Everyone has something they love – like a favorite animal, beloved hobby, or cherished pastime. But there’s a stark divide between something you like a lot, and something you’d want to decorate a room with. Sure, nautical, animal, or sport-themed rooms are all pretty common (among others). But if you want to show off your interests without dedicating a whole room to the look? Consider a novelty accent table. For just about anything you might be passionate about, there’s a corresponding accent table out there… No matter how obscure your interest. Accent tables are small enough to showcase a little bit of your personality without going overboard.
Plants and Nature
Some of the most common types of novelty accent tables are nature-themed. Think sprawling tree branches, crawling vines, and blooming flowers. The simplest ones are spindly, branching bases usually made of bronze with a nice natural texture. But even these run the gamut from delicate blossoming cherry trees to beachy palm trees to artfully wizened and whimsical cypress trees. If you love plants but want to break away from a strictly tree-theme? You can also find anything from floating strands of copper seaweed to whole stylized pineapples and everything in between.
Animals of Every Kind
If you have a favorite animal, I can virtually guarantee that you’ll be able to find a corresponding accent table. Whether it’s making up the whole base or simply integrated into the design, it’s almost certainly out there. Of course, some animals are more popular than others and some designs more detailed or abstract than others. But animal themes are among the most common and varied types of novelty accent tables. Whether they’re land-dwelling, sea-faring, or high-flying, chances are good that your favorite critter is available in tiny table form.
…Including The Fantastical Ones
Now, if your favorite animal happens to be a mythical one, never fear: there are as many (if not more) fantasy-themed novelty accent tables out there as there are for their real-life animal counterparts. Unicorns, dragons, and gargoyles are the most common; if you’re willing to look, you can find just about any fantasy creature, from mermaids to the elusive sphinx. These tables are perfect if you want to showcase your love of the genre, but aren’t quiiiite ready for a wizard-themed living room.
Showcase Your Hobbies
Another really common subset of novelty accent tables revolves around leisurely outdoor sports – hunting, golfing, fishing, boating, and so on. While most animal and nature themed tables are pretty straightforward in design, though, these ones really run the gamut. Depending on what you’re looking for, you can find tables that range from intentionally kitschy to impressively elegant and from expressly themed to a little more abstract. On the one hand, you might find tables that integrate the tools of the trade into the design, making fishing rods, hunting rifles, golf clubs, anchors and so on the feature elements. On the other, you might find symbols of the sport, like trophy fish or antlers, for a more subtle statement.
Reading Tables for Avid Readers
For avid readers, there’s a whole subset of accent tables that integrate books into their design; stacks of books, shelves of books, and teetering piles of books that take the idea of a “reading table” to the next level. More often than not, the “books” simply make up the base of the table. But you can also find a few interesting models that squeeze a whole reading nook into a table, with seats that join seamlessly with the table when pushed in, but pull out to create a lovely reading chair and tea table if you want to actually read a book while showing off your love of them.
Artwork and Statuary
Last but certainly not least, novelty accent tables are a great way to add a little touch of art (or art history!) to your living space. There are many, many, many tables that have marble or bronze statues as their base; from chubby Reniassance cherubs to elegant Art Deco bronze figures to detailed replicas of ancient Egyptian furnishings. As with most novelty tables, these can work well with a themed room, but are enough on their own to make a statement, adding a little personality to your space without overwhelming.
Adding an accent table is a great way to bring style, personality, and functionality to your table. Novelty accent tables are big on that middle one, and give you a great way to stylishly showcase your special interests.
