a little coffee table glamour

Here's a little coffee table I made about two years ago. The tile is shimmery Oceanside glass tile, www.glasstile.com. I bought the coffee table at IKEA. It's has simple metal legs and an oak top. I didn't even bother with tiling the sides; the exposed edge of wood adds warmth. The tile is set in the cement a slight bit unevenly; which adds to the charm and homeyness of the piece. The corners were initially razor sharp. I was sure a child would fall and end up with stitches. As per my practical friend Jen's suggestion, I simply filed the corners smooth with rough sand paper.

The bookcase is an Ebay find purchased years ago when the euro was low. It's turn-of-the-century rosewood from France. It was a bugger to assemble, but it was well worth it. The antique map was a find from a street vendor in Dijon. Amidst a jumble of enormous bags, I carried this map, rolled up in paper with a long string as a handle, on trains, cars and the airplane. It was a royal pain, but also worth it, in my estimation. Sometimes our favorite pieces are those that carry an interesting story...