Can't find the right table for your space? Another option is to have a custom top cut for a recycled base, which is what the Deams did for their outdoor dining area. They had an existing Scissor table base by Bay Area designer John Randolph sitting unused, so Chris had a piece of hardy soapstone (it stands up to high temperatures) cut to match by Fox Marble. A subtle facet at each corner plays off the base's design and lends a more intimate feel to the long table. For a fraction of the cost of a full piece, the bases of design classics are often available on Craigslist and eBay.

The lightweight MDF top of this side table from BoConcept can be lifted off its wire base to double as a tray—perfect for entertaining!

A black side table rests outside the bedroom hallway.

New Depths Inspired by a local winery, George Kyprianou wanted a glass top on his subterranean wine cellar. The interior is lit, casting soft light into the living space at night and revealing the 132-year-old stone foundation. The three-quarter-inch glass lid sits flush with the floorboards; it opens with an ingenious device that Kyprianou devised using a 12-volt air compressor and a remote-controlled switch. When you push the button, the glass lifts just enough to be removed by hand.

A small Eames Wire-base table provides the perfect dining space for son, Paul.

For the Minster Adib Pacha (shown), walnut, glass, and enamel were used to create contrast. "My dad goes over the sketches for the furniture design, and sometimes he laughs. He sits on the mockup chairs and says the armrest needs to be one-fourth inch shorter or tilt the back another degree. He’s always right. He’s also the tie-breaker if Grace and I can’t agree on a specific design,” Sevak says.

A detail shot of the Adib Pacha highlights the easily accessible, glass-topped drawer.

A nine-foot solid walnut dining table (shown) was made for a couple that fell in love with Grace’s desk. The table was designed specifically to their preferences and plate sizes. Sevak painted the legs white to visually separate the table from the hardwood floors in the house.

The table’s base, which itself is an additional storage container, rolls easily into place to support the surface.

The Algedi Marble Side Table from Iacoli & McAllister is a versatile furnishing that carefully balances materials to create a striking accent. Comprised of a Carrara Marble tabletop that is fixed atop a powder-coated or plated steel base, the Algedi can be used in a variety of interior spaces, from living rooms and offices to bedrooms and guest rooms.

A striking example of Morrison’s philosophy that there aren’t necessarily new forms, just new ways to combine and recontextualize what's come before, this self-explanatory piece was assembled in an almost ready-made fashion. Supposedly, Morrison would jet around town on a motorbike in the mid ‘80s, visiting small workshops and asking them to fabricate whatever he needed for his latest project.

The Pixo Desk Lamp is a consistent Dwell Store best seller. Designed by Pablo and Fernando Pardo with sustainability in mind, the lamp was created with a small footprint and a compact, energy-saving LED light. The ultra-efficient lamp features a swiveling light shade that makes it easy to focus and redirect light as needed. The Pixo Desk Lamp is currently on sale for 15% off at the Dwell Store until 10/23/2014.

In the dining area, a one-of-a-kind table with a reclaimed Carrara marble top by NET—themultidisciplinary design firm of architect Alejandro Sticotti, with whom Nicolas works—is surrounded by prototypes of the company’s Board chair. The family dog, China, sits on a floor made of travertine tiles.

The main rooms include an art nook.

The Abuletada is a dining table with a glass top attached to a humble wooden base.

Platner Side Table by Warren Platner for Knoll, $930 for metallic bronze base with bronze glass top

The tiered side table was designed by Jasper Morrison.

Created by Seattle-based husband and wife design team Chelsea and James Minola of Grain, the Dish Side Table takes its inspiration from hand-carved African stools. This sculptural side table features a scooped-out tabletop that can double as a stool. It is made in the United States from solid American ash wood.

Playing off of Felicia Ferrone’s well-known Revolution Collection of glassware, the Jae Side Table is defined by its hourglass shape, visible skeleton, and versatile composition. The table can be overturned, adding a subtle change to a living room landscape. The top of the side table is designed to fit the detachable serving tray, giving the Jae Side Table an added function from traditional tables.

Birdsall plays with her son Atticus in the living room next to a Charles sofa from B&B Italia. Formwork also designed the coffee table—fitting, since the architects come from strong fabrication backgrounds.

On an island 20 miles off the coast of Maine, a writer, with the help of his daughter, built not only a room, but an entire green getaway of his own.

Design runs in Grace and Sevak Karabachian’s, of Karabachian Design Office, family. Their father was a furniture designer and builder in Beirut, Lebanon, and their mother designed and tailored her own clothes. Sevak went on to study architecture at Harvard, while Grace pursued a career graphic design. “Initially we were very hesitant about working together. We both were starting our careers and I was getting ready for grad school. We had zero clients. The only thing we could do was build and create art for ourselves and share it with one another. The good thing about working with my sister is that she wont spare my feelings. If she didn’t like something she’d say ‘that’s the ugliest thing I’ve seen so far,’” Sevak says.

The Desert House located in Desert Hot Springs is a steel structure designed with large expansive windows, and concrete flooring.

The Botón side tables by Guatemala and Florida-based Labrica make a subtle nod to their namesake with tops resembling buttons.

Kangaroo by Henk Desmet and Paul VermeulenA smaller cousin of the Loose Fit table, the occasional table can move around the home with ease. Photo by Filip Dujardin

In 2013, they obtained a business license in Pasadena, California, although they both are keeping their day jobs and each takes responsibility for different clients. Pictured, a detailed shot of the Minister Rafik Hariri side table.

Side table by Karakter, Hall 15 Stand C32, at Rho.

Smart Marble Top C table by CB2, $129

Coleman End Table is an innovative table that blends a sleek black powder coated frame with a sophisticated solid black walnut tabletop. The top is supported by three geometric base supports that give the table a sculptural look and feel. The tabletop adjusts from 22 to 28 inches in height, making it a multifunctional option for a variety of interior spaces.

The Merge features a powder-coated base topped with a tinted glass surface, and comes in a range of colors and sizes.

Designed by furniture designer Brad Ascalon for Juniper, the Peasant Side Table is made almost entirely from off-the-shelf stock materials. Ascalon and Juniper wanted to create a table that had lower development costs, while still focused on high-quality materials. The table has a copper frame creating a small footprint, making it an ideal side table for confined living rooms and large great rooms alike.

Outside, a set of Bertoia chairs offer an appealing perch around a vintage glass-and-metal table.

Farrah Sit and Chiyome collaborated on this mirrored glass side table. View releases from KWH, Zoë Mowat, Allied Maker, and others at Colony. (324 Canal Street)

These iron side tables from designer Jasper Morrison are available with one or two tiers of glass.

They restored small alcoves to rooms including the office (shown here) and living room and worked carefully with the existing windows. They also hunted down a craftsman, Marc Ablasou, to install oak floors in a herringbone pattern—a touch that subtly complicates Safdie’s aesthetic. In the office, the mirrored console is vintage and the Grand Prix chair is by Arne Jacobsen for Fritz Hansen.