Buy Coffee Table: A Complete Guide to a Luxury Purchase
At the heart of every house is a living room that weaves the narrative of our homes, and at the center of this living room lies a coffee table that holds more than just your books and your showpieces. It exists as a silent witness to your best and toughest moments. From crying over an emotional read to enjoying a romantic movie with your partner, it stands sturdy through all your ups and downs.
Looking for that perfect coffee table to complement your home's interior? Exohom has a detailed coffee table buying guide for you that can help you select the ideal coffee table to suit the style of your place.
Buy Coffee Table: A Complete Guide to a Luxury Purchase
Importance of Coffee Table
What to Look for When Buying a Coffee Table?
Coffee Table Style
What Materials Are Used to Make Coffee Tables?
Coffee Tables of What Materials Are the Best?
What is the Most Durable Material for a Coffee Table?
What Type of Wood is Used for Coffee Tables?
Should I Choose a Round or Rectangular Coffee Table?
What Size of Coffee Table Do I Need?
Coffee Table Materials that Ensure Longevity
How to Increase Coffee Table Longevity?
How Long Should a Coffee Table Be?
How Large Should a Coffee Table Top Be?
Can a Coffee Table be Too Small?
Can a Coffee Table Be Too Low?
How Deep Should a Coffee Table Be?
Can a Coffee Table be Lower Than a Sofa?
How Tall Should Your Coffee Table Be?
Can My Coffee Table Be Higher Than the Sofa?
How Far From the Sofa Should Your Coffee Table Be?
How Much Space Should Be Between the Coffee Table and Sectional?
How Much Space Do You Need Around a Coffee Table?
- Coffee Table Style
What Type of Coffee Table Goes with a Grey Sofa?
What Type of Coffee Table Goes with a Leather Sofa?
What Type of Coffee Table Goes with a Sectional Sofa?
Theme and Style
Lighting
Aesthetics
Mood and Ambiance
Personal Preference
What Type of Color is Best for Coffee Tables:
Where To Buy Coffee Tables
Importance of Coffee Table
The coffee table serves as the focal point of many living rooms, playing a crucial role in both functionality and aesthetics. Beyond its utilitarian purpose, a coffee table often acts as the centerpiece that ties together the entire room's décor.
This piece of furniture serves as a platform for various activities, from resting your morning cup of coffee to displaying decorative items, holding books or magazines, and even providing a surface for board games or social gatherings. Its strategic placement in the living space encourages interaction and convenience, making it an essential element of a well-designed room.
Moreover, coffee tables contribute significantly to the overall design aesthetic of a space. They come in diverse shapes, sizes, materials, and styles, allowing them to complement the existing furniture and decor.
Whether it's a sleek, minimalist table in a modern setting or a rustic, wooden piece in a cozy farmhouse-style room, the coffee table has the power to enhance the visual appeal of the space. Its design often reflects the homeowner's taste and personality, serving as an expression of individuality within the room's ambiance.
Furthermore, from offering a spot to prop up your feet to providing a stable surface for placing drinks or snacks, this piece of furniture adds a layer of practicality to the room's layout. Its presence not only enhances the overall functionality of the space but also contributes to creating a comfortable and inviting environment for both residents and guests.
But here's the twist: these tables are also storytellers of your house. They set the tone for your home, balancing elegance with utility and providing a touch of charm. So, when it comes to buying a coffee table that suits your living space handsomely, there’s a lot to consider.
What to Look for When Buying a Coffee Table?
When eyeing a coffee table to match the vibe of your living room, there are a few things that you would want to consider, mainly the size, shape, and material of the coffee table.
Its longevity and functionality are also matters of thorough consideration, but at the very beginning, what matters most is the coffee table style. Your coffee table style defines the true ambiance of your home.
Coffee Table Style
When it comes to coffee table style, it's not just about the looks—it's about finding a piece that speaks to your personality and matches your living space. Coffee tables come in a variety of styles, from traditional to contemporary, each with its own special charm.
Whether you prefer a sleek minimalist design, a rustic farmhouse vibe, or a chic and futuristic vibe, understanding different styles can help you limit your options.
Keeping these elements in consideration can help you transform a coffee table from mere furniture to a statement piece that perfectly complements your living area.
We understand how this may be a daunting task, so let us walk you through the elements that are essential for you to make the right purchase.
Here are a few things to look for when buying a coffee table:
Coffee Table Material
Coffee tables are made of many different materials according to the lifestyle and aesthetic preferences of the customer. From classic wood to contemporary glass and metal, understanding these materials may help you get a better idea of what will look good in your living space.
What Materials Are Used to Make Coffee Tables?
- Wood: Wood is what you should go for, for a classy and natural look for your living room. With its timelessness and top-most durability, wood is often the most popular choice for customers around the world. Popular woods include oak, maple, walnut, and teak, each with its own distinct look and merits.
- Glass: Glass tables add an air of elegance and openness to a room. They can be tampered with for longevity, although they may require more maintenance to preserve the polish.
- Metal: Aluminium, iron, and steel are often used to create contemporary coffee tables with an industrial style. They exude a sleek and contemporary vibe and are frequently coupled with other materials like glass or wood for added elegance
- Stone: Made of marble or granite, these tables bring a sense of uniqueness to your interior, giving it a classic modern touch. They are highly durable but harder to maintain and are mostly paired with heavier furniture, as they can easily overshadow small or minimalist sofa sets.
Coffee Tables of What Materials Are the Best?
When choosing the best material for your coffee table, the most important thing to consider is its style, whether it matches the theme and aestheticism of your living room decor. Then comes its functionality, including all the ways you would want to utilize your coffee table. And finally, its durability, depending on how much wear and tear your coffee table would endure.
In terms of style, make sure to take a good look at your living room before purchasing a coffee table, and decide upon what kind of theme you want according to your furniture pieces, your interior design, and of course, your own preference.
If you are, for example, aiming for a chic and modern vibe for your living room, then a minimalistic coffee table, composed of glass or metal would perfectly fit into your living room. Scroll down to find a range of coffee table styles that will perfectly complement the theme of your room.
When considering the functionality of your coffee table, make sure to consider a material that is more durable and can withstand being used for more than one function. For instance, if you are looking for a coffee table that also provides a storage capacity, the best material in this case would be wood.
However, if you want a coffee table to be used for holding drinks and snacks, a spill- and stain-resistant material like glass may be preferred.
What is the Most Durable Material for a Coffee Table?
Among the best and most durable materials for coffee tables, wood takes the lead.
Firstly, wood has great adaptability and can be easily crafted into a diverse range of designs that allow for storage facilities like coffee tables with shelves or drawers.
Secondly, because it provides great durability, hardwoods, such as oak or maple, are known for their strength and durability, making them suitable for daily usage. This is especially important when the table has to support weight or withstand frequent interaction.
When it comes to durability and aesthetics, both wood and glass stand out as safe options. However, wood stands out as the best alternative for a coffee table since it is versatile and long-lasting, combining usefulness with timeless elegance.
What Type of Wood is Used for Coffee Tables?
The type of wood used for a coffee table is frequently determined by personal preference, desired aesthetics, budget, and the amount of durability required for its desired function.
Hardwoods such as oak, walnut, maple, and cherry are popular due to their durability and diverse looks, although softer woods such as pine may be preferred for a more budget-friendly or rustic appearance.
- Oakwood: Oak is a durable hardwood that is often used in furniture, known for its pronounced grain patterns. It is highly resistant to wear and tear and is super long-lasting. It can be polished in a variety of ways to achieve distinct looks, ranging from more traditional to modern.
- Mahogany: Mahogany is a rich and durable wood that is commonly used in high-end furniture. It is distinguished by its deep reddish-brown color and straight, fine grain. Mahogany's large tree size enables the fabrication of large boards, making it an ideal material for natural wood coffee tables. This feature adds to its charm, providing an ancient and traditional style that many people prefer.
- Pine: Pine is a lighter-colored softwood that is less expensive than hardwoods and has a rustic appeal. Although less durable and more prone to dents and scratches, it is commonly used for living rooms with casual or country-style coffee tables
Coffee Table Shapes
Once you have decided upon the material of your coffee table, your next goal will be to find the perfect coffee table shape. Let us break it down for you!
- Round: Round tables provide a sleek and attractive focal point that goes well with modern or contemporary design. In smaller living rooms, they create more welcoming, compact, and cozy spaces, giving a natural and intimate vibe to your surroundings. Round tables are also ideal for encouraging conversation in living areas with seating arrangements that allow people to gather more readily.
- Rectangle: If you have a spacious living room, a rectangular table is just what you're looking for as it helps bring structure and balance to larger rooms. They are known to shape a more formal vibe, often paired with luxury classic furniture styles, to give a high-end and refined look to your living area. Rectangular tables also provide greater surface area if your goal is to use your coffee table as a workspace or a snack bar.
- Square: A square coffee table adds usefulness as well as an elegant look to your living room. Its clean lines and precise angles provide structure, making it ideal for a more organized look in your living space. As a timid but classy centerpiece, a square table offers a focal point that's both useful and stylish. It fits snuggly in tiny rooms, saving valuable space while giving a sense of refinement, and is equally useful for displaying minimal showpieces and allowing for added space for seating arrangements.
Should I Choose a Round or Rectangular Coffee Table?
Whether to get a round or rectangular coffee table usually comes down to your needs for functionality, personal style, and interior design.
Larger seating configurations, particularly extended sofas or sectionals, work well with rectangular tables because they offer enough surface area for several people and objects. It frequently complements a more formal, structured aesthetic.
A round coffee table, on the other hand, may soften the edges of a space, which makes it a great option for smaller areas or more constrained furniture arrangements. It encourages fluid movement around the table, works well with an experimental or more casual style, and can serve as the room's center focus.
The choice ultimately depends on your tastes for style, the amount of space you have available, and the ambiance you want.
Coffee Table Measurements
Once you have decided on the shape of your coffee table, you will then want to consider its size. Sizing your coffee table against your furniture is essential to bring visual balance to your living room to avoid your centerpiece looking too big or too small within your living room arrangement.
What Size of Coffee Table Do I Need?
The standard approach is to find a coffee table that is two-thirds the length of your sofa set. This size balances your living room without congesting your space.
For larger spaces, a square or rectangle table could be ideal for a flowy vibe. However for smaller spaces, go for a round one.
Here are some factors that will help you select the right measurement of your coffee table:
Coffee Table Longevity
Among several other considerations for your coffee table, one of the most important things to consider is its longevity. A coffee table that best suits your style and is also durable and long-lasting, is your best purchase.
Coffee Table Materials that Ensure Longevity
The longevity of the coffee table depends on the material of the coffee table. If you're looking for a coffee table for long-term usage, consider wood and marble as your best mates.
High-quality hardwoods, such as oak, maple, walnut, and teak, are known for their durability. They are resistant to wear, scratches, and dents and age nicely over time.
Similarly, natural stones, such as marble, granite, or quartz, are durable and resilient when properly sealed, making them long-lasting choices for coffee table tops.
Metal coffee tables, especially those composed of stainless steel or aluminum offer great durability while adding a minimalistic and modern vibe to your room. They are corrosion-resistant and retain their structural strength even after heavy use.
Alternatively, if you prefer glass tables, go for tempered glass, which, despite its appearance, is actually incredibly sturdy. It is less prone to breaking and more resistant to scratches and heat than normal glass.
How to Increase Coffee Table Longevity?
Even if you have to compromise on the material, you can still preserve and increase the longevity of your coffee table by various methods. Regular cleaning and good care, as directed by the manufacturer, can greatly extend the life of your table.
Moreover, to avoid scratches or damage, avoid placing heavy or sharp objects directly on the surface.
For further maintenance, you can use protective coverings like tablecloths and placemats to preserve the appearance of your table.
How Long Should a Coffee Table Be?
A typical recommendation is that a coffee table be roughly two-thirds the length of your sofa. This proportion promotes visual balance without dominating the seating arrangement.
This can, however, greatly vary according to your room size, a larger room may be able to handle a longer table, but there should still be enough room to walk and move around the furniture.
Make sure there is enough space around the table for comfortable movement. To allow for easy access, leave about 18 inches between the edge of the coffee table and the seating area.
How Large Should a Coffee Table Top Be?
The size of a coffee table top is mostly determined by the size of your seating area, furniture arrangement, and the table's intended use.
Consider how you want to use the table. If it's mostly used for holding drinks, snacks, and decorative things, make sure it has adequate surface area to accommodate these needs without overwhelming the room.
Choose a coffee table top that is proportional to your seating area. It should be accessible from all seating positions without consuming the room. The table's width should be roughly two-thirds to three-quarters the length of your sofa.
Can a Coffee Table be Too Small?
A small coffee table is naturally suited to smaller living rooms. If you have a small space and lightweight furniture, a small coffee table that complements your space is a good idea.
However, If a coffee table is too small in comparison to the surrounding furniture, it may appear out of place or unimportant. It may also lack usefulness, with little surface room for goods such as drinks, literature, or decor.
Can a Coffee Table Be Too Low?
A coffee table that is too low may not be comfortable or practical to use. It can make it difficult to reach items on the table and may not align with the seating height.
It may also appear odd or disproportionate in comparison to the surrounding furniture, hurting the overall aesthetics of the area.
For both size and height, make sure the coffee table is proportionate to the seating area, has enough surface space for its intended usage, and is at a comfortable height for easy access.
Coffee Table Depth
A coffee table's regular depth usually falls between 18 and 24 inches. This keeps the serving area from being too close to the seating area while providing adequate surface area for books, décor, and serving.
How Deep Should a Coffee Table Be?
The depth of your coffee table is also highly dependent on its functionality. Think about how you want to use a table. If your main usage is for decoration, and serving, a lesser depth may be enough.
However, if your goal is to use your coffee table for storage, and additional surface area, a deeper table might be ideal.
Can a Coffee Table be Lower Than a Sofa?
Yes, a height that matches or is slightly lower than the sofa ensures visual harmony and functionality and is a valuable recommendation when considering coffee table height.
In most cases, coffee tables are frequently built slightly lower than sofa seats to make it comfortable to access goods on the table from a seated posture, coffee tables are frequently built slightly lower than sofa seats.
However, having a coffee table far lower than the sofa could negatively impact usability by making it harder to comfortably access things on the table or by upsetting the visual balance of the room.
Coffee Table Height
The height of your coffee table is very important, in determining the visual harmony of your room and striking a good match for your furniture. When figuring out how high the sofa should be in relation to the coffee table, it is important to take its measurements, usability, and comfort into account.
How Tall Should Your Coffee Table Be?
The typical coffee table height is 16 to 18 inches. This height matches the majority of regular sofa seat heights, allowing for simple access and a comfortable reach.
Can My Coffee Table Be Higher Than the Sofa?
Although it is uncommon, a coffee table can be a bit higher than the sofa if it matches your aesthetic and does not interfere with the table's functionality. A significant height difference, however, may disturb the visual harmony and practicality of your space.
Coffee Table Space
To create a visually attractive and functional setting for your living room, it is integral to resolve the spacing between your seating arrangements and centerpieces.
How Far From the Sofa Should Your Coffee Table Be?
If you're confused about the space that needs to be left between your sofas and coffee table, leave a space of around 18 inches between the two items. This will allow for easy accessibility to objects placed on the table, as well as seamless movement.
How Much Space Should Be Between the Coffee Table and Sectional?
For a sectional sofa as well, maintain the same standard of eighteen inches between the edge and the coffee table, to ensure appropriate breathing space and to avoid a cramped look for your living room.
How Much Space Do You Need Around a Coffee Table?
In general, try to leave at least 12 to 18 inches on all sides of the coffee table to ensure easy movement throughout the room, and to not make your space look over-crowded.
Coffee Table Style
As we discussed before, coffee tables come in various styles, each offering its unique aesthetic charm and design elements.
Let's take a more detailed look at the kind of styles common in coffee tables, and what kind of aesthetic they will produce for your living space.
- Modern Coffee Tables: The modern or contemporary style is characterized by minimalist designs and a sleek appearance that exudes simplicity and elegance. Modern coffee tables are usually made of glass or metal as these materials help achieve a minimalistic look. If simple and chic is what you prefer, modern coffee tables will be your favorite. These tables go best with solid-colored sofa sets, giving a modern, and airy aesthetic to your living room.
- Industrial Coffee Tables: This style showcases the ultimate urban look with rugged and sturdy designs. Often composed of dark wooden finishing, and strong metal rods, industrial coffee tables give a powerful feel to your living room and are perfect to make a bold statement. Large and rectangular, these tables fit right into bigger rooms and are an ultimate statement piece with leather sofas and a darker shade of interior.
- Mid-Century Coffee Tables: Emerging from the 1950s, the mid-century design offers the perfect balance between contemporary and traditional. Pairing straight lines with organic shapes, these tables provide an interesting contrast to your living room, displaying a clean finish and a timeless, retro aesthetic. These look great when paired with dark gray or muted-colored sofa sets, creating a clean and natural look for your space.
- Bohemian Coffee Tables: Boho Coffee tables are colorful and diversified, incorporating brilliant shades, patterns, and a combination of materials from other cultures to create a free-spirited and visually rich style. They are usually made of natural woods and various combined fabrics and textiles. If you want to give a personal touch to your living room and create a carefree and colorful aesthetic, the bohemian style is great for you. They go beautifully with sectional sofas as well, providing a great blend of textures and styles.
- Traditional Coffee Tables: Traditional coffee tables embrace classical design aspects, frequently incorporating beautiful carvings, rich wood finishes, and exquisite details. As a result, they lend an air of class and elegance. These tables are mostly made of high-quality woods such as Oak and Walnut, or high-end marble and stone tops, which give a heavy, luxurious vibe to your living room, perfectly suited for leather and sectional sofas.
What Type of Coffee Table Goes with a Grey Sofa?
A gray sofa has a cooler tone as compared to other colors, which is significantly complemented by wooden tables.
A rectangular industrial table, with dark walnut or oak furnishing, can greatly elevate the look of your seating arrangement, with oak giving a more comfy vibe and walnut exuding a more refined and classy look.
If you feel like an industrial table would occupy a lot of space in your living room, then a cherry wood, mid-century table can be your alternative, giving you a sophisticated look when paired with your gray sofa, as well as leaving more breathing space for you to easily move around.
What Type of Coffee Table Goes with a Leather Sofa?
Coffee tables that best match the luxurious look of leather sofas are generally traditional or industrial coffee tables.
The warmth of a leather sofa can be paired with a timeless and gorgeous style created by a classic wooden coffee table, especially one made of rich, dark woods like mahogany or cherry.
However, if you're opting for a more modern look for your living room, then a chic and modish round table composed of glass and metal, can produce a light and airy feel to your room, which balances the overwhelming presence of a leather sofa.
What Type of Coffee Table Goes with a Sectional Sofa?
When it comes to sectional sofas, the goal is to keep a consistent style between the coffee table and the sectional, ensuring that the pieces complement each other effortlessly to enhance the overall beauty of your living room.
Choose sleek, minimalist coffee tables with geometric shapes and clean lines that complement the sleek sectional sofa design, if you're looking for a modern aesthetic. Lean towards round designs and smaller tables to elevate the modern look and to further create a relaxed and homely feel for your living space.
However, if your style is more bohemian, think about including distinctive and diverse coffee tables that have beautiful hues, lively patterns, and a range of textures to give a sense of carefree charm.
Coffee Table Colors
While we are at the end of our list of considerations about coffee tables, let's not forget the ultimate game changer: color!
The color of your coffee table can make or break the aesthetic that you want to achieve for your living space.
Here are a few things to consider when choosing the right color for your coffee table:
Theme and Style
What kind of interior style are you looking for in your living room?
If you want to keep things classy and minimal, go for coffee tables with a gold or silver metallic finish. They can help you achieve the perfect amount of contemporary glamor.
In contrast, for a luxury theme, a dark wooden table will help you bring the desired character and extravagance to your room.
Lighting
Lighting is essential when it comes to choosing a perfect coffee table. Rooms with more light may complement lighter-colored tables, like creamy whites, and lighter wood finishing, which reflect light and make the room appear open, spacious, and brighter.
Alternatively, darker settings, with less light, favor coffee tables with deeper colors like dark brown wood finishing and metallic blacks as they provide more depth and warmth to the space, giving a close-knit and comfy aesthetic to the room.
However, you can also use this theory alternatively. For instance, light-colored tables can work well in dim-lit settings. Similarly, darker shades of tables can stand out in bright rooms.
Aesthetics
Your aesthetic, color palette, and preferred vibe are essential to the color of your coffee table, and ultimately define the look of your room.
If you want to achieve a focused center with regard to your coffee table, then contrasting its color with the main colors of your living room is essential. Considering bold colors like navy blue or green in this case may be a safe choice.
However, if you want your coffee table to blend in, neutral tones like cream, white, beige, and natural wood tones may be a better choice as they offer flexibility and seamlessly blend in with several furniture styles.
Mood and Ambiance
Different colors are known for evoking different emotions. Warmer tones, such as browns or deep oranges, can curate a cozy atmosphere, whereas cooler tones like blue or gray can provide a sense of peace and quiet.
Depending on what kind of mood you want to set for your living room, and the ambiance that you want to create for your house, you can look for tones and shades that match your style as well as the story of your house.
Personal Preference
Ultimately, it all comes down to this: what you want!
What may be the perfect choice for someone else may not be your cup of tea. If you are truly passionate about your interior design, research a range of styles, settings, and aesthetics that fit your view.
Set up a Pinterest collection or go through YouTube videos, but settle down where your heart tells you to settle down! After all, the heart knows what it wants!
If you need some consultation to make up your mind, Exohom is here for you.
What Type of Color is Best for Coffee Tables:
- Neutral Tones: Colors that go well with a variety of decor types include white, beige, grey, and natural wood tones. They complement various color palettes and exude an air of spaciousness.
- Bold or Dark Colors: Rich mahogany, ebony, or espresso brown are examples of deep hues that can lend drama and elegance to a space. They may need more upkeep to keep them looking immaculate, but they can also serve as a focal point in rooms with lighter themes.
- Metallic Finish: Coffee tables featuring metallic finishes, such as gold, silver, or brass accents, can add a glamorous and sophisticated touch. They are suitable for environments that are eclectic or modern.
- Accent or Contrast Colors: Choosing a coffee table that contrasts with the color of your walls or the furniture you already have may really make a statement. For example, a boldly colored table might be a remarkable statement piece in a space that is mostly neutral.
Where To Buy Coffee Tables
Until now, we have comprehensively covered everything that you would want to consider when deciding to buy a coffee table.
Having covered the various styles to look out for, the best and long-lasting materials, standard sizes, and go-to colors, we are now at our final destination: where to buy a perfect little coffee table?
Exohom can help you find the ideal piece of furniture to complement your living room. Our intricately crafted collection of luxury coffee tables include a wide range of styles, materials, and designs that meet your preferences.
We seek to enrich your living environment with stunning pieces that flawlessly mix usefulness and style, with a focus on exceptional craftsmanship and a varied range of personalized options. Explore our collection today and find the perfect luxury coffee table for your living area at Exohom, a luxury furniture store for your home transformation needs.
