I’m searching for the perfect rustic coffee table, but not for the reason you probably assume. As a food blogger who works from home, I’m challenged with photography issues with every single recipe I create.
Mostly, it’s poor lighting because the weather isn’t cooperating. Since I shoot most of my recipes from a French door window overlooking our back patio, the success of the day’s shoot is contingent on the weather. So, I’ve decided it’s time for me to have my own food photography studio!
It came to me in a flash of lightning! Why don’t I use one of our guest bedrooms as a food photography studio? After all, we don’t have guests that often and when we do, I’ll still have the other guest bedroom! So, I’m working on a plan. And, I’m in the beginning stages of deciding what that room will need in the way of equipment.
But, one of the things I’ve decided is essential to this plan is a rustic coffee table. Why you ask? Because I shoot most of my photos overhead.
Searching for a rustic coffee table? Here are a few great ideas for distressed, industrial and unique coffee tables. #coffeetables Click To Tweet
In the early stages of learning food photography and food photo styling, I climbed up on a step stool or a ladder to take my shot. Now, here’s a confession you may not know. I’m old. And, I’ve decided it just isn’t safe for me to keep climbing up and down a ladder, carrying my camera, just to get a picture of food!
So, about a year ago, I switched to using a small crate that I turn upside down over a portable printer stand on wheels (this post contains affiliate links for your convenience. Click here to read my full disclosure policy.).
Here’s Coco sniffing the underside of my crate (actually, it’s the “right side” of the crate; I turn it upside down for my food photography). And, that’s the rolling printer cart in front of it.
Here’s Coco getting a better view. He’s a curious one, that Coco!
Here’s what it looks like upside down on top of the under desk rolling printer stand. The total contraption is about 13 1/4 inches from the floor, so I stand over it and take my photos. And, it works fine. But, it’s a small surface area (18 x 24 inches) and doesn’t give me much room to expand my food photo styling and use larger props or even larger dishes!
So, I want a rustic coffee table. But, I have some criteria for said rustic coffee table.
Criteria for the Perfect Rustic Coffee Table
- I want it to be rustic coffee table or an industrial coffee table or a shabby chic coffee table or a vintage coffee table or a distressed coffee table – in other words, I want it to have character!
- It can’t have a shiny surface. All the tables in my house have shiny, reflective surfaces like my dining room table (shiny and polished), my kitchen table (more rustic, but still shiny and polished), my living room coffee table (glass – so it’s see-through). Shiny, reflective surfaces play havoc on food photography! Even my kitchen counter and back-splash are a shiny, reflective surface (dark brown granite).
- It would be nice to have a coffee table on wheels. That way I can move it around whenever I need to.
- It needs to be low to the ground. At least no taller than 15 inches from the ground to the top of the table.
- I would like it to be larger than my current configuration of 18 x 24 inches.
- Even better, it would be nice to have an adjustable coffee table – one that lowers and raises with the push of a button or the flick of a handle! Like a coffee table with a hydraulic lift! Maybe I’ve got something going on here – do you think if I invent one, I’ll have food bloggers and photographers everywhere clamoring for one and I’ll make oodles of money? Just kidding…well, maybe not {grin}!
Anyway, I’ve been “on the hunt” and I stumbled across several that might make the cut on Chairish. Chairish is an exclusive, curator approved, online marketplace for vintage and used furniture. It’s a beautiful site and they have amazing things from all across our country. So, I’ve curated a few of my favorites from their site and broken them down into two different categories: Rustic Coffee Tables and Industrial Cart Coffee Tables.
Rustic Coffee Tables
I’ve classified all of the above as Rustic Coffee Tables. The first one is more shabby chic, actually, and the second and third ones are rustic with a modern twist. The fourth one is more farmhouse style and the fifth one is funky, but aqua is my favorite color, so I love it! None of these are on wheels. Which do you like best?
Industrial Cart Coffee Tables
I’ve classified all of the above as Industrial Cart Coffee Tables. All of these are on wheels. The first one has a nice long handle, so it would be easy to move. The second one has drawers – more storage opportunities; woohoo! The third one is very distressed, maybe too so. The fourth one has 3 wheels and the fifth one has 1 wheel and 2 handles, like a dolly. Which do you like best?
Here’s a collage combining all elements to pin to your Pinterest board! Thanks for sharing!
The Pros and Cons – Rustic Coffee Table vs Industrial Cart Coffee Table
So, to help me with my decision, I decided to list the pros and cons of each! I’m narrowing my choices down with this tactic and while a clear winner has yet to surface, I’m working my way towards a decision! So, let me know if you have an opinion and once I’ve chosen my new coffee table for my food photography studio, I’ll let you know! Stay tuned…
Tootles,
You Might Also Like:
Food Photography Lighting from Courtney at Click It Up a Notch
Food Photography: Behind the Scenes with Food Bloggers from Tessa Handle the Heat
How to Photograph Printables from Abby at Just a Girl and Her Blog (okay, okay – she’s not a food blogger! But she shows you what we go through to get “the shot”!
Food Styling from Lisa at Celebrate Creativity
My Shooting Setup from Ali at Gimme Some Oven
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