For anyone who’s been asking about our new coffee table (you might have spotted it in my InstaStories over the past few months), here’s the full story and how we made it work for our living room.
My search for the perfect coffee table felt like trying to Frankenstein together three different pieces I liked: the ideal size, the right wood tone, and a surface that could survive kids, drinks, and crafts. After a long hunt and a few experiments, I ended up combining an unfinished wood base with a quartz remnant top, and it turned out even better than I hoped.
For years we had a large white padded ottoman that was perfect with little kids—no sharp edges and hidden storage for games and blankets. We loved it for about seven years until the covering started flaking and peeling, leaving little bits of material everywhere. A padded ottoman is still my top recommendation for families with small children, but now that our kids are older we’ve found a coffee table works better for puzzles, board games, and gathering around a central, solid surface.
We initially replaced the ottoman with a cheap secondhand coffee table for $35 because the ottoman had to go immediately. That inexpensive table was a huge improvement and removed the daily annoyance of flaking material. But I kept searching for the long-term piece that would fit our oddly shaped living room layout and pull together the other wood tones already in the space.
Rectangular tables felt too narrow in the space, and round tables didn’t connect the seating well enough. After trying variations and visualizing different sizes, I decided on a large square table—about 3′ by 3’—that would create a grounded conversation area. I also wanted warm wood legs to match our existing chairs and a top that would be durable and resistant to water rings, stains, and messy projects.
Polished quartz was the obvious choice for the top: it’s durable, easy to wipe clean, and doesn’t stain like marble. But I couldn’t find a ready-made 3′ x 3′ quartz-topped table with the warmer wood legs I wanted, so I decided to make one by combining an unfinished wood base with a stone remnant for the top.
The build was straightforward. I ordered an unfinished square wood coffee table base that had the look I liked and arrived ready to stain. After assembling the base and wiping it clean, I stained it in Provincial by Minwax, applied two coats, and finished it with two coats of water-based matte polycrylic (the blue-labeled, water-based sealer to avoid yellowing).
Next we visited a local stone yard to buy a quartz remnant. Remnants are leftover pieces from slab cutting and are typically marked down significantly. For a roughly 3′ x 3′ top (about 9 square feet), we paid around $370 for quartz remnants—much less than the cost of a custom or retail stone-topped table, which often ran $800–$1,200 or more.
Combining the quartz remnant with the base (which was available at a reduced price when I ordered) brought the total to about $519. It wasn’t cheap, but compared to retail alternatives and given that it matched our other finishes and offered a durable surface, it felt worth it. The finished table ties in beautifully with our kitchen counters and the stone fireplace surround.
To ensure the table stayed square and solid after frequent use (and occasional foot propping), we added satin brass corner brackets under the top. They stabilize the base and prevent it from loosening or rocking over time. We also used a few dabs of adhesive to secure the quartz to the wooden top for extra peace of mind—though the stone is so heavy it’s unlikely to shift.
One practical tip: assemble the wooden base first and measure it precisely before ordering stone. Ask the stone yard for a remnant that’s about 1.5″ wider and 1.5″ longer than the tabletop so you get a 3/4″ overhang on all sides for a balanced look.
In the end, this table feels like something we’ll have for a long time. It’s durable, family-friendly, and blends with the other materials in our home. Our son jokingly called it “a giant coaster,” which made me laugh—he’s not wrong. The combination of an unfinished wood base stained to match our furniture and a polished quartz top gave us exactly the look and functionality we wanted.
And as a happy bonus, our $35 temporary coffee table found a new home at the beach house, and the table that used to be there became a play table in our son’s room—so nothing went to waste. If you’re struggling to find the exact piece you want, consider mixing a ready-made base with a remnant stone top. It’s an accessible way to get a custom look without the full custom price.
If you enjoy DIY hacks like this, we have a category of posts about furniture upgrades and building projects that you might like to explore.
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