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History of Cocktail Tables

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Cocktail tables have been found in homes in the ruins around Greece and Rome. As culture and fashions have changed, the tables and their uses have changed as well. During prohibition, the sale of cocktail tables did not decline, but merely the function for which they were used was altered.

As guests left the dining table to adjourn to the living room for dessert, the after dinner conversations were now accompanied by coffee. In recent years, the coffee that was served after dinner has gone from being a dark, hot liquid in a cup to having thousands of variations. Latte’s, iced coffee, hot tea, espresso, and cappuccino have been added to the after dinner menu for warm beverages.

But the cocktail table has one function that has never changed. That function is to move away from the formal table to the more intimate setting of the living room. Casual conversation, relaxation, and a beverage are the best things our cocktail tables bring. Whether it’s a game of checkers and a soft drink or a group of friends having coffee after dinner, the cocktail table is the center of the action.

Cocktail parties, in the past, were casual affairs, but everyone dressed for the occasion and was an elegant evening event. Foods were appetizers, finger foods, and small nibbles of great food. Games, songs, and stories were part of the entertainment.

Today’s cocktail parties may or may not be as glamorous, but the games, songs, and stories are still part of the event. Foods vary from elegant hors d’oeuvres to pizza and cold cuts, but both elegant and casual parties centered around the cocktail table, the beverages served, and the individuals in attendance.

The cocktail party is a celebration of friendships, old and new, and the cocktail table is the center of the action.

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