blurry since phone pics):