8 Things To Consider Before Buying A Coffee Table

A coffee table is an essential piece to ground a living room and create the perfect conversational area. Often the center of focus, its worth finding the right option for your own space, so as to enhance your space in the best way possible.

Before you commit to a coffee table, consider these 8 questions first…

Image by Collov Home Design , via Unsplash

1

What Size Do You Need?

Evaluating the overall size of the space and in particular, the size of the siting area you are looking to fill with a coffee table is an essential first step that will help you get the right size to suit your space. In general, coffee tables should be placed approximately 14-20 inches away from seating. This allows for an adequate amount of comfortable traffic, as well as being an ideal range for placing items on the coffee table from any of the seating options surrounding the table. Not only is overall width important for placement of a coffee table in a conversation area, but the height is equally important. In order to create a balanced space, you want to ensure your coffee table is in proportion to your other main furniture pieces, in particular the sofa. In general, the height of a coffee table should be the same or 1-2 inches lower than the sofa’s seat height. Since the average sofa has a seat height of about 17-19 inches tall, the typical coffee table is about 16-18 inches tall to accommodate this. This allows for the comfort of using your coffee table to kick back and rest your legs on the table, or easily grab items from the tabletop while seated on the sofa.

2

How Do Plan On Using Your Table?

Consider how you will use your table within the space — is this an everyday use room or a less common space you won’t frequent as much? This will help you with your decision process and allow you to narrow down between a formal or casual style to suit the needs of the space. Consider how you will use the tabletop of the table — for a more formal sitting room, your focus may be to simply have a tabletop you can style beautifully, serving more as a showpiece. For a more frequented room, and thus, more often used coffee table, you may want the versatility of being able to create a beautiful vignette on the table, while also having it serve as a place for entertaining or placing drinks as needed.

3

How Do You Want Your Table To Function?

Consider how you want your coffee table to serve you within the space:

Do you want to add comfort for a casual and relaxing space? If so, an upholstered style is a great option, as it can serve as both a coffee table and a plush ottoman to relax your feet on.

Do you just want a piece for show that can center the room? Maybe you are focused on finding a great-looking piece that can serve you aesthetically and offer a great focal point for the conversation area.

Do you want a multi-functional piece that can serve an array of needs? Maybe you are looking for something beyond just a tabletop for your piece. A coffee table with extra benefits, like added storage, while also being a functional table can offer organization to a living room or family room (which can be a lifesaver for small living room spaces looking to make the most out of every inch of space).

All of these considerations can help narrow down your selections to find the perfect piece for your own room.

4

What Style Should You Go With?

Finding the perfect style to suit the space can have a big impact on the overall look of the space. Consider your room’s overall design style and the furniture pieces that will surround the table in order to find a complimentary coffee table style that will help to create a cohesive look throughout. If you have one consistent design style showcased throughout the room, keep things in the same line with the same style of table or go for a classic style and shape that can enhance the space without being too out of left field for the existing room’s design.

I’m a big believer in not staying tied down to one particular design style within a room, but rather mixing various pieces of different styles together for an interesting, curated look, so if your room is more of a merging of styles already or you are looking to create your room from the start, don’t limit yourself to just one style for the space. You might surprise yourself with a new style you love that can offer a fresh new look for your living room space.

The clean lines of a streamlined modern table can make for a perfect pairing with traditional furniture pieces and give a fresh new look to a traditional styled room, for instance.

This whitewashed wood table in this casual, sophisticated space below adds a natural look, while still adding a classic touch with the French style of table.

5

How Much Should You Spend On A Coffee Table?

Now there is obviously no right or wrong answer to this, but completely personal to you. In order to determine this, however, consider your long term-goals — If you are looking to invest in a quality piece to have for years to come, it can be worth getting that great piece you have your eye on. Alternatively, you may be looking for something that is more affordable, as you are renting or looking to move in the near future, or just like the option of swapping out your coffee table when needed. You can still find great options, like these Rectangular Coffee Tables Under $400 & these Round Coffee Tables Under $400, that are budget-friendly and still are of great quality.

6

What Material To Go With?

Along with the style, the material of a table can set the tone for a room, so you want to find a material of table that will suit the surroundings. Then, consider the finish of the material. After all, wood isn’t just wood, as the finish is what makes the difference. The same can be said for metal, as well. For instance, an aged bronze table can add a vintage touch to a traditional modern space versus just a black solid metal table alone. For a more polished formal room, a glass table or vintage styled wood table can help to enrich the space in an elegant way. Or, take a laid-back, down to earth room — consider an unfinished wood table style, which can offer an earthiness to compliment the space perfectly.

Aside from the traditional options of wood and metal, stone is a great option for adding style to a space that also looks clean and elegant.

Leather is great for enriching a room and adds a great timeless look that helps to ground a space. Check out my Top Picks For Leather Coffee Tables to help you get this look for your own space.

For a more standout, unique piece, think outside the box and opt for a natural material. It can add great texture, making for more of an interesting space. This white rope coffee table is a great example of how a textured natural coffee table style can make for a standout, stylish room.

7

What Color To Go With?

Along with the type of material, consider the color of table to enhance the space. A bold black table can add the perfect contrast to a neutral, white living room and help to create a striking overall look for a space.

Or, make your coffee table the focus of the room with a bold colored option. Consider stripes or patterns for additional ways to add color that can compliment your existing furniture and decor.

8

What Shape To Choose?

Round, square, rectangular — Whichever the shape of your table, it should work within the space of your seating area comfortably. Consider the traffic flow and layout of the conversation area, especially if looking for a square or rectangular style, as that has less versatility as a round style would have and shouldn’t hinder the walkway space surrounding the table.

You can also go with something unconventional in a unique shape for a real eye-catching statement piece. Consider a shape like a hexagon or even an abstract shaped piece like a natural wood stump style that will make for a real interest talking piece for the room.

This oval gray upholstered ottoman coffee table is a great shape for this smaller sitting area below, serving as a solid neutral to compliment the wall art and surrounding color palette, as well as adding comfort to this chic space.

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Hello. I’m Amy and the owner & designer of Liven Design. I am passionate about creating interesting spaces and livening up peoples’ homes through home design & staging. For those looking to sell a home, I can help you overcome the obstacles in staging a home to sell. For those looking to update their space, I can help you design or restyle your home. To find out more about me, read here.