5 Rules To Follow When Choosing The Perfect Coffee Table
Choosing a coffee table for your living room seems like an easy enough task when you first think about it. But there are many decisions in picking the right coffee table than meets the eye. Size, scale, materials, and style, are some things you should keep in mind.
So how do you choose a coffee table from start to finish? We outlined five rules to follow before committing to a coffee table you"ll love.
Height is Important
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Nothing is more inconvenient than a coffee table that is too high or too low. If you want to feel more comfortable in your living room, choose a coffee table that is the same height as your sofa cushions or one to two inches lower. If you add any more, the area will start to appear and feel out of place.
Proportionize!
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In the same way that you should look for a coffee table that is the perfect height for your sofa, you should look for one that is the right length. The length of your coffee table should be roughly two-thirds that of your sofa. For a 96-inch sofa, for example, you should seek a 64-inch long coffee table.
Know Your Spaces
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RECTANGULAR MEGAN COFFEE TABLE
The length and clearance necessary around a coffee table often determine whether it is square, rectangular, round, or oval. Traditionally, your coffee table should be 12 to 18 inches away from your sofa; anything closer or farther than that will feel uncomfortable. You should leave at least 24 to 30 inches between your coffee table and your TV stand or fireplace to allow ample room for circulation. To get the width of your perfect coffee table, subtract 42 inches from the length of your sofa and TV stand.
Balance is Key
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Another helpful thing to remember when selecting a coffee table is that it should complement the rest of the furniture in the room to create a proportional and balanced look. What does this all mean? Consider a table that is firm to the ground or has shorter chunkier legs if your sofa has high narrow legs. If your sofa has no visible legs, on the other hand, pick a coffee table with higher, skinnier legs. When a room feels too "leggy," it doesn"t feel as stable.
Consider Your Own Needs
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Of course, your lifestyle should be taken into account while selecting the perfect coffee table for you or your family. Do you want a design that has a lot of storage space? Consider purchasing a storage piece. Do you spend a lot of time in your living room playing board games? Make sure it"s a cozy spot to congregate around. Do you like to watch TV with your feet propped up on the coffee table? Perhaps a pouf would be a better choice for you. If you"re looking for a kid-friendly coffee table, choose one that doesn"t have any sharp edges and isn"t constructed of glass. There have been enough horror stories of children shattering glass tops to know that this is not a good idea.
Materials Matter
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Finally, choose a few materials that will complement your lifestyle and your environment before going shopping for your ideal coffee table. There are a plethora of materials to choose from, so don"t limit yourself to wood. Now that glass is no longer a choice for families with small children, consider other solutions that might suit your needs. If your hardwood floors are a mid-tone color, avoid using wood and instead opt for a complementing material like marble or ceramic. Consider whether you"d prefer to be able to move the piece around quickly or have it firmly anchor the space.