HOW TO CHOOSE THE BEST COFFEE TABLE

Let’s talk about choosing the best coffee table for your home! A coffee table plays a very important role in a living room or family room! It’s a workhorse! Today we are talking about what to look for in a coffee table and some great sources!

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A coffee table is a piece of furniture that can change the look of a room! So choosing the best coffee table is a must!

Here are some things to think about when considering the right coffee table for you home…

BEST COFFEE TABLES ARE FUNCTIONAL

As a decorator, I love pretty! And everything I put in our home must add to its beauty! But I also am concerned with how anything I choose for our home will add comfort and be useful!

So the first thing to think about before even looking for a coffee table is what is its purpose in a room.

Here are some questions to ask yourself…

• will it get a lot of use
• is it mostly decorative
• are you going to put drinks and food on it
• is it going to be decorated with things like a vignette, or books or candles
• do I need storage
• are there any specific size or other concerns

When considering a new coffee table think about how you will use it!

Answering these questions will help you choose a coffee table that is perfect for you and your family.

MEASUREMENTS TO KEEP IN MIND

Here are some tried and true measurements to keep in mind when choosing the best coffee table for your room.

• Most standard coffee tables are 16-18 inches high and most sofa cushions are 17 to 19 inches high. For ease of use keep the height of a coffee table just a bit lower than your sofa cushion.
• For a balanced look, a coffee table should be about two thirds as long as the sofa next to it. A longer table will overwhelm the space and shorter will be noticeable.
• For ease of movement, a coffee table should be placed 14-18 inches from a sofa. It’s easy enough to grab a cup of coffee but far enough away to have legroom when you sit down.

A coffee table should fit well into the space in front of a sofa and not crowd a room. It also needs to be proportional to the other furniture around it!

Choose a coffee table with these proportions in mind and your table will fit comfortably and be functional.

STYLE AND DECOR OPTIONS

Style is a very big consideration when choosing a coffee table! There are so so so many styles to choose from.

A coffee table can go a long way to updating an entire room!

COFFEE TABLE SHAPES

There are five main coffee table shapes. Rectangle, oval, round and asymmetrical.

Let’s look at the advantages of all four…

Rectangle

The most common shape for a coffee table is a rectangle. It is a great choice for smaller spaces. And it mimics the shape of a sofa.

Square

A square table makes a big impression! Best used in a big room!

Round

A round coffee table will work nicely in a larger room with larger furniture like a sectional. And it is kid friendly as it has no sharp corners.

Any other type of round shape like an octagon fit into the round category.

Oval

An oval coffee table is a combination of rectangle and round. It can work with the length of a sofa and also has no sharp ends.

Asymmetrical

An asymmetrical coffee table is one who’s shape does not fit into the rectangle, square, round and oval category.

Think about mid-century modern shapes like kidney bean, banana leaf or biomorphic shapes.

Coffee Table Materials, Textures and Finishes

When thinking about the best coffee table for you, think about the many different materials they are made of.

This is a function and style process! You will want to choose a coffee table material that works with your needs and the style of your home.

Often coffee tables are a mix of materials making them more versatile and interesting!

Here are the most common types of coffee table materials.

• wood
• metal
• glass
• marble
• concrete
• man-made materials
• upholstery fabric
• leather, real or faux

Also think about the finish you want in a coffee table. Here’s a rule of thumb…

The more textural a table is (like rougher wood) the more relaxed the style. And the more smooth the texture us (like glass) the more formal.

Another consideration is wood tone or painted?

Wow! There really is so much to consider when choosing the perfect coffee table, right?

THINK ABOUT PRICE POINT…

Here’s my furniture buying mantra…

ONLY SPEND IN DOLLARS THE AMOUNT OF YEARS YOU ARE WILLING TO LIVE WITH A PIECE OF FURNITURE

Consider how much you are willing to spend on a piece of furniture and how long you are willing to keep it!

This is so important.

Many of us spend way too much money on an item and then feel we have to keep it much longer than it has served its purpose to justify our investment. Don’t fall into that decorating trap!

The sunroom coffee table I chose was not very expensive at all.

It is sturdy and well made and was just the perfect price to pay for a trendy piece of furniture. Will I keep it for 10 years? Probably not. So I did not want to spend a lot on a coffee table just to add an on-trend style to my family room. 

CHOOSE WHAT YOU LOVE

After you consider the function and style of a coffee table, here’s the bottom line…

Always, always, always furnish your home with things you LOVE! And that includes coffee tables!

What do you think? Would a little fun table freshen up you room?

Here are some pretty, practical and so stylish coffee tables I love and you might too!

You might like to check out these other decorating posts…

HOW TO CHOOSE THE PERFECT ACCENT CHAIR

HOW TO CHOOSE THE PERFECT UPHOLSTERED HEADBOARD

HOW TO CHOOSE A BEAUTIFUL TRANSITIONAL DINING ROOM TABLE

HOW TO CHOOSE THE PERFECT DINING ROOM CHAIRS