A coffee table, which is also known as a center table, is a low table, specially designed to be placed in front of a sofa. Your coffee table should be such that looks good, serves well and displays a few accessories that reveal your personality and goes well with living room decor. A coffee table is usually the centre of attraction in a living room. It should not just be not a mere piece of furniture but also be functional and hopefully likely to become a conversation piece among the guests.
Things to consider
- Requirements are the priority: The coffee table that you plan to buy should be as per your needs, beforehand decide what will be the utility of purchasing a coffee table for your living room.
- Don’t forget to measure: The size of the coffee table will largely depend on the sofa size and the sitting arrangements. The standard height for coffee tables is from 16 to 18 inches, but may go as high as 21 inches. A higher table is a smart choice if you entertain frequently so that guests don’t have to bend too much to set down their drinks. But, ultimately, the height of the adjacent upholstered pieces should determine the height of the table. One guideline is that a coffee table should be about the same height or one or two inches lower than the seat height of the sofa. And keep in mind to leave at least 16 inches around each side of the table for movement.
- The color choice: If the walls of the living room are painted in light color, then a dark colored coffee table would give the room a pleasant look. So, everything has to complement with the color and size of your living room and its theme.
The style: What sort of a design would you prefer in your living room? Should it be traditional, contemporary urban, eclectic, a blend of modern and traditional look, historic, quirky or an ethnic look? No matter how formal the room setting is the coffee table should still be functional, the look must be elegant and most importantly durable. If your style is laid-back, almost anything goes with it whereas if you lean towards a formal or casual style, don’t forget that opposites always attract. A clear glass table can take the stiffness out of a traditional setting, while a rustic dark wood trunk beautifully sets off a contemporary white sofa. Two small square-shape tables alongside is a good alternative to a long coffee table and when the need arises, you can separate them to use as an extra side table. Such designs are easily available in the market that too at a reasonable price you may also explore the online sites.
Table Top: After you have finalized the theme, plan what material you are looking for whether you want a glass top, a wooden finish or a stone. If cleanliness is your preference, then you can go for a glass top or a stone top which is easy to clean and maintain. A glass-topped table visually enlarges a small space because it appears to take up less room than a solid table of the same size. If you have children, choose a table where the glass sits in a frame rather than floats on top.
Accessorizing your coffee table
While a good coffee table is a conversation piece in itself, what goes on, under and beside it will finish the look. A coffee table is an ideal spot to display a grouping attractive conversation pieces. Though you may keep it simple one stunning piece for impact or a few smaller curios of varying heights and textures for visual interest are all that’s needed. For adding a graceful look and a soothing fragrance in the living room, you may place a small decorative bowl and add some scented floating candles with rose petals. Apart from this, you may enhance the décor by placing a small flower pot in the center of the coffee table with some fresh flowers. You may choose a trunk style table to store newspaper and magazines in a basket underneath this way you can keep the nearby surface uncluttered it is spacious enough to store anything from extra cushions to broad games.
