SOS! This week I'm coming to you all with a design dilemma: we can't for the life of us decide on a coffee table! You see, we've been looking for an oval coffee table for a while now, as our rectangular coffee table takes up just a bit too much space, and I'm constantly bumping my knees on the corners as I navigate the living room. We thought that if we could find something with rounded edges, it would give us a bit more room to maneuver, without sacrificing too much table surface area. I've been checking thrift stores, antique shops, and even the occasional big box retailer for at least a year, when I finally found a contender at the thrift store about a month ago. I couldn't really picture it in our space when I spotted it at the store, but the price was right, so we decided to haul it home, try it out, and go from there. If we decided it wasn't for us, I had no doubt we'd be able to make our money back selling it on Craigslist. I thought it would be a pretty straightforward decision, but we seem to change our minds almost daily! First, let's take a peek at our tried-and-true rectangular coffee table: 
This mid century beauty is definitely a looker. We love the slatted shelf on the bottom, the authentic mid century feel, and even the wood laminate top (it's so nice not having to worry about coasters!). I think the overall size looks pretty good in our space, too. Seems like a keeper, right? Well, I thought about snapping a photo of my bruise-y knees, but just trust me when I tell you this clumsy gal knocks into those pointy corners almost daily. Ouch. So, let's move onto the new kid on the block... 
This baby definitely has that oval shape we were looking for, and we were really pleased with the way the wood color matches our existing woodwork. (Please ignore the pumpkins in these photos - I snapped them just after Thanksgiving and am just getting around to finally posting them!) We also really like that fun starburst-esque shelf on the bottom, as well as the really beautiful wood inlay on the surface of the table: 
Pictures really don't do it justice. The wood grain is just so lovely! So you're probably wondering what the problem is, right? First, let me show you a few more photos: 
I think our main complaint is simply the fact that it's not vintage. I feel like we have a good mid century vibe going in this room, and while I definitely don't need this space to look like an authentic 1950s time capsule, I also don't want to mix too many different styles. I think the designer was probably going for a mid century-inspired vibe, but it feels a bit heavy-handed or something. Mr. Apples says it looks like a coffee table from a hotel - haha! And as crazy as it sounds, I'm not sure how I feel about that wooden top. It's gorgeous, no doubt, but it's definitely turned me into a bit of a drink coaster-pusher. And what about the sizing? Is it too small, or am I just used to something larger? One thing is for sure: my shins are voting for this new oval table 110% - but the design snob part of me just isn't sure. This is where I'm hoping you all can weigh in! Should we put fashion over function and go with our authentic vintage table? Do we just need to get used to the new oval table? I wish I could have you all over for a cup of tea and a coffee table debate, but since I can't, I was hoping maybe you'd cast your vote in the poll below? I'm dying to hear what you all would do in this situation! Thanks in advance for your input - what would I do without you!?
http://polldaddy.com/poll/9893522/