How to Choose a Coffee Table: Size, Shape and Height
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A coffee table is the piece your whole living room ends up organized around, so it's worth getting right. The good news is that there are really only three things to nail down: height, size and shape. Everything after that is taste.
Start with height
The old rule still holds. Your coffee table should sit within about two inches of your sofa's seat cushion, either level with it or an inch or two lower. Much taller and it looms over the seating; much shorter and reaching for your cup turns into a small daily annoyance. Most sofas put that number between 16 and 18 inches, which is exactly where the majority of coffee tables land. If your sofa is unusually low, and a lot of modern designs are, measure before you fall for anything.
Size it to the sofa, not the room
This is the part people skip. A coffee table should be roughly two-thirds the length of the sofa in front of it. A 90-inch sofa wants a table around 60 inches; a loveseat wants something much smaller. Leave 16 to 18 inches between the table edge and the sofa: close enough to set a drink down without leaning, wide enough to walk past without turning sideways.
If your seating wraps around, like an L-shaped sectional, a square or round table usually beats a long rectangle, simply because people approach it from more than one side.
Shape changes how a room feels
Rectangles are the default for a reason. They echo most sofas and seat the most cups, books and feet. But round and oval tables earn their place too. They soften a room full of straight lines, and with young kids around, no sharp corners is not a small thing. In a tight floor plan, a round table is also far easier to move around.
Don't forget the material
Think about how the table will actually be used before you choose what it's made of. Solid wood ages into something better looking. Stone and travertine feel substantial and shrug off water rings. Glass keeps a small room feeling open but shows every fingerprint. At ARCADA we lean toward natural materials that can take a knock and look better for it, because a coffee table is a working surface, not a display piece.
Frequently asked questions
What size coffee table do I need?
Aim for about two-thirds the length of your sofa, with 16 to 18 inches of clearance between them. A 90-inch sofa pairs well with a table around 60 inches long.
How tall should a coffee table be?
Within about two inches of your sofa's seat height, usually 16 to 18 inches. Level with the cushion or slightly lower feels most natural.
What shape coffee table is best?
Rectangles suit most sofas and seat the most people. Round and oval tables work better with sectionals, in small rooms, and around children.
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More reading: How to choose furniture and how to style decor.