For me, it's hands down the greek key one. I've never seen one like it, and I love the wood and metal combination. The other is just so-so, pretty, but not in the same league IMHO.
Dee

I also like the proportions of the greek key more than the other.

Greek key - thats a nice table. Ditto for the proportions.

Greek key without question.

Both are very nice but, I vote for option 1 - lower, longer, Greek key.

I prefer the height and the black legs of option 1. The legs provide a nice contrast with your beautiful wood flooring.
There's also some black (or very dark iron/metal) around the opening of your fireplace. Gorgeous fireplace : )

-Laurie

Oh good, I'm winning! I like the Greek key table best.
It's all wood, btw, no metal. It was my mothers and she bought is in the early seventies. Knowing her, probably a fairly expensive table.

yep, #1 is the winner!

Definitely #1. #2 is too tall for the couch, although a pretty table. Everything about #1 is perfect -- the proportions, the black (bringing out the black in the fireplace beyond), and the wood on top is beautiful.

Greek key one, very nice indeed!

Please send option #2 to my house. Thank you.

# 1 for me too!

Greek key! It's perfect!

#1, of course!

Definitely #1, the Greek table. #2 is pretty, but the Greek table height and length are perfect for the couch and I think it better complements the side table.

I like #2, but...I vote for the Greek key, perfect proportions and it looks great!

I vote for #1. #2 is a nice table but #1 is a better height/length for your sofa. It looks like it belongs there!

Definitely #1. Is there a place for the other table in your home to use as a plant stand or a sideboard? That way your husband could still have his way. lol

Seems to be unanimous! Option #1 is my vote as well. I think longer is better for behind a sofa and I really like that one.

I like option one, but for me I'm wondering how it's relating to the space. It surely has more personality and style but there seems to be a disconnect.

Can you expand on that htnspz? I don't know what you mean.

I mean several things:
1. The Greek key of strong horizontals and verticals do not repeat anywhere else in your home.
2. The Greek key does not appear to be part of a concept for the room and does not provide additional pattern to a room that appears to have enough pattern already.
3. You have already set a pattern of curves and slight diagonals and while contrast can be interesting, it doesn't work for me here.

That's just a start, there's just something else off but I can't put my foot on it. I always think about these things and then ask myself how I get an item to work within a room, but I'm afraid you'd have to make too many changes. I do think that the lamp is lovely with it, but if I look at those two elements together, they seem to be best fit for a different room.

Well the second one is definitely too tall and too formal, so by default it has to be the first one.

I donâÂÂt think it is a greek key design, tho. I think it is a modern take on a chinese altar table. Perhaps that is the disconnect that htnspz is discussing.

Franksmom, that me LOL! Would you believe I had to explain to dh the other day what lol means!!

He is new to texting and a friend had texted him that while we were in the car. So I gave him a rundown of dh, lol, romalo, sis, mil, etc.

Oakley, I wish I had another place to put the table!
But nada. I had the greek key table at the end of my bed over Christmas and rather liked it there but dh thought it too crowded.

The Greek key table was recently downstairs in Dad's hallway but he broke his hip recently and I moved it out to make room for his new walker.
I've always liked it.

Thank you Les!! good grief! You are absolutely correct.

bumble, I am diggin' those gourds. Are they real?
A belated vote for door #1.

Actually, that's an astute observation htn; my house is a mix of my mother's stuff -she passed away in 2000 and Dad moved in with us into the house we built and designed for both of them, but she didn't make it, by one day. The day of the funereal, he came home with us for the first time.

Anyway, so I have all her expensive nice stuff and my stuff which isn't (relatively) expensive and the two tastes are opposite. I like modern, contemporary art and rustic lodge, ( not kitschy though ) and she liked traditional high quality things with good lines and an oriental bent.
Gumps, Horchow looking stuff. She only bought high quality furniture.

I have a bowl on my foyer table (her table and her bowl) and she paid over five hundred for the bowl. I get lots of compliments on it but it's not my taste.
I'm probably too cheap and poor to get rid of it...and replace it with what? Something from Hobby Lobby or PB?

I'll keep the bowl.

I'll post a picture tomorrow. Anyway, the point being, the bowl is visible to the Key table and the bowl has a Greek key design. Even if nothing else goes together!

Oh, the gourds are real... I love those gourds too- I bought those :-)!

I already voted for the Greek key, but someone said that the table didn't go because of its straight lines, but I think it echos the mantle and fireplace very nicely and creates contrast with line - the curved and the straight. One thing that to me is out of character with the table is the basket of gouards. It's very nice, but somehow doesn't go with the "stately" character of the table, I think maybe the blue pot may be nice underneath the table if you tied it in with another blue object of some sort on the table top. But the basket with goards(spelling?) does look nice still - just a thought.

I like #1 as well. The crazy thing is, I think I have the same table in my basement in a red finish. The inlaws bought it in the 70's and we took it. I've recently been thinking of putting it in my living room behind the sofa. I will post photos tomorrow!

Yours looks way better. :)

Beth p

Cool, Beth! Can't wait to see it.

I like the first choice and I kind of like how it's different than everything else.

My first impression was the "greek key" table was asian in influence.
I agree it is nice, but somehow don't see it in your space as shown.
The other one is nice too, but is too tall and needs a nicer knob.

Curiosity draws this lurker out.

bumblebeez, are you an artist? Do you have a staircase off your dining area leading to a studio upstairs? The reason I ask is because years ago, I don't remember how long it's been, but I saw a house on one of the photo keeping places on the net that I fell in love with. It looked similar to yours. I loved the layout and how it was decorated. I think about it off and on and saved it then, but that computer died. Are you she? lol

Btw, my vote is for #1.

Lookingupsmiling, how nice of you to post!
That does sound like my house, I am an artist and have a stairwell off the dining room going up to my art studio. I'll post a picture of it later. Thank you !!!

Here it is! OMG, the dust!

The top is a little damaged, but it is usable. Once I get Christmas put away I will drag it upstairs and see if it will work.

Wow, what a nice little bit of serendipity!

I vote for the Greek key table.

Isn't that something! Thank you so much for showing us that.
I couldn't find a manufacturers name on mine, does yours have one?

I couldn't see any name on it at all.

I'm liking #1 also. Love the gourds!

Lookingupsmiling, here are some pictures of the hallway to my art studio.
And here is pictures of our foyer table which kinda blends with the sofa tab;e. The bowl is Asian anyway!

Wow, amazing how the two tables are the same. Also amazing what some paint can do.

I vote for one. At first I did not like it for the room but definitely did not like the second one for the room at all. Individually I like both but would definitely use the first one. I too was looking for some kind of need for it to "connect" to the room. But when I decided to just look to see if it looked nice in the room I decided it did. Sometimes things don't have to match or mimic or follow any rules. This may be one of those times.

I can't wait to see how the red table is used, and if it stays red.

Yes, absolutely #1, and no it is not Greek but oriental. If your husband likes the other table, could you use it as an end table somewhere?

Bethpen, that red table is fabulous--I have a "thing" for red furniture and chinoiserie of all kinds.

It's funny, when the inlaws died I kept very few things from the house. That table just begged to live here. It doesn't go very well with my drapes, but I'm going to mess around with it anyway.

Wow Bumblebeez, I love the painting of the sunflowers, and I love how you have placed it, framed by the 2 doorways!

Did you paint it?

I agree, table number 1. You have a lovely home. Thank you for sharing pictures of it.

Thanks Barb! Yes, that's my painting.
I switch that spot out every so often.
I liked the sunflowers at the time I did them but not anymore. Time for something new.

Greek Key - love the mix!

Fantastic painting!!!!