Coffee tables are places where people as well as things meet, and they can get messy really fast. Books, remote controls, accessories, knick-knacks, you name it, you can find it on top of these large surfaces. Klara doesn’t magically make your coffee table neater but instead embraces the chaos and gives that mess a place to hide, with a movable tray that covers part of the tabletop without turning it into some gigantic storage box.
Some coffee tables do have storage spaces beneath the tabletop, but that invites the other problem of not knowing where things are. Klara keeps all those items on top, ready when you do need them. Slide the raised tray over a part of the recessed surface, and you temporarily hide the unsightly mess. They’re still there, just out of sight and out of mind.
Designer: Joao Teixeira (Teixeira Design Studio)
Of course, the sliding tray itself becomes yet another surface you put something on, like a drink or maybe a piece of decor. The open area it leaves uncovered provides easy access to those you do need to reach. Move the tray over, and it’s gone. It’s almost like sweeping things under the rug.
Klara’s shape gives it both functionality and presence. Long, squared-off legs make it look like a small bench, and the ends of the frame angle outward to break away from the identity of a plain rectangle. The surfaces are colored precisely within those shapes, making it feel like a truly assembled piece of furniture rather than a box that simply has legs.
Color combinations include a warm yellow recess with the sliding tray in a matching earthy brown, all on top of a pale wood-grain frame. Another option goes a bit darker, with deeper wood tones and blue-gray surfaces. Both color options deliver the same effect: the tray visually stands apart, hinting at its movable nature, and when the table’s all clean, it offers a bit of contrast to keep things interesting.
That said, the “holding area” is finite, and you’ll definitely be limited in what you can place there. As for the moving tray, it’s best to actually remove what’s on top before sliding it over to another area, lest you want to deal with spilled drinks or shattered vases. Small things, but effective reminders that the table isn’t a solution to that mess.
The point isn’t to forget you have to tidy up. It’s to save you the stress of doing so when someone stops by unannounced. It gives you a little peace of mind, albeit briefly, but it also doesn’t encourage leaving things cluttered for long. After all, it doesn’t have a permanent place to hide things, so you’ll have to face the music sooner or later.
