The lowly side table. Always an afterthought – until you need one (or more). Sofas have them at either end. Easy chairs – at least on one side. Beds – a pair adjacent. Even in foyers, there is often a table on which to leave your keys/mittens/mail. They are a necessity, but when decorating, often left until last.
Side tables are incredibly important. They are versatile, even ‘overworked’ – yet taken for granted at the same time. What would we do without them?
And when a side table is needed, why do we compound the challenge by limiting our search to pieces that mimic the style already present in the room? The landed gentry didn’t even consider ‘matching’ when they needed a new piece of furniture. To them, consideration boiled down to function and delight in appearance. They took the long view for granted – balancing a sense of history with the diverse pieces around them.
We are taking this opportunity to present our long view – examples of some of the side tables we’ve created (so far). Some were inspired by prized antiques, others copied from great houses thousands of miles away, and some were originals created by the finest designers in the world.
We are Elijah Slocum, crafting fine furniture for over 35 years (no matter how lowly).
Incidentally, the term “end table” didn’t exist until 1850. No wonder they’re so hard to find!