coffee tables galore

did you know there's an entire website devoted to just coffee tables and end tables? with free shipping! :)

i've decided i'm buying us a "happy 1st anniversary" gift in the form of a coffee table. we have had the same rickety $15 coffee table from goodwill since our sophomore year in college (it was in kevin's house with 4 boys!). now, it's so unstable and missing so many screws/pieces of wood, i won't even let my 2 year old niece lean on it for fears of it collapsing! considering the coffee table is our primary table for eating dinner (and other meals on the weekends), it only makes sense that we have one that doesn't sway from the wind coming through the sliding glass door. however, we are really watching our spending so now begins the shopping for good deals. i'm going to check out home goods, target, mor furniture, ashley furniture and some consignment shops. ikea is already out - last time we opened this can of worms, nothing ikea had would work for us. either the wrong size or wrong materials. don't get me wrong, they have some nice coffee tables, but we're very picky. no glass (i'm obsessive compulsive about finger prints and would clean it 10 times per day) and the size has to be just right (we have a small apartment). ideally, i'd like a coffee table with two levels, to house all my magazines, books and or laptops on the bottom shelf. and finally, if we're going to spend money on piece of furniture, i want it to last for longer than a month. so, this begins operation: coffee table. oh boy!