
While many of our modern occasional tables are designed for a specific use, history's occasional tables began as decorative pieces. First developed by ancient Greeks and Romans, occasional tables really got their start in 17th century France. The gueridon was a small lamp table typified by a unique base. Columnar in shape, the gueridon base usually featured a carved mythological figure or other persona, and in some cases was accented with color.
Today's occasional tables might not be characterized by such an exact design, but they certainly fill the decorative role of their ancestry. Whether they're stately in rich, deep woods or edgy in steel and glass, occasional tables exist for every, well, occasion.
Today, because of their abundance in both availability and styles, "occasional tables" is a large, loose classification for a variety of household tables including coffee, cocktail, end, lamp, sofa, console, and accent tables.
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