It’s been said that “variety is the spice of life” and for a positive outcome we need to temper our lives with moderation, balance, good judgment and a positive outlook. We need to be unafraid to step out “there” and try new things – experiment and “shake it up.”

The same perspective and attitude applies in the world of design where we must never forget that while mixing it up should be encouraged, it’s never a good thing to go overboard keeping in mind that less usually is more.

As a furniture designer it’s often my job to not only appeal to a client’s aesthetic sense by providing the right piece for the right setting, but also to offer a degree of creativity and even surprise that is seldom found in mass produced furniture and this is usually accomplished not only by originality of design but in the use of materials and finishes as well.

To this day many people cannot handle the concept of mixing finishes. They just don’t readily accept that silver and gold (or more exactly steel and brass) can be used together – and to great success. I have designed tables this way for years and I’m here to tell you that it does work and it’s a wonderful look. In fact, many times it’s much more appealing than just using all brass which can look well “too brassy” or all steel which may appear very cold and austere to some. Silver (or steel whether brushed or polished) will temper the effect of brass because it has the property to pick up colors around it and so “cool off” the overall effect.

There are those of us (myself not included of course!) who can’t imagine combining three or four finishes on one table yet alone two! But as the tables shown here prove this can be done to a great effect. In the first example we see a side table that has incorporated a clear ¾” thick glass top, supported by a clear acrylic post that sits on a stone base with the glass attached by a large polished brass plate. The other is a pedestal that also uses the combination of stone, polished brass and acrylic and has been used to support a glass tabletop and what a great breakfast room table it made!

And with these examples in mind you can now see your way clear (I hope) to mixing stone with bamboo, faux (imitation) granite lacquer with steel or copper faux stone with steel and on and on. I encourage you to give this some thought and try to think “out of the box” that we have all been conditioned to look through. You may surprise yourself by the results if you remember not to go too wild in combining materials. And of course it’s always best to consult with a professional designer for guidance in style, color choices that are right for your room, etc.

Clearly the designs shown here are not meant to appeal to purists or traditionalists, but to those of you seeking a fresh outlook on standard ways of seeing furniture design. It really does feel good adding some “spice” to your life.