Style Guide: How to choose the right coffee table
The humble coffee table can be a sculptural ‘wow’ piece in your home.
Ahumble coffee table is simpler than it sounds, and goes to show why majority of the homes we go to get it wrong. So I thought I would set the record straight about how to select your coffee table and why it matters getting it right.
Getting the shape right that best suits your lounge frame is the first thing to consider. You either have a rectangle or a square to contend with, and within that some may be thoroughfares to another space and others are not.
Generally, the rule of thumb is if you have a square lounge, then a circular table will best balance the space.
If you have a rectangular lounge framed with a three seater and two armchairs, then a rectangle would best suit. And if you have an L shaped couch paired with an armchair, then I would recommend going for a circular shape also. This is because the lounge shape changes because the available space is now squared off.
Quite often a nesting round table set would work well in this scenario also which makes for a more flexible living area.
It’s all about getting the overall flow and balance in tune with the rest of your furniture and the architectural form of the home.
Coffee tables can be selected as a sculptural ‘wow’ piece in your home too. Often people have the mindset of a coffee table as a purpose product, but it is very much a visual item on the list as most of the time they are too far away to actually put coffee on it!
Spend some time looking at frame shapes, sculptural bases or an element of craftsmanship that will get your visitors talking.
Lastly, materiality is one of the biggest things to finish off your coffee table quest. The main options out there are marble or stone, wood or glass. I personally left glass coffee tables behind in the year 2000 but each to their own! They do work if your have a darker space and if the base is the feature. Just be ready to clean more often and keep those grandchildren away from it! A marble or stone top is a classic that offers subtle texture or pattern detail and available in a wide range of tones that are generally with open steel bases to offset the heaviness.
If you have a large space you can get away with a solid stone base to really anchor the living room with a statement. Then there is the trusty wooden coffee table. These are usually in a variety of styles from rustic to Scandinavian, or try your hand at an industrial combo of steel and wood. It really depends on the rest of the wood in your home. You only want a maximum of three types of wood in your home so try and keep to one that would best compliment your lounge.
Whatever shape or material you choose, just remember that darker accents become the anchor of the space. So if you have a heavy dark oak coffee table, your eye will go straight to that and make the space seem smaller.
It is quite a large piece of furniture so keep it on the lighter side unless you want a dramatic dark veined marble to draw you into the space.
The last piece of advice is to mark it out on your lounge floor before you go shopping so you know exactly what size and what style you are looking for to stop those impulse buys that aren’t quite right! Finish off with styling products that suit your lifestyle and personality.
If in doubt, you can’t go wrong with a fancy coffee table book, candle and perhaps a bespoke hand-made piece of decorative art.