Coffee Table Ideas -- The Practical, Stylish, & Just Plain Fun

It's easy to see an attractive coffee table in the store or online, order it, and then when it's set up in your living room, you realize... you made a mistake.

Let's take a look at a few coffee table buying tips that will help you choose one you won't be disappointed in!

First off, take a look at the style of your living room furniture.

Traditional Coffee Tables for Traditional Furniture

If you have a traditional sofa and chairs, then a traditional rectangular or possibly oval coffee table makes sense. An upholstered ottoman can also go well with traditional furniture. If you have wood in your furniture, then a wood table will probably go well. Glass coffee tables go with many styles as well.

Complementing Antique Furniture

What about if you have antique furniture? Well, there's no such thing as an antique coffee table, as they are something of a post WWII invention, but a table can be made to go with antique furnishings. Get one made from materials that feel antique, such as a wrought iron gate or reclaimed wood boards.

Contemporary or Modern Coffee Tables

There are a lot of great coffee table options if you have contemporary or modern furniture.

If you dig the idea of hidden storage, cubes or cylinders made of wood, leather, or metal can be smart choices. Other modern materials are stone, ceramic, shagreen, and nylon, all of which can be formed into any shape you wish.

Below is an example of a traditional wooden coffee table:

Glass can be a great coffee table choice, as it makes a room feel lighter (and doesn't obscure an attractive carpet the way wood or solid materials do), but glass isn't necessarily for every family.

Who should consider a glass coffee table? In general...

*families without rambunctious children (glass breaks, ya know!)
*people who don't throw their feet up on the coffee table
*people who use coasters

If you fit all those requirements, then get that glass table!

When in doubt, experts recommend you get a coffee table that's too big rather than too small, but you don't want the room to be so crowded you're bumping shins. Here are a couple of "rules" to consider:

There should be a minimum of 15" of space between the edge of the table and the sofa.

If you'll be eating at the table, get one that is taller than standard (25" or more versus the traditional 16").

*Ideally, a coffee table should be the same height as the surrounding couch or chairs.

*A coffee table with notable legs works well standing against a skirted sofa or chairs.

*A table with tiny or unnoticeable legs works best against a sofa or chairs with legs.

*A coffee table can be a great place to secret additional storage, so get something with space underneath if you've got lots of living room clutter.