The Coffee Table - A Small But Important Detail

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Settling some ground rules

One of the first things you should take into consideration when starting to look for your coffee table is how it will be used: maybe you want it to be the statement piece of your living room, or maybe you want to use it as a storage opportunity. Either way, it is important to make up your mind first and draw out what your preferences would be.

Also, it is very important to work with the space you have. For example, if the space is limited, you might want to opt for a round coffee table, as it will fit easier and will not give the impression that it fills the little space there is. Not to mention, you lose the risk of bumping into sharp edges and hurting yourself. On top of it all, if you plan to make a statement piece out of it, you can easily do so by choosing it in a bold color.

Of course, if space is not an issue, you can get a coffee table as big as to double as blanket storage. You should consider the fact that you would need a space of at least 16 inches of free space around the coffee table for a comfortable area.

Now that these facts are settled, let’s get into choosing the best design for your living space.

Rule no. 1: Create and maintain balance

Shapes are something you can have fun with when designing your interior space. In our case, if you have generally round furniture in your living room, like rounded sofas, chairs, etc., a round coffee table will maintain a great balance. But also, you can have a little fun. Even with square-shaped furniture, a round or oval coffee table will be a nice touch and will break the boxiness of a room.

There are a few rules concerning height, too. You do not want your table to be higher than the seating cushion height of your sofa. They should be either at the same level or slightly lower.

Color and texture can be a playground. If your living room is generally muted, in neutral colors, a bold color coffee table can serve as the art object. If you wish to go in the opposite direction, a glass top will always make a space more formal and elegant. Also, a natural texture like wood or stone will always be a nice touch.

Rule no. 2: Think from a logistic point of view

Here is the thing: depending on the size, you could have more than one coffee table! You just have to make your choice: what will be the central piece? The table or the seating area?

A large, but not wider than your sofa table will become the center of the room. Considering this, it will most likely become the main place for setting down your beverages, so rectangular or square shapes work best.

Small tables scattered around the sofa or couches will be a nice finishing touch. In this case, we can assume that symmetry is not exactly your main concern, so you can easily go with round or irregular-shaped tables, as they throw the eye.

Rule no. 3: Choose your colors wisely

The idea with colors is that they should either complement or contrast. This depends entirely on your taste. A complimentary color will be like a nice bow that wraps together your living space and will give off a feeling of comfort. On the other hand, contrasting colors can also be a brilliant idea if you feel like you need a pop of color or a central piece.

We know it can be difficult to choose between the two, that is why we would advise going with kinetic inlays or even stretched fabrics on a framework that allows easy, seasonal updates.

Who would think that choosing such a small detail like a coffee table could be so much work? Well, this is because the small things like this one are usually what can make or break the design of your room. And that is important! When you enjoy the space you live in, life suddenly becomes better: your coffee is more flavorful, the sun shines brighter and the birds sing louder. That is the recipe to fully enjoy your morning java.