13 June 2010

When did ping pong tables get hip?


I grew up with a ping pong table in the basement. I think having a ping pong table in the basement is in the Declaration of Independence or something. Right? It was good for an occasional grudge match with my brothers but other than that it didn't occupy a very big part of my life as a kid. It got replaced by a pool table some time when I was in high school and I don't think anyone mourned the loss.

Well a curious thing has happened in the last few years and of course I'm at a loss to explain it. Ping pong tables got hip at some point and I am at a loss to see the the appeal of them.

I suspect my BFF Jonathan Adler has something to do about it and despite the fact that we're on each other's Facebook Friends lists, I still have issues aplenty with the man's aesthetic.


Why Adler? Exhibit A. Here he is at home with Simon and that dog.


The eye rolling starts.

It's not just Adler. Here's one by Paul Smith.



It's a little precious, don't you think?

Here's another one pretending to be haute design and failing miserably. It's by Hunn Wei for the Mein Gallery.


And in what has to be the unholiest alliance of goofy trends in human history, here's one by Aruliden for Puma.



It carries a $4,000 price tag and has a chalkboard surface. Chalkboard paint and ping pong in one fell swoop?

I wonder if Apartment Therapy knows about this?

19 comments:

  1. Chalkboard paint ON a ping pong table makes me stab-y.

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  2. if someone likes to play ping pong so what? And, that dog is Liberace...............guess you are not such a BFF. Sounds like sour grapes to me. Gorgeous

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  3. Sour grapes because you think something's ugly? Here are my sour grapes: That stuff is beyond ugly. That chalkboard one is the best of the bunch and it still belongs in the basement! Sheesh.

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  4. Ahhh, I remain in awe of courage displayed by anonymous insults. So brave! So much integrity!

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  5. Thank you, Paul. Brightened my day!

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  6. The things I learn from your blog. Who knew you could play ping pong with a doily for a net? Or, play on an oversize Chinese black lacquer table with Chippendale-style legs. Is the shag carpet net de rigueur?

    I'm with you on this one, Paul. I don't get it. These are butt ugly. I agree with AmyM, the chalkboard one is the best. But, I don't think I'd let any of them in my house. I'll stick to bocce in the backyard, thank you very much.

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  7. Nick: You and Jud need one so you can be just like Jonathan and Simon!

    Bill: Bocce is fun but I prefer croquet. It's my homage to the movie "Heathers."

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  8. Croquet is fine, too. I just takes more time to set-up in the backyard and it's like playing Monopoly--everyone ends up hating the winner.

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  9. We had a ping pong table in the basement too. The basement was hideous --so it fit right in. We had a lot of kids all the time and they really didn't care much about the ambiance. I agree. Probably in the constitution somewhere --right in there with the thing about the right to bear arms in the summer time and wearing white after Labor Day. Something like that. LOL.

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  10. Ummmm, think I shall just stick with my antique Billiards Table that has Mother of Pearl inlays in the rails. :) -Brenda-

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  11. Paint it in chalkboard paint so that you can be hip too Brenda. ;)

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  12. Paul, I am going to make a confession ..... when my son was studying Haute Couture we converted the Billiards Table into a cutting table by placing a ping-pong table 'top' on it. So you see, they can be beneficial. :) -Brenda-

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  13. Your son's in fashion? Really?

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  14. YES he is. Unfortunately their isn't that much demand for Designers here in our city so he does have another full-time job which pays his expenses BUT .. he does has a handful of loyal clients that he sews/designs for on a regular basis and earns additional income from doing so.
    -Brenda-

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  15. That is fantastic Brenda. He's fortunate to have such a supportive Mom.

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  16. I have fashion sketches of his that date back to when he was five years old, so design and fashion has always been his passion. Even those who knew him as child were not surprised when he pursued his degrees in it.

    He left the nest a number of years ago and is quite self sufficient. -Brenda-

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  17. "Chalkboard paint and ping pong in one fell swoop?

    I wonder if Apartment Therapy knows about this?"

    That made me laugh, you are too funny!

    I'm way behind on this trend, I didn't know ping pong tables were getting so fancy. :) I would love a ping pong table at my house....but I don't think we're nearly hip enough to have one of these!

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  18. Based on how the image looks, I'd say that the Puma table doesn't actually exist - at least not in built form where they could take a real photo. The blow-up of the chainlink looks totally CG to me.

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  19. Since they're made to order I'm inclined to believe the same thing Bob. I wonder how big a market there is for such a thing at four grand.

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