How to Choose the Right Coffee Table for Your Space
Coffee tables have evolved from purely being a place to rest hot drinks to statement art pieces in their own right.
What should be as easy as going for a browse at your favourite homewares stores and taking home the tabletop of your fancy, from our experience, not correlating how it can fit in amongst the rest of your space will have you back to square one. And there are so many to choose from these days!
That's why we've written up this piece, How To Choose The Right Coffee Table For Your Space to make sure what you pick makes, instead of breaks the room.
What to consider when buying a coffee table:
What do you use your coffee table for?
Is it used for its intended purpose, to rest coffee a top of, or is it used just to store the TV remotes?
Decide what you need out of a coffee table, how much is it needed for strictly table uses, or will it be more decorative to break up space? Reminding yourself on its purpose might sway you from dropping too much money on that vintage coffee table knowing your partner will never use a coaster.
Consider the dimensions of your space.
How big space are we working with here? Is this coffee table going to also serve as a dinner table in your one-bedroom apartment? Or are you looking for a set to scatter around the family home? Make a note of the dimensions of your couches and other furniture in the room so the coffee table is balanced.
Remember coffee tables are centrally located in a room. And nobody loves that coffee table they are always bumping their leg against. Make sure there is enough space around the table for people to flow through the space easily.
How high?
How high your ideal coffee table depends on the furniture it is juxtaposing in the living space. Grabbing things off your coffee table shouldn't be uncomfortable, so opt for a height that is as close to the cushions on your sofa or within one to two inches lower.
What shape?
Now you have an idea of what size and height you're looking for, but what about shape? If you have limited space to work with, square or rectangle-shaped coffee tables provide the best utilisation of surface area and can fit against a wall if need be. If you have a bit more flow space to work with, a round or oval coffee table can break up the boxiness of a room.
What materials take your fancy?
Are you going to use this coffee table to make a cohesive space, using similar materials in the room? Or will it be a talking piece, contrasting against the space but providing balance. When looking for a coffee table, it's easy to jump to something resembling what you're used to. Don't be afraid to break the mould with something you've never seen before. Keep an eye out for good craftsmanship, and don't be afraid to ask for opinions in a store; an outside perspective does wonders in interior design.
Does it need to double as storage?
Is your living room running low on storage space? There are plenty of coffee tables with two tiers if you like to keep miscellaneous items out of your eyesight. Or coffee tables with lift up tops for even more storage. Coffee tables really do serve a range of purposes so consider if storage is something one can provide. Have heaps of storage already? Consider your coffee table as a statement piece.
What are your specific needs?
No one knows which coffee table is going to be the best suit more than you. It depends on your home, aesthetic and who else is living there with you. If your coffee table often doubles as a dining table, make sure it's the perfect height for you to sit around. Are you living with young ones? Having no corners on the tabletop might help your baby-proofing! Just looking for something to put your feet upon? Maybe you're in need of an ottoman instead.
Check out our range of coffee tables
At Panache Living, we curated our range of furniture with originality, exclusivity and craftsmanship at the forefront of our minds. If you're struggling on the hunt for the perfect coffee table for your space, please pop by! We'd love to share what has worked well for us with you.