How to Pick Out a Coffee Table

Elizabeth Miller, Houzz Contributor

A coffee table does a lot of work. It needs to hold books, magazines, drinks, food even games on game night. You might want to put your feet up on it, or the kids might need a place for coloring. Plus its usually smack dab in the middle of the room, where you cant miss it so you want to make sure its a good one.

There are several things to keep in mind when youre picking a coffee table. First think about what you need your table to do for you, or what your room is missing, then pick a table that provides the solution.

Revamp your living room with a new coffee table

Before you buy, mark the footprint with painters tape so you can see the scale of the piece in the room and how that affects the surrounding furniture. If you have a very large room and a large coffee table, you can break up the scale of the table by flanking it with pairs of ottomans or benches, as in this example. When theres a party, they can be moved out of the way for better circulation, but for everyday use these extra seats help connect the sofa at one end and the pair of chairs at the other end. Be sure to use a pair of ottomans not just a single one.

When you have two sofas or any larger seating arrangement, a big coffee table might seem like the obvious solution. But also consider a pair of matching coffee tables. They will keep the focus off one large piece of furniture and let your eye move around the room more easily.

One classic coffee table size is 48 by 24 inches, so you can plan on that when thinking about your furniture arrangement. A large coffee table is often double that: 48 inches square.

A lip edge or tray top on a coffee table is always a smart choice if you have a tendency to spill your coffee or have kids that will be using the coffee table for snacks and drinks. Theyre also good if you entertain often and dont want to worry about red wine getting spilled on your carpet.

Coffee tables should be the same height as the surrounding seating, with 18 inches being a good average (although it will depend on your furniture). If you select a coffee table with a lip, make sure the lip isnt higher than the adjacent seating, or youll end up hitting your drink against the lip when you try to set it down. The idea is to put your drink down, not up.

How to pick out a coffee table that makes a statement

Go here to see the original:
How to Pick Out a Coffee Table