| | | |

Tomato Cage Tables

Sometimes I get the itch to try a project just for the heck of it. Even if I think it will fail, or look horrid, or be a total time-suck…I just want to give it a shot. These tables are one of those projects.

I’ve been wanting to bring some gold into the house somehow, and I figured guest room bedside tables would be a great way to do that. The first thing that popped into my head was a gold wire table, mostly because I’ve seen them all over the internet (Pinterest) and they are stuck in my head. I could never get away with putting them in the main part of my house (every time I mention gold Adam stops me mid-sentence and says “No gold! Veto”), but in a funky southwestern bedroom that he never enters? I’m doing it.

There is quite a bit of inspiration out there, here are a few pieces that I found…

My first stop was Amazon (of course), and I quickly found a table that would work perfectly.

gold wire frame accent table - amazon.com

And good news…it’s marked down $188 off of retail! Only $517 per table! Whoop! So for the slamming deal of $1,034 I could own two of these babies. Two end tables and no husband.

Overstock had more affordable options, these Safavieh tables were all between $100 and $200 each.

Safavieh Treasures Side Tables

Then I took to Pinterest and discovered all the tables I had been seeing were from Target.

Gold accent tables from Target

They were all about $50-$100….but everything was out of stock/discontinued. Evidently, I’m really behind on this gold table trend.

So I decided to experiment and make some out of stuff I had lying around the house. And what I had was tomato cages, wire, spray paint, and lots of scrap wood. Challenge accepted.

tomato cage tables

First I cut off the long prongs.

side table from a tomato cage

Then I started to add wire, first stringing it vertically….

DIY tomato cage table - progress

…and then weaving it in horizontally.

tomato cage side tables - progress

The result? It looked like a kindergartener made it. The wires weren’t straight and it reminded me of when my four-year-old writes his name. Of course, his squiggly little name is the best thing ever, so maybe this could be considered cute and whimsical as well. I should probably paint it and see.

DIY gold wire accent tables

Paint and primer helped…a ton. Could this actually work? I guess the only way to see would be to make tops and see if they are sturdy.

Using scrap pecan, a Kreg Jig, a jigsaw, and sandpaper my husband made some circular tops. (Home Depot sells pre-made ones for less than $5, but the goal here was to spend zero dollars).

DIY accent tables tops

I rubbed them down with some finishing wax and then attached them to the tomato cages with some metal clips and screws.

attaching a tabletop

Done!

tables made out of tomato cages
tomato cage side table
bedside table

Now, let’s be honest… these aren’t the best-looking tables. It kinda looks like Spiderman played a role in their creation. But they’re not terrible either, considering. I’d call them a semi-success. The tables are fairly sturdy…they have a little jiggle to them but they’re not going to fall over or collapse under the weight of normal bedside table stuff. I’m going to leave them for now, but if I find legit gold wire ones on clearance, I’ll pick them up. Or maybe a wire laundry hamper turned upside down with the current tops attached. That would work great, actually.

DIY wire and wood side table

Anyway, there you have it…my completely free tomato cage table experiment. I can’t very well end this post without mentioning the wall. It’s amazing right? I freaking love it and am hoping to have it finished by Thanksgiving!

airstone wall progress

Shop the Look

Similar Posts

22 Comments

  1. Not sure if I’m more impressed with the tables themselves or the fact that you made them from stuff laying around your house. Either way, I’m impressed and envious! Great job!

  2. Ooook I love the table but once I scrolled to the pictures that wall basically stole the show and took over this post! Holy moly! I love how the room is coming together!

  3. Smart AND creative. Paying that much for tables is ridiculous :) I like yours better and I went looney tunes over the WALL!

  4. I love these and the room is gorgeous. I would like to tell you how I kind of got this look. I went to the Salvation Army and Goodwill and got large lamp shades. I ripped all the cover off the shades and I was left with the frames. I have them in my pantry nested with a large cutting board on top. I have room for a bowl of fruit, baskets with kitchen linens, etc.

  5. Bopped on over to this project while looking at your sunburst mirror (love it). Question: What gauge wire did you do the weave with….I am so doing this tomato cage table for the Do It Herself Workshop ladies at my Home Depot (I’m the workshop captain–aye aye)

  6. OK- SERIOUSLY impressed! I love this! I have the perfect spot for a small table like this and a whole lot of cages lying around…they say imitation is a form of flattery, right?! Thanks for sharing!

    Amanda @ The Hatched Home

  7. Cute tables!! All u need is a simple base so it won’t jiggle…thrift stores are great & i’m sure you can find the perfect base for them there
    ……Oh, the possibilities!!!!! ALSO: That wall is beautiful ??

  8. If you weren’t really concerned with the gold look you could make little tablecloths that draped to the floor to match your room!

  9. I love it! The thing I like the most is that you made it and can say it proudly. That is what I always think of when I am decorating my craft/ reading room. It may not be perfect but I made it!

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *