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How Beverages Influenced Table Designs: From Tea to Cocktails to Coffee

  

Beverages have contributed to table design more than anything else in the world. From the tea table to coffee tables, designers have had the opportunity to create functional and attractive pieces of furniture to accompany the drink of the moment. Many of these table designs, still functional for many purposes, are available today from Amish crafters skilled in producing purposeful furniture designs from native hardwoods.

One of the earliest beverage tables was the tea table in the 1700’s. Taller and usually decorated on all sides, the tea table was an important focal point of the room and a part of tea parties across the nation. Meant to serve and display tea and its equipage the tea table was a necessary and functional status symbol. As the drink of choice changed a few centuries later the table lowered to meet the needs of society as well as the lower furniture styles.

The cocktail brought about the need for a table to place the ever popular beverage on. Legend has it that the first “cocktail party” was hosted by a Mrs. Julius S. Walsh Jr. of St. Louis, Missouri, in May of 1917. Her 50 guests attended a cocktail party at noon in her mansion that Sunday followed by lunch at 1 pm. A decade later the Prohibition era saw an end to cocktail parties. Prohibition, however, ended in 1933 and the next two decades revitalized the cocktail party so much so that a table, usually with a glass top to protect against alcohol damage, was needed.

The cocktail table superseded the coffee table and often held cigarette paraphernalia as well as what later would come to be called coffee table books. Both tables stood in front of the couch or sofa for easy access to the tabletop for optimal beverage placement.

Times may have changed but beverage popularity has not. Your handmade customized solid wood coffee tables from the Amish coated in ARESISTOVAR are perfect for whatever you serve from tea to cocktails or coffee.

Tags: AMISH, amish tables, cocktail tables, coffee tables, history of livingroom tables solid wood coffee tables, history of tables, TABLES, tea tables

This entry was posted on Thursday, October 16th, 2008 at 10:03 pm and is filed under Amish Furniture, Entertaining, History of Furniture Making. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.