Occasional Table Styles

Moving beyond the occasion to everyday convenience and long-lasting style

If you don't know what an occasional table is, let alone what occasional table styles are available, you've come to the right page. Any smaller table that is portable and somewhat lightweight is normally considered an occasional table. No matter the purpose or location of the table, many basic smaller accent tables fall into the category of occasional tables. For example, there are coffee occasional tables, corner occasional tables, console occasional tables, and side occasional tables.

Know your style

Two of the main styles of occasional tables include:

Modern occasional tables

These occasional tables consist of clean lines and clear focus with room for exploration in design ideas.

Modern styles of occasional tables include contemporary occasional tables designed or influenced by such people or companies of the 19th and 20th centuries as:

Florence Knoll

Ray and Charles Eames

Arne Jacobsen

Finn Juhl

Isamu Noguchi

Eero Saarinen

Ludwig Mies van der Rohe

Hans J. Wegner

The materials commonly found in modern occasional tables range from the natural and most common wood to manmade metal and glass to more experimental plastic.

Traditional occasional tables

A wide range of design elements, materials, and influence will be found with this style of occasional table, from being durable to whimsical.

Traditional occasional tables were influenced by earlier designers such as:

Thomas Chippendale

Charles Rennie Mackintosh

William Morris

Elbert Hubbard

Gustav Stickley

Frank Lloyd Wright

These tables most often draw from nature or the land and so use more natural materials, especially wood with an eye toward function as well as organic aesthetics. In traditional occasional tables, such as the Mission style, the emphasis is on the wood and the construction of the occasional table. These occasional tables were designed to last!

From start (selecting the pieces of wood and how they're cut) to finish (the finish or stain) to all the stops in between (joints, post, tenons, how a drawer is hung and centered), traditional occasional tables stay connected and pay respect to the origin of their material.

Features for all

Some special features that may be found in the two listed occasional table styles include both elements that are:

Functional: adjustable height, casters, doors, drawers, shelves, drop leafs, lighting, modular, and storage

Decorative: metal accents, veneer or inlay, leather or suede, ceramic tiles or mosaics, and glass

Purchasing an occasional table is more than an expenditure, as it is an investment in the enjoyment of your future: Watch as your table moves from becoming occasional in name to a table sure to be enjoyed every day throughout the years!

More information on occasional tables