The coffee table is likely the centerpiece of your main living area or family room. It should be more than just a surface to put your coffee mug or kick your feet up; it should exude style and tie the space together. If you’re wondering how to choose a coffee table that does all that, you’ve come to the right place.

We’re sharing a few expert tips that will help guide you along in your shopping journey so you can settle on the perfect coffee table that is just the right size and look for your living space.  

Consider Your Style

As the centerpiece of your main living area, the most frequented part of your home, your new coffee table should reflect your style. Close your eyes and picture the piece, crafting everything from its shape to its finish in your mind. Don’t be shy. Your coffee table can—and should—make a statement, and that statement should be totally true to you. 

Whether you’ve got a favorite color you want to show off, love a classic wood look, or want to incorporate a stylish pattern to add flair to the space, the top of your table is prime real estate to make a statement and put the perfect accent on your open space. With our custom coffee tables, you can design a coffee table for your living space that’s all your own. Better yet, we even share expert tips on how to style a coffee table.

...And Your Lifestyle

Your lifestyle should influence your choice of coffee table as much, if not more than, your style. If you have or plan to have young children roaming in the room, sharp corners and a breakable glass table are big no-nos. If you have children of any age, you may want to consider durable and easy-to-clean materials that will stand up to spills and scuffs.

Your lifestyle also includes how you will use a coffee table. Do you need it for storage? Do you need it to be a surface to set food and drinks? Or, will it be a place to kick your feet up? The answers to all of these questions will play an important role in what kind of coffee table you choose.

Before you even begin shopping for that perfect coffee table, consider your lifestyle and what aspects you do or don’t want in a coffee table design. If you choose to create a custom coffee table, you will know exactly how to craft it to suit your needs. 

Complement the Surrounding Furniture

Chances are, the coffee table isn’t the first piece of furniture you will buy for your living room. So, it needs to work with the surrounding furniture you already have in the space. If you haven’t yet, we recommend choosing your sofa first. This will give you a good idea of not only the style of your coffee table, but also the right size and shape it should be. A good rule of thumb is to pick a coffee table that’s at least half as long as your sectional sofa. A good living room flow is all about scale, and this size will strike just the right balance. 

Measure the Area

When shopping for the right coffee table online, it’s pretty easy to get a misunderstanding of its size. Even when shopping for a coffee table in a store, it’s easy to under or over-estimate how it will fit in your space. All that to say, it’s important to measure the area where your coffee table will go and compare that area with the dimensions of any coffee table you consider. When you’ve narrowed down your options, use painter’s tape to map out the exact size of the table in the spot it will go on the floor of your home. Hint: the right distance from the sofa is between 16 and 18 inches. This ensures you can walk around the coffee table and still reach it when you’re sitting down.

Don’t forget to consider the height as well. Make sure that the coffee table’s height is comparable to the height of the seat of your standard sofa and chairs—too low, and the table will look dinky in the space, too high, and it will overpower the room. The ideal height is within 4 inches of the top of the seat cushions on the couch.

Prioritize Quality 

Furniture should be built to last. This is why Inside Weather coffee tables are made from solid ash wood and high-strength, powder-coated stainless steel with careful craftsmanship. Coffee tables, in particular, should be able to withstand the wear and tear that comes with spills, scuffs, and bumps, which is why ours feature scuff-free, UV-resistant surfaces that are ultra-easy to wipe down as well.

When you marry function like this with your style, how can you go wrong? That’s what’s available to you when you opt for one of our custom coffee tables. Pick between four base collections, then choose the shape, finish, surface design, and base you want. Choosing the right coffee table just got a whole lot simpler.