If you aren’t familiar with cargo pants, they are the popular multi-use pants that often zip off into shorts – but not always – and usually have a variety of pockets. Traditionally, – at least in my mind – they were always light in color or were strictly camo style.

Why I love Cargo Pants

One main reason: they are also cargo shorts. I wear a lot of board shorts and cargo shorts during the summer and I love not having to buy additional clothing. Cargo pants for men often come with zip off legs so that you can double them as shorts.

Another reason I enjoy cargo pants is they can be somewhat more dressy than jeans but are still very comfortable. If you know me at all, you’ll know I do enjoy being comfortable in what I wear. Needless to say, I know when it’s time to suit up and arrive in shirt and tie, but whenever possible I dress for comfort.

Formal and Dressy Cargo Pants

I love a pair of relaxed fit mens cargo pants or shorts, but this time I needed something a little more formal and dressy. There were a couple good options that I found that were both practical and dressy. Firstly, khaki cargo pants are very similar to normal khaki pants with the addition of a couple side pockets. Luckily, these khaki style pants also came as zip off cargo pants that allows me to zip them off and wear them as shorts. Granted I won’t be doing that when I’m out at dinner, it’s good to know that I can get some use out of these in the summer as well.

Lastly, there were plenty of black cargo pants available and even some with fewer than normal pockets – which is one of the main reasons why people typically don’t wear cargo pants to dress up. Finding a good pair of black cargo pants was a plus to add to the more formal attire.

Cargo Pants For Women

Gone are the days of only finding cargo pants for men. There were a ton of womens cargo pants that ranged from skinny styles and a large variety of colors. I’ve noticed a lot of women wearing skinny cargo pants that resemble skinny jeans. In fact there were even a pair of denim cargo pants – which didn’t really make sense to me – that were being marketed mainly to women.

From what I could tell, there were less of a selection of zip off cargo pants for women but the skinny styles and the nice dark black colors made up for it.

Cargo Pants Are Perfect For Travelling

I don’t do nearly as much travelling as I would like to, but have decided that is one of the things that will change in 2012. That said, mens and womens cargo pants are great the perfect choice for the avid traveller. The additional pockets throughout the pants allow you to reduce the amount you need to pack. In fact, I recently watched a video of Rolf Potts discussing how to pack for an around the world trip with no luggage. Needless to say he used all the pockets in his cargo pants – as well as a nifty vest.

Do you love your womens or mens cargo pants? Let me know by filling out a comment below – I love hearing form readers. As always, if I stumble across anything else interesting, I’ll add it in the comments.

That said, I spend about 6 months of the year solely (no pun intended) in a pair of leather flip flops. I don’t invest a lot of money in them however, I typically buy a new pair every year and it might cost me $20. I wear these things to the ground, though, so I feel good about buying a new pair each spring.

One of the biggest issues I have every spring is deciding between all the different types of flip flops for men. There are countless styles, brands, and materials to choose from for mens flip flops – deciding isn’t always the easiest thing.

Don’t sacrifice comfort for price or style

I’ve been there before – trying to get through a summer in cheap flip flops because I didn’t want to spend even $20 – $30 for a decent pair. One year I spent about $8 for my summer flip flops and I don’t think they even lasted until the summer. I’m not saying to go out and buy a pair of mens designer flip flops (if they even exist), just be conscience of the amount of walking you might have to do in them and make sure they are comfortable.

If you think of how much you can spend on a pair of sneakers or dress shoes and consider the amount of usage most people get out of a nice pair of mens flip flops, it’s a no brainer to spend a little extra for a comfortable pair.

Sandals vs Flip Flops

This is a common question and debate when people are out buying footwear in the spring season, “would I rather have a pair of flip flops or a nice pair of mens leather sandals.” It’s definitely justified as there are many really nice pairs of mens sandals. In my opinion there are distinct difference between the two.

Firstly, flip flops for men give off more of a laid back feeling. Get a nice leather pair, or even a comfortable fake leather pair and you can mix and match them with almost any summer outfit. Personally, I will often wear my flip flops downtown or out to the pub for a few drinks rather than putting on bulking dress shoes in the summer.

Depending on the type of sandal, they are much more practical than flip flops for the most part. Since they strap on they are much less likely to fall off during any sort of activity – this makes them great for a lot of weather sports that require footwear, such as kayaking.

If you are debating between a flip flop and a sandal consider the situations in which you will be wearing them. Most of the time a pair of mens flip flops is all you’ll need. Worst case, buy them both.

Custom flip flops

If you are willing to spend a little extra money, you can get a pair of custom flip flops. Ranging from additional arch support to personal flip flops with your name or logo designed on them, the options are plentiful when it comes to custom flip flops.

There are plenty of generic flip flops with arch support if you require a pair of orthotic flip flops. You may even be able to get your medical insurance to cover the additional cost involved in getting arch support flip flops.

Customizing your flip flops does not stop there, however – flip flops with arch support is just scratching the surface. The most interesting concept I have ever seen was at a friend’s wedding down south.

Just married flip flops

If you have never been to a destination wedding in a tropical climate, it is fairly common for the bride and groom to wear simple flip flops as footwear. In this particular case, the entire wedding party had matching wedding flip flops.

It was actually quite something – all the groomsmen had matching mens flip flops, as did the bridesmaids. They were customized with pictures of the bride and groom and branded with congratulations all over them. After the ceremony the bride and groom changed their wedding flip flops for just married flip flops – a wonderful idea in my opinion.

Needless to say, I enjoy my flip flops. If you have cool pictures of custom flip flops, or a great recommendation on a particular pair, please share them in the comments below – I’ll be sure to add in my favourites as well.

These were just cheap glass door knobs – my parents would rather spend their month on travelling around the world than actually buying real crystal (something I’m glad that rubbed off onto me as well), but regardless, they looked quite nice and sparked my interest to look into them a bit more.

Pros and Cons of using glass door knobs

Needless to say, they look great. Nothing beats a really nice looking vintage or antique glass door knob. They do not come without a few downsides however. Firstly, installing a glass door knob, although not any more difficult than a regular knob, can often present a different type of challenge due to its ability to break more easily. You need to pay attention and be sure not to drop the door knob while you’re installing it.

Secondly, they can be a bit expensive. Especially if you want real crystal door knobs, this type of glass door knob can run into hundreds per knob. Not only are they expensive to buy, but their parts and hardware area also quite expensive if you ever need to replace or repair one. This is definitely something to consider when choosing glass door knobs.

This shouldn’t keep you away from them, however, as they are very nice and extremely functional.

Vintage or Antique Looks

These are by far the most popular styles – nice old glass door knobs. If you have ever been in an older home, you have likely witnessed a great looking glass door knob. Instead of trying to describe to you exactly what they look like, I have added a picture to the right.

My grandparents used to have the most wonderful looking door knobs all throughout their house. It didn’t hurt that their house was so large with so many doors that it really added quite a bit to the atmosphere and feeling of the home.

Glass dummy door knobs

These are the types of knobs that most people would likely pick up if they were interested in going the glass knob route. The glass dummy door knob is simply a look-a-like that is not real crystal. Although it is still fairly durable, it is usually less so than the real options.

These are great if you have a lot of kids running around and are worried about them breaking your door knobs. They can also be used to compliment your real ones in places that are seen less.

Colors, styles, and choices

There are a lot of different styles and types of door knobs, and that is no different for glass door knobs. From the vintage and antique styles that we’ve talked about, to a more modern looking handle-type door knob. These glass door handles are great if you are looking for a glass option for an outside facing door, or simply want something a bit more modern.

You can also get these in a variety of colors – green and blue glass are quite popular, but there are a variety of colored glass door knobs.

There are also options available for cabinets, closets, and dressers as well as regular doors around the house. This can add quite a bit to the look and feel of a room.

Personally, we do not have any glass knobs around the apartment – mainly because we just don’t feel like having to swap them all back on when we decide to move out. That said, it is definitely something I would consider if and when I ever own my own place. If you have any pictures of nice glass door knobs, please share them in the comments.

For the first month that we lived in the new place, our sideboard furniture simply sat next to the wall and provided very little value, that is, until we figured out what it was and how we were going to use it.

What exactly are sideboards and buffets?

They are a piece of furniture about table height or a little taller that typically matches with a dining room table set but is long and thin.

The easiest way for me to describe this would be to take a picture of my sideboard and post it so that is exactly what I’ve done. You can also see my dining room table in there so you can tell that it matches as part of a set. (Mind the mess, and the bad lighting in the photo).

What are these things for?

A nice sideboard table, or any type of sideboard furniture for that matter has a variety of options and things for which it can be used. Some are obvious, others take a bit of an imagination.

Serving – buffet style

Naturally, with a name like buffets and sideboards, this furniture can be used as a serving table for a buffet-style meal. It is about table high, long, and fairly thin in comparison to the table. It is about the size of a leaf that you could add to your table lengthwise if you were so inclined.

We have entertained a few people and used it for serving with a lot of success. It was so nice to be able to take all the food over close to the table so people didn’t have to be dodging the food while they ate.

They make great wine bars

We are contemplating turning our sideboard buffet into a full time wine bar. As you might be aware, we make our own wine, and are always looking for great looking and functional wine racks that we can store our wine.

We thought about mounting a small wine rack along the top of the entire sideboard and also adding in a wine glass holder mounted to the wall above it. I have been looking at pictures of other people doing similar things with their sideboard furniture and it looks really nice.

Displays for pictures, etc.

Right now you can tell that we have a small wine rack on the table, but recently the gf has used it to showcase a variety of jewellery during one of her recent Stella and Dot parties here in Halifax.

It is a great simple table for displaying pictures, photos, paintings, and makes a nice alternative to using side tables or coffee tables.

Added storage for the kitchen

Sideboards are not always paired with dining room furniture, and can often be found to compliment a kitchen and add a bit more counter and storage space. Kitchen sideboards are the perfect addition to an island-less kitchen to give it a more open and larger feel. You can find really nice mirrored sideboards that look fantastic is most modern kitchens.

Styles, colors, and options

Like any furniture, a sideboard can come in all sorts of styles, colors, and options. From antique sideboards to very modern options, you can find them all at local furniture stores or online retailers.

If you are looking to buy a sideboard on its own and not as part of a set, it’s important to pay attention to color, as they look great when matched with your dining room table set or with hte rest of your furniture. A nice black sideboard, or even a white sideboard for that matter can look very nice in a more modern-feeling home.

On the other hand, there are a lot of wooden sideboard cabinets such as a maple or oak sideboard that give a more earth and antique feeling.

Our sideboard was provided for us, but we will be losing it at the end of the year. We will definitely be picking up another one at that time and I’ll update this with what types and styles we chose. As always, if you have anything to add please feel free to comment below.

Our needs are a little different as we only have a medium sized balcony, but non the less we are still looking for some sort of indoor outdoor rug.

Why even bother with an indoor outdoor rug?

To some people the idea of owning a rug that use both outdoor and indoor might seem a bit odd. Personally I never really thought about it, but it makes perfect sense in our climate. We have the most wonderful summers and spend more of our time on the balcony during the evening, but in the winter we wouldn’t dream of going out on it (unless I’ve been forced to barbecue for the evening).

Having a great looking rug that we can use to add a bit of character to the balcony during the summer is perfect, what’s even better is if we can use the same rug inside during the winter. Outdoor indoor rugs definitely solve this issue. The great part is that there are some great looking cheap indoor outdoor rugs that you can pick up – they are much less expensive than I thought.

Types of indoor outdoor rugs

Little did I know that you could find an indoor outdoor rug in so many shapes and sizes. From indoor outdoor braided rugs, an area rug, or even rug runners – the choices are oddly plentiful. Here are just a few that I am considering.

Indoor outdoor braided rugs

I’m not really a huge braided rug fan (who knew I would ever hear myself say that) but the gf does seem to like them. If you don’t know what a braided rug looks like, it’s a rug with braided fabric – sort of hard to explain so I tossed up a picture to the right. You can find cheap indoor outdoor rugs with braids all over the place and they seem to be a bit more durable than a standard rug.

The area rug

We have an old area rug that we used for the longest time at our old apartment. I’m not sure why it hasn’t been laid out yet but it won’t handle the water that well outside. That said, there are a lot of indoor outdoor area rugs that look excellent and seem to weather the elements just fine.

These are often referred to as indoor outdoor patio rugs as well, because most of the time a nice large area rug can cover whatever patio you have. Since all of these rugs need to be waterproof (at least they do in my books) then you can cover a patio with this same type of rug. If I had a bigger outdoor space I might consider something like this, but unfortunately I don’t.

Indoor outdoor Sisal Rugs

Now this is a term I had never heard of before – sisal – which is just a type of plant that can produce very stiff fiber that’s used to make rugs. It is quite popular however, and is very durable to the weather. This makes it a great option for being both indoors and outdoors.

Those are the main types of indoor outdoor rugs, of course they all come in different shapes and sizes from round, rectangle, or square or even as a runner. The runner is actually one of the shapes I am considering for our balcony since it will run nicely across the middle of it, and we can always use it inside during the winter.

However, the gf is leaning more towards a nice round indoor outdoor braided rug – something simple to add a bit of character to the balcony that could easily be put nicely under a side table in the living room. Something tells me she is going to win.

Once I make a decision and buy the thing I’ll update with what we got – but feel free to leave any comments on the topic. We always love to hear them.

Our apartment is quite large compared to the last one so we have a bit more room to fill it out. In my case I will have both a love seat and a sectional couch in the same room – something most people wouldn’t do. I have taken a few notes while I was doing my research and thought I would share some of it.

L shaped couch or the sectional leather sofa

For those that may be wondering there are very little differences between an L shaped couch and standard sectional couch. Many people confuse the two terms thinking they are completely different things, where in fact they are the exact same.

The only difference may be the fact that an L shaped couch can sometimes come in one piece (although very unlikely). Other than that consider them the exact same thing.

Great For Saving Space

One of the best selling features of l shaped couches or modern sectional sofas is the fact that they can save a lot of space in a smaller room. Where many people would choose to have both a couch and a love seat, you can simply have one unit.

The extra seating space on a modern sectional sofa is more than what you would get on a combined love seat and sofa. Plus you can usually sleep two adults on a nice leather sectional sofa.

Real vs Fake Leather or Microsuede

Deciding on a type of sectional sofa can definitely be a challenge. The three main choices that I would consider when purchasing one would be a real leather like an italian leather, perhaps a fake leather, and a microsuede material. Microsuede is getting quite popular and many leather sectional sofas are slowing being replaced with microsuede.

Like any furniture purchase, it comes down to how it feels for you and how it goes with the rest of your apartment. You likely won’t buy a brown l shaped couch if the rest of your furniture is black leather.

Sectional Sleeper Sofa

This is definitely something that completely confuses me. When I had a leather sectional sofa it could easily sleep two large adults. There would be no reason to spend extra money on a leather sectional sleeper sofa when a regular one would more than do. To be fair, I’m not even sure they sell them, but I suspect if there’s a demand for them that you could pick them up somewhere. If you are considering it however, I would advise on going into a store to look at a variety of options before making your decision.

Sectional Sofas with Recliners

Now this is an interesting thing I noticed when looking around for a nice modern sectional sofa. Some models have built in reclines similar to how you would have a recliner on a regular couch. Unlike the sleeper option, I would definitely consider this. The only thing that makes an l shaped couch better is by having a recliner in it.

Typically, the first seat on the main part of the couch has the recliner built in, but sometimes it is the middle seat. I’m not sure if I would pay much extra for it, but it’s definitely something I will consider.

Choosing The Perfect Color

This is always a battle. Fortunately, most places take a lot of the guess work out of it by only offering a few options. Something about a nice black leather sectional sofa that really adds so much to a room. White is another interesting color – but I’m not sure if I have the existing furniture to pull it off.

When you are looking at microsuede, most of the l shaped sectional sofas come in a tan or brown color. I suspect you can pay extra to get a custom color, but they usually have something that will go with the rest of the room on the show floor.

I haven’t yet made my purchase, so I don’t have anything to recommend, but when I do I will update this with whatever it is I have chosen. In the mean time if you have any thoughts or advice, or wanted to share anything about your l shaped couch – please feel free!

The reason I went looking initially for free standing closets is because I am up quite early for the gym and typically make a lot of noise. Needless to say the gf doesn’t appreciate this very much so I was looking for a way to store my gym clothes and a spare set of clothes in a separate free standing closet. Now I have an entire second bedroom so it’s not as much of a hassle, but where we lived before I had to get a stand alone closet in order to keep her sanity (and my life).

I’ve researched a few options and types, along with some of the main reasons to buy a free standing closet.

Turn the Den into a Bedroom

I am currently in a two bedroom plus den and if it weren’t for the lack of a window in the den it could easily be turned into another bedroom. The square footage is fine, the only thing that is missing is a closet. When I was viewing apartments leading up to getting this spot I noticed a corner unit in the building that had two nice free standing closet organizers. These were just small standing closets that had a bit of storage and a small hanger, but it really turned the place into a bedroom.

In our case, we might not be allowed to rent out our “third bedroom” as our lease only has two people on it, but if you own your own place and have a smaller room, a standalone closet makes for a perfect way to add some income. Pop in a free standing closet wardrobe and a small single bed and you’re set.

Additional storage for gym clothes

This was the main reason I bought my first one. Granted, it was probably a little overkill when I could have simply laid out my clothing in the living room but it is still a great reason to get one.

You could even put in a nice free standing closet with doors in the basement and have it solely for your gym and workout gear – sneakers, sports equipment, gym clothes, etc. It would be a great way to separate the smell of this stuff from the rest of the house.

Store some of your clothing away from your bedroom

For most people this sounds like a stupid idea, and it might be. I know some people though like to separate their work and personal clothing. This would be a great way to separate some of the less used clothing from your every day stuff. You could even use a free standing closet system to keep costumes or other items you rarely look at.

Systems, Organizers, Wardrobes, Closets, With or Without Doors?

Free standing closets come with a huge variety of names and brands. It’s important to know what your needs are before diving in to buying one. There are likely subtle differences between a free standing closet organizer and a free standing closet system but it’s really more for the marketing. Here is one of the types that I have purchased in the past:

Click Here For a Cheap Free Standing Closet System

Most stand alone closets like these do have doors on them and are usually made to look quite nice. This one in particular isn’t made of wood and so is quite less expensive. They will typically have a bar to hang clothes along the top with a series of holes to store clothing throughout it. Most will even have a drawer at the bottom which is great for storing shoes or heavier items out of sight.

As always, if you have any questions or would like to share your own thoughts on this product please leave a comment – I’m always happy to hear from you.

Since moving into our new place, we have been looking for a wall mounted wine rack that fits well in our apartment. There seem be a number of wall mounted wine racks available so I decided to spend a bit of time dissecting all the information I could find on them.

Wall wine racks vs wall mounted wine racks

Although there is little difference between the two, there is a difference nonetheless. At first I assumed that all wall wine racks were mounted but this is definitely not the case. Many are built to simply set up against the wall and are much less sturdy than the mounted ones. That said, if you live in an apartment like I do, you may want to opt for a non-mounted version as there is less patching up when you decide to move.

The wine rack wall mount is usually just simple screws off the side of the wine rack. This allows you to secure the wall mount wine rack to the side of the wall easily and quickly. You can also get mounts that come in velcro that although may be a bit more convenient to remove, they aren’t nearly as nice to look at.

No matter how you decide to mount your wine rack, it is important that you are getting the best rack for your dollar. Your wine rack can say a lot about the atmosphere of your living space, so it is important to put some time into picking one that fits the best.

To hang or not to hang

If you are going to mount your wine rack, one of the biggest decisions is whether or not you want to hang it. There are a variety of wall hanging wine racks that let you mount your wine rack up off the ground. Depending on the size of your mounted wine rack, this usually looks very good in any space. It is important to consider this before buying the rack.

Wood wall mounted wine rack

The wooden wall mounted wine racks are by far the most popular material. This is typically because they are much cheaper to manufacture than their metal alternative. Wood is a very wine-specific material as well since most wines are oaked while they age.

Wall mounted metal wine racks

If you are looking to try something a little different than normaly, there are many wall mounted metal wine racks, specifically iron racks that look fantastic. Their decides can range from very simple to quite extravagant depending on how much you are willing to spend.

How many bottles should it hold?

If you are planning to make your own wine and are out looking for a wine rack, it’s important to know that on average, you will get 30 bottles of wine from a standard wine kit. If you are someone like I am that only makes a batch when they need it a 30 bottle wall mounted wine rack will do the trick. However, if you like to stock up on wine for a rainy day, you may want to consider a 60 bottle wine rack so you have room for a couple batches.

We’ve decided to go with a wooden model and even though we live in an apartment, we are leaning towards something that screws into the wall. We have yet to make our purchase, but I’ll be sure to throw up some pictures when we do.

We enjoy entertaining, which usually includes having people over for dinner and a few drinks. We also have much more space now than we used to and have a much more modern looking and feeling apartment. Here are some of the things I’ve thought of that I will keep in mind when I look for my next dining room table.

Consider the space you have

This is definitely one of the best pieces of advice when you are looking for a new table set. It is very important to consider the space in your house or apartment before you go out and buy a new dining table set.

Dining tables for small spaces

There are many dining tables for small spaces that are designed specifically with saving space in mind. Although they often sacrifice seating room for space, you will not have to go without comfort and style.

Drop leaf dining table

One of the most popular types of space saving dining tables is the drop leaf dining table. This table has an end leaf that folds down so that you can push the table out of the way or up against the wall. You will often find drop leaf dining tables and double drop leaf tables in smaller apartments as they are a great way to save room.

5 vs 7 piece dining set

This is one of those big decisions you need to make when buying a new set. If you have the extra space, you may opt for a 7 piece dining set. That said, if you have limited room or do not wish to have your dining table take up too much space, a 5 piece dining set might be all you need.

The major difference between the two is the size of the table, and one comes with two less chairs. You can often find the same style of table available in both sets so you will not have to sacrifice the style you are looking for.

Different styles and choices

As I mentioned there are countless styles and choices when it comes to buying a dining table set. From glass to marble, you will get to choose from a wide variety of selections to make sure you get exactly what you need. Here are some of my thoughts on a few of the more popular styles.

Rustic dining room tables

Nothing says earthy feeling more than rustic dining room tables. These rustic sets are often created out of reclaimed wood and have a very rustic feel to them. Unfinished wood is usually used to create these rustic dining tables as it gives them the feeling they need. Although they wouldn’t match our apartment, they would make a great addition to any cottage.

Glass top dining table

Nothing says contemporary quite like a glass top dining table. These are great for the minimalistic look and feel if that is what you are going for. I don’t think I would choose a glass top dining table for myself mainly because I’d be afraid of scratching or chipping it (even though I know they are quite durable). There are some extremely great looking glass top tables though.

Solid wood dining table

My old kitchen slash dining room table was a solid wood dining table, and boy was it heavy. It had seen better days and was definitely passed around in its time, but you could always count on it. A solid wood dining table often comes in an oak or maple wood. One thing to note about these solid wood tables is that they are very inconvenient to move. If you are someone like me who has been moving almost every year, they may not be the best choice.

Marble top dining table

These are definitely a table to consider. The marble top dining table is an extremely stylish and popular table set. Many people choose marble top dining tables as a way to match their kitchen counter top style. They are extremely durable and last for a very long time, which makes them a popular table for people that are established and have a place to call home.

Here are the two types of coffee tables with storage that I’m looking at:

Leather Ottoman Coffee Table

This has been one of my longed after pieces of furniture for quite some time. I was turned on to ottomans when living in Ontario and had a flip top ottoman. I would love to get my hands on a large square leather ottoman coffee table. The ones with flip tops that can turn the comfortable ottoman into a functional coffee table.

The storage on these things are incredible and you can find them in square or rectangle shape depending on the size of your living room. Personally, I’ve been looking at *this leather ottoman* but its price tag is keeping me from pulling the trigger entirely – mainly because I’m a cheap student again though.

The leather ottoman coffee table is stylish and practical, no doubt about it. One of the best things I enjoy about it is how light it is compared to traditional coffee tables. I have an oak coffee table that weighs a ton. Comparing this to the leather ottoman makes me wish I bought one before we moved into the new place.

Lift Top Coffee Table

Lift top coffee tables are another coffee table with storage option that we are looking at. The price tag on these guys are more much reasonable than on the leather ottomans and they are a little more practical than having a leather top.

The lift top coffee table is usually build in a solid wood (the ones I’ve been looking at have been solid oak) and are hollow with a hinge attached to one side. These storage coffee tables are often referred to as storage trunk coffee tables. They are a little heavier than the ottoman but are not much worse than a regular coffee table since they are hollow.

Coffee table with under the table storage

There are a variety of storage coffee tables with the storage built under the table instead of within it. I used to own a table like this, actually. The one thing I like about this is that it is much easier to access anything you have stacked underneath. The downside however is that you can see the clutter if you have a lot put under.

All of these coffee tables with storage would look great in the apartment, but I am leaning toward the lift top simply because of its price. I do love the style of the leather ottoman but I have yet to find a used one at a cheap price. Unfortunately, there aren’t a lot of cheap leather ottomans with storage.

I may update this as I research some more options for storage coffee tables. I suspect I’ll purchase a lift top for now, but my hunt for a great looking leather ottoman isn’t over yet – and who knows, I might stumble across something that I haven’t heard of before, right?