Nate Berkus Warns Parents of the Hidden Dangers of Glass Tables

Even though glass tables are sleek and stylish, celebrity designer Nate Berkus has banned them from his home. Why? His 18-month-old daughter, Poppy, was involved in a shocking incident where the surface on their family coffee table shattered.

"[She] picked up a bowl and smashed it through the glass coffee table that was in our master bedroom that we've had for years," Berkus told POPSUGAR. Luckily, Poppy was not hurt, but now Berkus wants to warn others about the potential dangers of these surfaces - especially since he realizes most people (including himself!) don't realize how easily this material can shatter.

"I did not think it was a safety hazard!" Berkus says. "I thought, we have earthquake straps, we have snaps on every cabinet, we don't have anything breakable low; I just didn't think of the tabletop." However, POPSUGAR reports that it takes surprisingly little force to break this material, as tempered glass is prone to a kind of exploding effect.

But it's not just Berkus who is unaware of some of the dangers lurking in their home. The New York Times reported a United States Consumer Product Safety Commission study that found 143,070 children aged five and under had to visit the emergency room in 2009 after table accidents. These children suffered from lacerations, contusions, and worse. And of course IKEA recalled their MALM Dresser after it was linked to seven children's deaths.

Aside from watching out for glass surfaces, it's always smart to Google the furniture you own to make sure it isn't associated with any recalls or reports of injury.