apartment therapy changing the world, one room at a time

I like the idea, but the ottoman/coffee table are way out of proportion with the furniture.

This is ridiculous, cluttery and too darned big- in the same way that layered tables are ridiculous.

(How are folks supposed to have a conversation there with that gigantic shrubbery in the center?)

This is much too busy!

I think this would be a good method for how to deal with a bed in a studio apartment. During the day, it can be seating and a coffee table (maybe some extra pillows for the back) and at night pull either the table or bed out (one would need to have wheels) and separate. Though, I think if the table had solid sides it would hide the bed better - less obvious.

all I can think of is how annoyed I'd be with the overlapping space. I'd be annoyed that it was wasted space, so I'd put stuff there, but then I'd be annoyed trying to get out my magazines or something.
...not cool

first commenter had it right!
i really want to like the idea, but the proportions pictured don't make any sense for the space.

side comment: i'm envious of all those windows!

Clunky. Why not just use a tray or two?

Maybe if the ottoman and table were smaller in scale AND there was room for the ottoman to slide out from under the table...

Might be cool if the table was plexi (which is light in weight and completely transparent.

It looks like someone stacked these to get them out of the way to vacuum and that would of been the maid in this case.

I think it's a good idea, but the others are right the proportions are off.

Partner R and I have been looking around for a coffee table for this purpose for a small while now as we LOVE our chocolate leather ottoman, but as tv dinners become more and more popular (usually bowls of salad as the weather gets warmer (Sthn Hemisphere here!)) we need something to rest our bowls on that doesn't run the risk of tipping, spilling or making a mess!

I have been think of getting some custom moulded perspex that can then be re-purposed in another location so the ottoman remains purposeful at times we are not eating etc...

The option in the pic has way too many things happening.. i like an oversized ottoman .. but it doesnt need a table AND a tray!

I agree with the poster who said the scale is totally out of proportion. I think this look would be best with a table that comes fairly close to the top of the ottoman and is in a similar color. A chocolate leather ottoman with a dark brown table on casters would be interesting--the play of texture, without looking too busy.

Christine

Horrible.

the table is way to big and tall for the purpose.

here's an idea.... I think I will start a design revolution with this one.... how about a simple table, about 18" tall and about 2/3 the length of the couch.....

Think of it... no more need for awkward ottomons with trays precariously balanced upon them.....

I think I'll name this phenomanal new product a "coffee table"...

I'm going to say "hell yeah" to this idea...I'm a designer, and have actually done this for clients with great results. Proportion is crutial, and the picture shown is a bit out of scale in terms of the ottoman-to-sofa ratio, but the idea itself works great. If your ottoman is patterned or tufted, look for a sleek table to balance that, roughly half the size/mass of the ottoman. And no, don't layer a basket, a tea set, a small dog and a knitting basket on there too - keep it clean. Another great look, if your ottoman is rectangular, is to get a table that's sized to the same dimensions and set them up perpendicular to one another (works best in a "square" seating area like an L-shape or sofa / chairs squared up to each other) It fills the space without crowding, gives lots of surface options, and looks a lot cleaner and more spacious than a massive square in the middle of your room. Good luck with it!

Too much furniture for this room.

Um, no.

Yuck no. I tend to think that ottoman coffee tables just don't work period. They look fabulous and offer a chance to balance hard lines with soft fabrics... but every time I have used one at someone's house, I am always afraid my drink will spill if someone jostles the surface. Plus... no one actually sits on it, so there's just no point. Lovely to behold but not a lot of function.

Vicente Wolf has alot of hits...but this is one of his misses. The tables dwarf the seating group.

I actually remember this image vividly! I love the idea. But I also agree with other readers that picking the proportions is key. If you can find a low ottoman (trust me there are many) and a table that fits just over it I definitely think you can pull this off. I have saved this image as inspiration. I think the idea is great it's just a matter of making it work visually - but I definitely think it is very possible. I'd love to see after pictures if you do!

helloloverofbeautifulthings@gmail.com

WAY out of scale.

i wonder how the room would look without the huge flowers and vase. I think maybe the over-sized vase plus over-sized bundle of flowers are creating a bit of an optical illusion because it's the most natural focal point, everything else around it is seen comparatively large too. Try imagining the room without the vase and the table/ottoman doesn't seem as MONSTROUSLY out of proportion to the room. i don't think your furniture proportions can handle the tall and ample boutique.

I kind of like the idea of doing this on a smaller scale. The ottoman could be a nice place to rest your feet or seat another guest in a party situation and I think in a streamlined room (especially one with a monochromatic or soothing color palette), could add another layer of texture and interest. I don't see how layering an ottoman and a sleek coffee table is any worse than obstructing the center of the room with a huge, clunky coffee table with multiple shelves or drawers. With the right scale - this could actually be an ingenious option for small spaces. It's all about creating more options.

so: an ottoman, a serving tray, AND a table? the ottoman is half unusable, and the other half holds a tray, which is filled with nothing useful - a bunch of vases. the table's height makes conversation tough, but also has an enormous bunch of flowers on it, reducing visibility even more. it's also positioned in such a way that half the sitters can't even get to the table to put anything on it. and whatever can be put on it will only reduce visibility even more. which renders the entire middle section useless.
silly. and pointless.

I am a fan of this idea, but unless you are in a very industrial type of designed space, I would think the casters you are thinking of would wreck the nice lines you could create. I think the table should be very minimal, both so you can move it easily and so as to not create too heavy a look. The table is for function, the ottoman is more for "pretty." As long as it looks balanced and doesn't impede sight lines or movement, I think this is a much better solution to the panicky feeling of that balancing drink on a tufted ottoman!

PS-Damn, you people sure can be snarky here!

I really like the idea. This particular example, not so much.

I think this would work great with a smaller ottoman, and (as a previous poster mentioned) a clear plexi table.

I think this idea has the potential to be really beautiful.

Where did you find the great tray sitting on the ottomon?