Top 5 Things to Think About When Buying a Coffee Table

One of the most crucial, yet frequently disregarded décor choices people make is selecting a coffee table. Although most look at it as a functional piece, it can be a strong aesthetic component, with the power to transform the look of your living room. How so? — It holds decor accents and personal items and typically takes the central position in your living room.

That said, if you’re here, we bet you’re looking to make the perfect choice of a coffee table; a beautiful table that will bring a sense of authenticity to your home. Here are 5 key factors to consider:

Top 5 Things to Think About When Buying a Coffee Table

• Coffee Table Length and Height: Start With the Sofa

As a rule of thumb, before buying your coffee table, you’ve got to figure out its essential companion first; the sofa. The two go hand in hand and have to be proportionate to one another for a good aesthetic. The sofa will help you determine the ideal length and height of your coffee table.

As a general guideline, make sure the coffee table is at least half as long as the sofa but not longer than it. When it comes to coffee table height, ensure that it falls within one or two inches of the height of the sofa. This ensures that the table is within reach and is comfortable to use when placing items on it.

• Coffee Table Width

How wide should your coffee table be? — It all goes back to the sofa. The ideal width is two-thirds the width of your sofa.

If your sofa is a sectional, use the side that is parallel to the width to determine the coffee table width. Again, as a general guideline, make sure that the table’s width is larger than half the length of that side of the sofa but not longer than it. That’s about two-thirds of that section. With that, you get a balanced look.

• Style of Your Living Room

Coffee tables come in all styles, materials, and shapes. Which table will look best in your home? — Evaluate the overall style of your home first. Is it contemporary, modern, industrial, rustic, eclectic, minimalist, traditional, or any other?

Rectangular tables made of marble, glass, or a mirror can for example complement a minimalist or modern style. Round wooden tables would however be ideal for farmhouse styles or rustic country decorating styles., and so forth. Don’t just pick a coffee table because it’s the prettiest in the room; get one that suits your home!

• Table’s Function

As we said before, the coffee table is quite a practical piece of furniture. You, therefore, want one that suits its use. What will be the primary function of your table? Will it hold a few decor pieces or photo albums or will it double up as your dining table to hold glasses, plates, and other items?

Perhaps it will just be a footrest so needs to be warm and fuzzy? What if you want one that serves all the above functions—which one should you pick? Look at your lifestyle and gauge what primary role the table is going to serve then look for the right fit.

Final Thoughts: Getting Your Coffee Table Right

As can be seen above, picking the right table comes down to tying your living room together. The choice cannot be made independently. That said, evaluate the function of your living room, sofa size, space available, decorating theme, overarching colors, and other existing furniture like ottomans to know what table will suit you best. Get it right!