Coffee tables can come in a wide range of different styles, shapes, and sizes. It might take you a bit of shopping around before you can find the perfect table for your living room and you might be wondering what the average coffee table dimensions are too.
Once you find it, however, you will notice that it helps tie the whole room together as far as decor and furniture placement.
It’s not only a stylish piece of furniture, but it’s also functional too. It’s a place to set your drinks, place magazines, and even rest your feet. You’ll use it to hold remote controls and gaming controllers, and even decorative items.
As such a useful piece of furniture, it should be included in every living room – but should not be the center of attention. A coffee table is an accent piece and should blend in while also complimenting the rest of your furniture and decor.
Coffee tables can be found in rustic wood styles that include natural wood tones, stained wood, and painted wood. You can also find a wide range of modern styles that include sleek and stylish wood, metal and glass combinations.
There are industrial styles that are made from polyvinyl panels and large connectors to give your room a unique look. No matter what type of decor you have in your home, there is sure to be a coffee table that can fit into your favorite space.
Most Common Coffee Table Sizes
While today’s coffee table sizes can cover a wide range of measurements, the most common size is up to 48 inches long and 24 inches wide.
Standard coffee tables are rectangular in shape with sharp 90 degree corners, though an oval and rectangle with rounded corners is not a hard shape to find as well.
When choosing a coffee table that fits into your interior design, always be sure to consider the empty space that will be available around the coffee table too. For example, you want to try and leave a clearance of up to 16 inches on all sides of your table.
This prevents you from injuring your leg when trying to move around the furniture in your living room.
Additionally, as the majority of coffee tables are placed in front of a couch or sofa, the best look can be achieved when your coffee table takes up no more than two-thirds the width of your furniture. This makes the coffee table look like an accent piece instead of an overbearing centerpiece in your living room and can bring your entire interior design together nicely.
Round Coffee Tables
For smaller spaces that make use of loveseats instead of couches, a rectangle coffee table may look a bit out of place. Their shape and size will draw the eye and the style of your overall room decor may be ruined by this one piece of furniture.
When it comes to interior design and the most stylish decor for your collection of furniture, making use of smaller round coffee tables is an excellent choice for smaller spaces.
Round coffee tables can be stylish on their own, and provide any room with either a traditional or modern flair. Like rectangle tables, round furniture can come in a wide range of colors, natural wood types, as well as metal or glass.
Similar to the placement of a rectangle coffee table, round tables should not take up more than half of your loveseat width. In fact, a smaller and more discreet coffee table in an oval shape can make more of an accent statement than a large round one would.
Useful Coffee Table Placement
In any high-traffic room of your home, such as the family room, the placement and spacing of your furniture is highly important. Not only can a well-proportioned living room look better at a glance to family and friends, but it can also make relaxing in the space much more enjoyable.
For example, leaving enough space between your coffee table and your sofa is important. You want enough room to allow ample legroom for you and your family to pass through without causing issues, but you want it to be close enough to the couch or sofa to remain convenient for placing magazines or drinks.
Additionally, height can come into play as well. For the most comfortable reach and best overall look in your living space, the coffee table should be no more than 4 inches higher than the level of your sofa cushions. By following these simple suggestions, your interior design can be taken to a whole new level with the proper placement of a coffee table.
While rectangle coffee tables are the most common, square tables can make an excellent addition to your interior design as well. They look great with L-shaped couches and can be an aesthetically pleasing addition to the room when they are tucked into the right-angle corner of the L-shaped couch.
In smaller spaces or where single seating chairs are used instead of sofas, couches, and loveseats, small round tables can do wonders for bringing the whole room together in a stylish and practical way.
The Best Coffee Table Colors
Coffee tables can come in a wide range of colors, stains, and natural wood shades. This ensures you are able to find the perfect coffee table to fit into your interior design, no matter what style of decor that may be.
When it comes to bringing your entire room together in a stylish manner, finding a coffee table in a color that compliments the rest of the furniture in the room is important. You don’t want your table to stand out and become an eyesore instead of a functional piece that blends into the decor while accenting the larger pieces of furniture around it.
Light colors, such as pale natural wood, light oak stain, and pastels are a great option for giving your living area a more open feel. Light colors help the entire room feel more bright and welcoming and work exceptionally well in rooms that have a lot of windows.
For rooms with light carpeting, flooring, or wall coverings a dark-colored coffee table can add a contrasting accent that helps tie the room together.
Dark maple, cedar, and various wood stains are a great choice for adding a modern or rustic feel to your overall decor. It’s great for rooms that have limited windows as it provides a warm and homey feel to the area.
Final Thoughts
As a general rule of thumb, most interior designers suggest your coffee table should be no more than ⅔ the width of your couch. If you’re using an L-shaped couch, a square coffee table that fits into the right-angled space with 14-16 inches of clearance on all sides can be very pleasing to the eye. And for small loveseats or chair seating, round coffee tables are suggested as they can help accent the decor and bring the room together nicely.
Once you have decided on the shape of the coffee table that will fit into your decor best, always be sure you take time to consider the color or style you want to go with. Rustic, classic country, modern and industrial are just some of the styles you may encounter during your search.
Regardless of what you may choose, always know a coffee table is a wonderfully useful piece of furniture that no living room should be without.