If you like miniatures and dinosaurs, check out these awesome photos by Jorge Saenzs
Here’s some mid century modern inspiration for you
The Nixon coffee table is currently featured on Jonathan Adler’s home page. It’s part of the Warm Modernism collection. I knew I wanted a similar coffee table in my mid century marvel, but I had no idea where I could come up with one, so I decided to take matters into my own hands. I’m going to show you how to make a tiny coffee table with the same basic design aesthetic, for practically nothing.
Start with some old bangle bracelets you never wear. Everyone has some. These are from Myrtle Beach. I bought them from a souvenir shop that was going out of business. I actually think they’re really cute, but I have tons of cheap jewelry so I don’t mind donating these to a good cause.
All you need to make a Jonathan Adler inspired mini coffee table. Photos by Holly Tierney-Bedord. All rights reserved.
Next you’ll need a round wooden box like this one pictured above. You can find these boxes at places like Michael’s for $1.00- $2.00. When opened, you automatically have (if you have any imagination at all) a table and tabletop. The trick to creating a Jonathan Adler Nixon-inspired mini table is to add a bracelet base to the tabletop part of the box. The built in edge inside the lid makes a perfect guide to center your bracelets. A lattice style cuff bangle, like the base of the actual Nixon coffee table, would be ideal. I might shop around for one, but for now, this stack of bangles looks good to me.
The assembled table will look like this:
Here’s the one I am making, next to the original box/table. I might remove the bottom bracelet to make it even lower. I won’t decide for sure until I see how it looks in the living room, alongside (yet to be acquired) chairs and sofas.
The only thing left to do is to sand the edges lightly, put on a coat of dark stain, and glue it all together. Since this project is still in progress, it might look a little different the next time you see it, but you get the idea. If you still can’t see it as anything other than a stack of bracelets with a coaster on top, you’ll just have to wait for the final unveiling.