The search for the perfect coffee table

At Christmas, when the living room got clear of toolboxes and cutting tables, we cobbled together a coffee table from some leftover toolboxes and a convenient bit of manky mdf -

It sat there quite happily till The Carpenter came back from holiday and needed the toolboxes. And threatened to throw out the manky (but useful) bit of mdf. 

Here and there in the flat are bits of cut wood and various wooden objects under construction or no longer needed. With a bit of juggling, some colourful cubes became the base, and a plain cloth replaced our "Christmas tablecloth" (made by my mother 30 or so years ago). 

At sofa-seat height, and even though the size was determined by what happened to be on hand, it works perfectly for holding pre-dinner nibbles and unread sections of the paper, not to mention fruit bowls, flower vases, and candles. But is it permanent? The Carpenter say he can make one, but I'd rather he started the bookshelves...

Our street has two "vintage furniture" shops and I'm keeping my eyes open for a large, square coffee table. So far, the tables on offer have been too small and too high -

This one isn't square and much too high ... but isn't it amazing? Four tables in one! -