Drink Coaster Basics

Coasters are tiny pieces of home decor that serve a very functional purpose. They are designed to stand between a sweaty glass, or any moist item, and the surface of your tables, counters, and shelves. This is because moisture can damage most materials over time, especially hardwoods, leaving rings or stains that are impossible to remove. Scratches are also a problem, with many items scraping along the face of the table and causing deep grooves in the material which can be both seen and felt.

Coasters have a variety of purposes, and can actually be quite decorative, depending on what kind of a set you choose. They may be small, but when you have guests over, they will spread out throughout the room, carrying color and pattern to the far reaches of the space. Further, they aren’t permanently fixed to any one location, so they can be moved about, acting as pieces of mobile decor for your home, as well as a way to change up the look and feel of the space.

At that point, whatever colors and images are printed on the surface of the coasters suddenly becomes an important part of the environment. Spreading out, casting a net over the space, coasters can actually become quite prominent, and so it is important to choose pieces which invoke the atmosphere you are trying to create. Since they will be more prominent when used around guests, you will want to factor that into your decision making process as well.

There are a variety of materials that beverage coasters can be manufactured from. Some of these are absorbent, such as sandstone, and cork, allowing the coaster to literally soak up the moisture from a glass. Others are non absorbent, but are instead equipped with a lip, which rings the piece, holding both the glass and the moisture in place on top of the coaster. It is important to choose a coaster set which will flow naturally with the environment, and wont clash with existing pieces in the space. While they may not always be prominent, beverage coasters can sneak up on you, and if a few friends come over you may find yourself agitated by the color or style of the coasters, when spread out and matched up with your various furnishings

This article was written by Jim Slate on behalf of http://PebbleZ.com’s line of naturally absorbent sandstone beverage coasters. These attractive pieces are crafted from real pieces of stone, and are available in a wide variety of colors, images, shapes, and sizes.