Rules For Picking a Coffee Table ( 85 Of Our Favorites for Every Space UPDATED)

We realized this was a post a lot of people had been looking at recently, so we thought we’d put it at the top of the blog again. Choosing a coffee table is something you think you instinctively know how to do…until the time comes to find one. that’s why we made this post so you don’t have to guess what size, shape or type you need to make the perfect sofa. enjoy this quick little post with updated submitted picks. xx

the coffee table. so functional, so often an afterthought. the sofas take all the splendor of the living room, and surely they keep us comfortable. but the coffee table is the workhorse of the living room. it contains our drinks, remote controls, beloved tech gadgets, prized trinkets and, for better or worse, our takeout dinners at the end of a long day. it occasionally doubles as a stool (which we don’t endorse, for legal reasons, but we won’t deny we did on occasion), a desk, or a craft table. With such a large and diverse job, you’d guess it would be one of the first pieces of furniture you’d think of when moving to a new place and/or redecorating… except it usually isn’t.

Reading: Best coffee table for sectional

How many hours do we spend choosing the perfect sofa, the perfect rug, the perfect chairs for our living room… only to throw away a second-hand coffee table that belonged to Aunt Susan? (bless her heart). okay, not all of us go the who cares about a coffee table route. I’m sure many of you have put a lot of work into choosing a table, but regardless of which side of those scenarios you find yourself on, you may need some guidance or inspiration in the coffee table shopping department. what size and shape go with what size and shape sofa? It may seem like a shot in the dark, but fear not, we are here to help. We’ve put together a shopping guide of the best coffee tables we could find (round, square, rectangular, oval!) and some rules to keep in mind (with a diagram!) when choosing a coffee table.

first: rules. While you can of course choose any shape and size you want to have an ideal relationship between your coffee table and sofa, here are some general things to keep in mind: Your coffee table should be al less half the length of your sofa (but no more than about ⅔ of the length) and should sit about the same height as the seat, plus or minus 4 inches (that is, if your sofa is 90 inches long and 20 inches tall, you should look for something, no matter the shape, that is around 45 to 54 inches wide and 16 to 24 inches tall). however, if you have a sectional with a daybed and your table goes inside the open l-shape that creates the shape of the sofa, that 1/2 to 2/3 guideline is best applied only to the length of the horizontal seat, in place the entire length of the sofa. here’s a quick chart to show you what we mean, as well as a breakdown of ideal shapes by sofa configuration:

For more living room-specific tips, check out this post where we break down tons of super helpful tips, like how much space you need around a table, rug size rules, lighting guidelines, and more.

Once you figure out the right size and shape, after that, it’s more about choosing the right layout for your space. Rectangular and oval coffee tables can almost be interchanged, depending on what kind of flow you’re looking for, the same goes for round and square. Let’s break it down a bit more (with the bonus of our favorite shopping picks):

Consider a rectangle (or oval, but more on this shape below) if you have a standard sofa (or an extra-long sofa with a divan) so everyone can easily access their coffee, cocktail, or late-night snack. your choice. . this is also a great option if you have a tight space with minimal walking space. If you have a home with more remotes or tech cords than you can count, consider getting a table with a few functional yet stylish drawers like #1, #4, #18, or #2. .º 21. is difficult to see in the photo, but the table at n. #2 has a shadow box lid (which is great for putting your favorite trivia and trinkets, but still has plenty of surface area for you know…real life stuff. oh, and if you regularly eat in front of your TV (either by choice or because you don’t really have a formal dining area), a lift-up coffee table is very helpful so you don’t have to hunch over your plate (#10 and #20).

If you have a large, comfortable sectional sofa or a traditional conversation space with a sofa and a couple of chairs (sort of like Ginny’s living room above), a square table is a great option. It fits perfectly in the L-shaped corner of your sectional or in the large space in the middle of your chat area. what is the best part of a square table? you get the most bang for your buck in styling space. who doesn’t love a well styled coffee table vignette? we really like the combination of the square top and round base of the #1 or #18 table for a play on shapes. similar to the shadowbox table we talked about in the previous section, ikea #2 has a drawer with four sections and the glass top allows you to see all the pretty things you decide to store (definitely not the best option if you know that though, I’ll end up throwing away that drawer with remotes and catalogs).

For anyone who lives in a small space where every piece of furniture counts, think about cutting corners (literally) and going with something round. it is also a good option to combine with a sectional sofa or with a chaise longue, since it has a good “corner” shape, that is, it fits very well in a small corner of space like in my living room (arlyn’s) . another top tip if space is at a premium or your room is already occupied is to consider a glass top like #9. this helps things appear more open visually; If you don’t see it, is it really there? Speaking of smaller spaces, storage is never out of the question in a small room, which is why we love numbers 10, 11, and 17 for their deep, hidden storage (great for storing hobbies, toys, and more). round coffee tables also seem to be having a little more fun (blondes of the table world?), so why not take advantage of the availability of options for something more sculptural like #4, #6, #16 , #20 and #21? but also check out those rattan stunners – #2, #7 and #15 (does this sound like a “trending bell” to you?)

oval is a good choice if you have small humans running around and want to try to avoid any face-to-table encounters with sharp edges (round is also good for this). If your living room is a high-traffic area (for example, do you have to walk through it to get to another space like the kitchen or dining room?), a more sinuous shape also helps with visual flow. achieves the same look as a rectangle but softens a very angular or modern sofa. The classic mixed marble and wood design (#1) is a favorite around here (see it in Emily’s living room here). slim legs keep it light and buoyant (which balances out the heavier wood on the bottom). Of course, the Plato Table (#5) and the Brady Room Brass Table (#7) are perfect if you love a classic modern design. However, if you’d like to go a bit further, check out West Elm’s chart at No. #11; it has a post-modern inspired vibe that could add a cool factor to a plain and simple living space.

then… what else would you like to have guidelines for? we’ve made a handful of posts with tons of rules per room, but how do you want us to dig deeper? what do you regularly struggle with while decorating and want some ehd signature instruction post action? As always, let us know in the comments.

Since you’re already building on the design guidelines, here are a few more posts that might be helpful: