Can’t go a day without coffee? Or perhaps you don’t even use a coffee table for coffee - but you need it to serve guests or to place your cups. Either way, you won’t run out of reasons to use a coffee table. In fact, every household should own one!

Choosing a coffee table can be tricky as it should fit nicely in your living room space. Below is a handy guide on how you can pick your ideal coffee table:

1. Known what is the main purpose of a coffee table

Try to find out the reasons as to why you use the coffee table for. For instance, if you’re living with kids and they use it as well, you should get a coffee table that’s solid to prevent them from toppling it over.

Besides that, if you’re only using it to place your cups and nothing else - then a small one would be suitable. Knowing why you’re using the coffee table helps to narrow down when choosing the height, style, size and shape of it.

2. Choose your preferred table shape and style

There are a few different types of shapes such as round or rectangle. Most people would go for rectangle as it’s easier to match with their sofas. However, you can consider getting another shape as it’s unique and would be a great addition to your interior decoration. 

As for coffee table styles, some of the common ones are coastal, scandinavian, modern contemporary, classic traditional, new art deco, to name a few. 

3. Identify the placement of your coffee table 

Will you be placing the coffee table infront of your sofa, or at the side? Perhaps you’d like to place it in the middle of the living room. Once you’ve gotten a rough idea on where you want to place your coffee table, it’s much easier to get the proper measurements. 

Note: Consider our sofa selection if you’re looking to buy a new one!

One thing’s for sure, you should leave at least 30cm to 45cm of space around your coffee table so there’s space for people to walk around. It wouldn’t look too congested either. 

4. Measure the coffee table

Before measuring the coffee table, you should measure the space in your living room. That way, it’ll be easier to get the right measurements of your coffee table. 

• Height: The height is the most important factor when choosing a coffee table. It should be about 1 to 2 inches shorter than the height of sofa cushions. 
• Length: It should be about ⅔ of the sofa length. But if you have a sectional sofa with a chaise, don’t include the length of the chaise. 

Find for your ideal coffee table 

Having the perfect coffee table takes trial and error - but once you’ve gotten a rough idea of how it all works, then you can go ahead and look for your ideal coffee table! Alternatively, you can even consider our coffee and end table sets to match your interior even more.