How To Pick The Right Coffee Table Size
Getting the size of your coffee table right is vital to ensuring a comfortable and inviting lounge space. Too small, and your guests won’t have anywhere to set their drinks. Too large, and the room can start to feel crowded and uncomfortable. Follow these simple steps to guarantee you make the right choice.
Consider Your Lifestyle
Before you even get to the shopping stage, it’s a good idea to think carefully about what you each use the coffee table for.
- Are you a coffee-table-playspace kind of family? Then you’ll need a larger design so there’s enough room for your board games and toy cars.
- Do you love sprawling on the sofa and tucking into takeouts directly from the box? A larger table is needed here too, so you don’t end up having to continually shift food and plates around.
- Do you like entertaining extensively? In this case, ensure that the coffee table is slightly lower than the sofa arms, so guests can easily move their drinks in and out.
Find the Right Shape
- A rectangular coffee table with an even length and width is the classic choice and will fit most living rooms.
- A round or oval coffee table makes a softer option, perfect for more open-plan spaces.
- An extra-long coffee table is great for when space is limited, particularly in long and narrow rooms.
Match Size to Your Space
- For a small living room, aim for a coffee table with a width of one-third to two-thirds the length of your sofa.
- In a moderately sized room, you can go larger and pick a coffee table that’s up to four-fifths of the length of the seat.
- In a huge room, there’s more scope to play with size. Here, a coffee table that ‘s up to twice the length of the sofa can look distinctly dramatic.
Measure the Height
Your coffee table should sit approximately 45 cm from the ground and a good guideline is to ensure it’s roughly the same height as the couch arm from the floor. If you’re purchasing a low coffee table, consider opting for a long sofa over a deep one. This will allow for people to comfortably rest their feet on the table edge.
Now that you know how to measure for your perfect coffee table size, you’ll never have to worry about making the wrong choices again.
