A trivet will protect the surfaces of your furniture and can also help display your dishes in a dramatic way.

Trivets can be fashioned out of almost any flat surface.

Our modern interpretation of the classic farm table begged for something “organic” to soften its dramatic lines.

At a local stone purveyor, we found just the thing…old slate roofing shingles.  They had a large pile in various shapes and colors—for only $1 a piece!  You might also find a similar stash at an architectural salvage company

We cleaned them up and affixed self-adhesive  pads  to  the bottom of each tile.  Rubber pads work better than felt since there’s a high likelihood that the underneath of the trivet will at some point get wet.

Stacking several trivets on top of one another can create additional drama on the table.

You can find slate tiles in many weather-worn colors from green to chocolate to rose

Finding tiles in various shapes and sizes can also add visual interest and make for a more interesting table.  I found an exceptionally large tile that I now use as a beautiful cutting board when I take Beekman 1802 Blaak to cheese tastings.

Narrow tiles might even be used as hor d'oeuvre trays

What other items might make a good trivet?  Share your ideas with the rest of us.