A coaster is a relatively small and obscure piece of a homes overal decorative scheme. They serve a functional purpose, but in general, they aren’t noticed until a sweaty glass is bearing down on one of your table or shelving surfaces. At that point they snap into action, acting as the barrier between the bottom of the glass, and the top of the table, protecting it from water damage, scratches, and other nasty blemishes.

Drink Coaster

Beverage coasters also serve another purpose. They are decorative items that can be used to splash color throughout a space. This is particularly true due to their transient nature. They are not permanent fixtures in a room. Instead they are usually stacked quietly somewhere off to the side, often in an attractive holder, waiting for when someone wants a glass of water, or a cold beverage on a warm day, or any occasion when they will be useful to have around. Then they are unfurled and the stack is spread out throughout a space.

Once the coasters have spread out, suddenly the colors imprinted on the surface become vitally important, because those colors are everywhere, casting a subtle but potent web over the environment. This allows these pieces to actually become quite prominent, dominating to some extent the visual landscape of the room, and spreading their own unique charm to every inch of the space. That is why it is important to choose these pieces with such care.

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 ofof 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.