How to Choose a Coffee Table That Works and Looks Good

Coffee tables for the living room are somewhat innocuous objects. As long as they are carrying glasses, books, mobile phones, remotes, children’s toys and also the occasional dinner on their laptop stands, they are doing a good job. Also the coffee table is a focal point in the room and gives first impression of the sofa area. As such it is a product that you hope will be just right and then will just disappear into the background of the room giving it a completed look.

Start With the Way the Room Is Used

Before considering the finish, color or shape of a table, one must first establish the table’s function on a daily basis. The requirements of a formal reception room will obviously differ from the demands placed on a table in a family living space such as an apartment where people are constantly eating snacks and rolling up blankets to place beside their sofas.

A living room coffee table should support real ways of living and not be against them. A storage coffee table in a city apartment can stash cables of your chargers, magazines and the toys of your children. A large coffee table in a lounge of a villa can be placed in the middle of a long sofa to put flowers, art books and your tea on it. In a rental property a coffee table with easy-to-clean surfaces and round edges is more important than detailed craftsmanship.

Get the Size Right First

Even the most beautiful coffee table can look awful if it doesn’t have the right scale. A coffee table that is too large makes a room feel crowded, a coffee table that is too small makes a sofa area lose its center and doesn’t have any function anymore. Size is where practicality and beauty meet.

A general rule of thumb for the living room is that the surface of the table should be approximately one-half to two-thirds the length of the sofa on which it will sit. In the case of the 90-inch sofa shown here, a table of 45- to 60-inch length would be appropriate. The height of the table should approximate the height of the seat of the sofa and should be placed a distance of approximately 16 to 18 inches from the sofa. This allows for adequate knee room to sit comfortably with feet on the floor.

Living Rooms Need Air Around the Table

Lightweight pieces work particularly well in smaller compact rooms as they allow the floor to be visible making the space appear larger. Beds with visible leg, minimalist metal or wooden bases with slim profiles or smooth curved edges work well here. Table or additional seating, such as a pair of nesting tables, is always handy to have should you have a visit from guests. In the meantime the smaller table can be pulled out for snacks etc. and pushed back into its nest when not required.

It’s best to avoid heavy and boxy coffee tables in very small rooms, unless the table contains storage of some sort and that storage actually fits. An oval shaped coffee table can be very effective in a very narrow room as it provides a good surface area and allows people to move around it easily without having to dodge the ends of a sharp rectangle.

Large Living Rooms Need Stronger Proportion

In large living rooms with sofas and sectionals, which extend deep into the room and in open floor plans, a smaller table in the room can get lost in the space. Instead of a lightweight table, consider a wide rectangular coffee table, a square coffee table or two tables of similar size and style to create a greater visual draw to the center of the room.

The table should also relate to nearby furniture. A very low and deep sofa for example needs a low table with a large surface. On the other hand a chair needs a table nearby as well, but with a surface that is easily reached.

Choose a Shape That Fits the Seating Layout

The shape and size of a coffee table can influence movement, comfort and even a person’s mood. A rectangular table provides a neat and ordered appearance, providing ample space for seating using a standard sofa. A square table will fit perfectly with a sectional as it can reach all the seats evenly. Round or oval tables will create soft lines within a room to help with path ways and enable people to move freely around the room.

Rounded edges are a great detail for homes with children or lots of guests as they soften off corners in high traffic paths, giving a room a more relaxed feel. A simple round table can add contrast to a room with straight lines from a sofa, rug and TV cabinet bringing a minimalist feel to a room.

Match the Shape to the Sofa

A long straight sofa is generally balanced with a rectangular or oval coffee table. A sectional requires a square, round or very large rectangular table depending on the open side of the seating. Two lounge chairs placed facing a sofa are often best served by a round table as it allows equal access from each seat.

Also the shape of the table should remind of something in the room. A round table for example could be connected with a curved armchair, an arched lamp or with a circular pattern on the rug. A plain rectangular table on the other hand can be repeated in wall panels, in a TV- or shelving unit.

Pick Materials for Both Look and Maintenance

As the surface of the coffee table is subject to daily use by placing hands on it, choice of material has to take into account cleaning, durability, climate and the style of the room.

Unlike the rest of the furniture and items in the room, your coffee table does not have to be made of the same material. Contrasting materials create depth in a room. A warm wood coffee table can bring warmth to a cool gray sofa. A coffee table with a stone-look top can harden up a soft, beige-colored room. A coffee table with a metal base can add structure and contrast to a room with lots of fabric seating and a thick rug.

Balance Storage With Style

Storage is always useful but doesn’t have to make your coffee table look too bulky. Drawers on your coffee table are great to store remote controls, chargers, coasters and other small items you need on a daily basis. Open shelves are perfect to store your books, your baskets or other decorative items you like to display. A lift-top coffee table is perfect for people who work from home, or who like to have dinner on the sofa. They are ideal for apartments where space is limited.

A great storage coffee table will keep your clutter right at your fingertips but try to keep it out of view. If the top of your storage coffee table is cluttered all the time, it can actually add to the overall look of clutter in your living room rather than solving the problem. The key is to give the surface of the storage coffee table enough clearance and then select a few items to place on it such as a tray with a few items on it, a stack of books, a beautiful vase, and a single personal item of your choice. Then there is the space for a cup of coffee and your cell phone and a guest’s glass or two of wine.

A few simple styling tricks to make your table more useful.

• Use a tray to gather small items.

• Mix one tall object with lower books or bowls.

• Keep at least one-third of the tabletop empty.

• Repeat one color or material from the sofa, rug, or cabinet.

Think Beyond a Single Piece

A coffee table is best when it is part of the full living room furniture plan. It will also depend on the sofa, side tables, TV cabinet, rug, lighting and storage wall in the room. A coffee table that looks great on its own does not necessarily mean it will look great in a room with a different height, material or color story than the table.

This point is of even greater importance when it comes to full-home projects such as apartments, villas and other types of hospitality projects. The furniture in every room of the house must look like it is part of the whole space from the living room to the dining to the bedrooms. A range of aesthetic styles such as Light Luxury, Eclectic, Modern and Warm Natural Interiors all need to be balanced between line, texture and proportion.

A Note on Juhaus as a Furniture Supplier

We supply furniture to customers who require furniture for living room, dining room, bedroom, etc. as well as for entire house. We provide furniture sourcing, furniture matching service, design assistance, factory connection, logistics, furniture installation and after sales service. Our clients include property developers and homeowners planning apartments, villas and other residential properties both locally and overseas. We offer a complete service to assist in choosing the correct furniture whilst ensuring all aspects of delivery are taken care of.

From Modern Furniture Sale, buyers can choose from Juhaus including Sofa Sets, Coffee Tables, Dining Tables, Beds, Wardrobes, Home Cabinets and other home furniture designs. These include light luxury furniture, eclectic design home, modern home furniture, chinese style home furniture and american natural style home interior decor and more. As for a coffee table buyer, they can pick a table and have it as part of a full living room package instead of just purchasing a single item of furniture.

Вывод

When choosing a living room coffee table it is not necessary to follow the latest design trend. More important is the combination of proportion, function, material and design of the coffee table in relation to how you use the room. A coffee table of the right size allows for sufficient room to move around, a suitable shape for the coffee table is determined by the seating in the room, the material for the coffee table is chosen to be easy to clean and smart storage facilities prevent the room from becoming cluttered. The design of the coffee table should add character to the room without taking over the surface.

All of these elements are important and functional individually. But together they form a beautiful whole and a central point of both the aesthetic and practical uses of the room, the coffee table.

Часто задаваемые вопросы

What is the best size for a living room coffee table?

A coffee table should be roughly one-half to two-thirds the length of the sofa on which it sits. It should be placed at the height of the seat of the sofa and leave 16 to 18 inches of clear space around it for people to walk around.

Is a storage coffee table worth buying?

A storage coffee table is a useful piece of furniture for a living room that stores remotes, books, chargers, children’s toys or even blankets. Items such as drawers, shelves or a lift top can store everyday items that are needed frequently, hiding them from view and reducing clutter in the room.

What coffee table material is easiest to maintain?

Stone-look worktops, sintered surfaces, metal base units and high-quality wood veneer finishes are suitable for everyday use. Light glass finishes are elegant but show up fingerprints quickly.

How can a coffee table match the sofa and TV cabinet?

Reproduce one element from the room such as wood finish, metal finish, curved line or color temperature etc. The coffee table must tie in with the sofa, the rug and the TV cabinet, but does not have to look identical to them.