How Wide Should A Coffee Table Be
While were on the topic of the best coffee table heights, its good to keep in mind that height isnt the only thing that matters. Its all about proportionality. This means that finding the right width and length is just as important. Heres what you need to know:
- Traditionally, the length should be of what the surrounding sofas have. A narrower coffee table means that you dont have too much empty space. This helps balance out the look of your coffee table and couch ensemble without the table stealing the show.
- You should leave 14 to 18 inches around the perimeter of the coffee table. This gives your guests enough space to walk around without discomfort. If your guests tend to be more heavyset, try to aim closer to 18 inches.
- If you are using a coffee table as a showstopper, you can go slightly larger with it. This can help add emphasis to the table and make a little extra space for some decorative baubles.
Explore Coffee Table Styles
Choosing the best coffee table to go with your sofa also means finding one with the right style. As evidenced by the variety of coffee tables featured in this post, there are so many styles to consider! If youre uncertain about what style or shape of coffee table to choose, take our style quiz, or work with one of our designers to find the best furniture pieces and layout for your whole living room!
Clearance Around The Coffee Table
Now that youre feeling confident about the type of coffee table youre after, and perhaps its shape, consider the clearance on all sides of your new furniture piece. Everyone whos seated at the coffee table will need adequate leg room, but theyll also need to be near enough to set down their items without having to stand up every time! Aim for between 30cm and 45cm on all sides of your coffee table to allow for ample space for seated guests, as well as a healthy amount of room to walk around it.
Dont forget to plan for this space when youre envisioning the layout of your living room. Its crucial that your coffee table is not just adequately spaced with your sofa, but also the entertainment unit, the walls and any other features within the room.
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The Best Coffee Table Height
What is the best coffee table height?
If theres one thing that tends to be a bit of a debate among home improvement gurus, its the right height for a coffee table. Some people swear by having them be exceptionally low to the ground. Others want them to be only slightly lower than a typical dining table. Still more want them in between.
Ask any interior designer, and theyll tell you that finding the best coffee table heights can be a challengeeven for seasoned pros. Choosing the right height for your particular needs can help you make your living room just a little bit more inviting.
Diverse Brands & Styles In One Place
We make it easy to find the furniture you’re looking for by offering a wide selection of different brands and styles. Furniture.com features a variety of home furnishings made by leading names in the furniture industry. we provide choices when it comes to decorating your home. Whatever type of design you’re going for, you will find right here, at your first stop for online furniture shopping.
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The Height Of Your Couches
The height of your couch cushions would directly influence your coffee table size. The average height of a couch in the United States is about 17 to 18 inches . This is a good guideline for how high your coffee table should be.
If you purchase a coffee table that is too low to the ground, you will know it. You will have to hunch over to use the table, and the design of the room will feel unbalanced.
Best Coffee Table Shapes For Sectionals
While all of the same shapes are available to you when you have a sofa with a chaise or a sectional, different shapes and sizes work differently within this context. While were just showing you how these shapes work with a sofa with a chaise, the same principles apply to a sectional with a full L-shape.
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How Tall Should A Coffee Table Be In Relation To The Couch
Now, lets take a look at how tall a coffee table should be compared to your sofa. This will help you decide how tall your coffee table is. After all, if its too tall, it will look just as awkward as it would if it were too short.
Interior designers generally recommend having a coffee table thats the same height as your couch cushions, or else withinfour inches of that level.
Heres an example of a coffee table thats exactly in line with the height of the couch. Its easy to see why this height is often used as its visually appealing.
So, when choosing a coffee table thats taller than your couch, you want to try to keep it within four inches of the height of your seat cushions. If its too tall, it will start to look like you have a dining room table in the middle of your living room which is not a good look.
Heres an example of a coffee table thats simply too tall. It looks a bit awkward, and we cant imagine trying to talk to anyone else in the room when the table is nearly at eye level while seated.
Heres another example of a coffee table thats just a bit too tall for the furniture around it. It would work much better as a side table in this setup since its blocking the views of everyone seated.
Standard Coffee Table Height
Coffee tables are usually set at around 1820 inches high, to create a comfortable balance between standard sofa and chair heights.
Otherwise, the standard coffee table height is usually the same height as the cushions on your soft, or within 12 inches lower.
Other design rules include leaving a walkway space of 1218 inches between your coffee table and sofa, plus choosing a coffee table that is around two-thirds the length of your sofa.
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Best Coffee Table Shapes For Standard Sofas
If you have a standard sofa, you have a lot of flexibility when it comes to picking a coffee table. You can safely go with just about any shape, and its just easier to know where to place it. So, really, it just comes down to preference. Below, youll see how different coffee table shapes work with a standard sofa.
What Are The Best Coffee Table Heights For Typical Sofas
Most sofas are around 18 to 20 inches tall at the seat. This means that the best coffee table height for most living rooms will be between 16 to 18 inches. Any lower will be a little uncomfortable, while higher tables might look visually jarring.
Think about it this wayyou want to be able to just reach over and put coffee down on the table. If your range of motion doesnt jive with that, you need to readjust your coffee table height.
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What Is The Best Coffee Table Height For Your Home
If youve clicked on this article theres a good chance youre thinking about updating your coffee table or maybe youre lucky enough to be completely refurnishing your house! Its one of those pieces of furniture that slips by youre not going to spend as long thinking about it as your mattress for example, but yet youll probably see and use every day.
It can really bring together a room, and if youre anything like us, socializing is just as likely to happen around the coffee table as it is around the dining table. Think about those afternoon cups of tea with your friends, watching movies with your nieces and nephews, or sharing a slice of cake with your neighbor, whos quickly stopping by.
So, we know a coffee table is a key piece of furniture in your living room. As with all furniture, there are a number of key decisions to make before purchasing. Do you need your coffee table to have lots of storage? A chunky wooden design, or more minimalist vibes? Do you want to make a statement or is durability more important? Will it fit the space you have available?
These are all key questions to ask, however, we think you should add one more to your list how high should your coffee table be?
The Number Of Sofas You Have
If you have one sofa, you may be able to get away with a small coffee table since your coffee table would need to only serve people sitting on that one couch.
However, if you have more than one couch, you should opt for a larger table that is able to serve both of your sofas. There is nothing more annoying than eating on your lap.
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Standard Console Table Height
Console tables are often pushed against a wall or behind a sofa, so these aspects influence the standard console table heights. In general, a console table should be no taller than the sofa back height, or up to 1 inch below.
For entry console tables and buffet consoles, aim for around 33 inches . Otherwise, console tables are typically the same height as dining tables .
TV consoles are typically higher. For optimal TV viewing height, measure around 42 inches from the floor to the TVs center, then calculate your ideal console height. This matches a sofa seat height of 18 inches, plus 24 inches which is the general eye-level of an adult in a relaxed seating position.
Coffee Table Width And Length
As have been mentioned, the right coffee table length should be at 36 inches and a maximum of 48 inches. However, in some circumstances where the couch is extra-long and the living room is spacious, you can extend it to 56 inches. When it comes to width, keep it at 18-24 inches or 32 inches maximum for larger couches in the living room.
Along with these dimensions, make sure that there are 16-18 inches of space surrounding the table for ease of movement.
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Is Coffee Table Height Important
This answer is all dependent on how often you use the coffee table, what you use it for, as well as the type of fashion statement that you want to make. The truth is that most people dont want to have a coffee table thats awkwardly tall or awkwardly short.
Having a coffee table thats too tall or too short can cause guests to feel a strain on their backs due to the need to bend down to reach their coffee. Of course, if your coffee table is almost never used, the height wont matter too much.
Selecting A Coffee Table
When selecting a coffee table, I think we can pretty much always err on the side of bigger is better. Of course, there are many exceptions to this, for example if you live in a very small apartment and have apartment sized furniture. Or if you have a tight space and need a small coffee table to fit.
When we are sourcing a coffee table for a client, or for our own homes we start with an assumption of a 40×60 coffee table during the floor planning process before weve made any selections. Sometimes a little smaller or a little larger depending on the size of the room.
An important note: If your room is smaller, and you have a smaller sofa, a smaller coffee table will be the best fit. Keep in mind the importance of scale.
A coffee table that is about 2/3 the size of your sofa is a great starting point!
So why are there so many too small coffee tables for sale online? Shipping! Its so much more cost effective to transport a 40 coffee table than it is a 60 coffee table! At the end of the day, a company analyzes market demand and factors in the cost of the items + shipping. Meanwhile, theyre really not factoring in design or scale.
So what does this mean for you? Just keep in mind that most coffee tables you see online are too small. So use a websites filtering tool to narrow down search results from the start!
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Problems With Tiny Coffee Tables
When the coffee table is too small, it will be noticeable. You will have trouble putting your glasses on the table when you sit on the couch, and youll no doubt struggle when trying to pick anything up from it. You may even develop back pain after using a coffee table that isnt large enough.
Also, from a visual standpoint, large furniture with a tiny table in the middle looks off. A properly decorated room will be balanced, meaning that none of the furniture items will appear too small. If your table is miniature-sized compared to the rest of your furniture, the room will feel a bit out of balance.
So, its important to make sure that your coffee table is the right size for your living room.
How Big Should My Coffee Table Be
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Choose Your Materials Carefully
Lastly, before shopping for your perfect coffee table, pick a few materials that would work well with your lifestyle and your space. Don’t just default to woodthere are so many options out there. Now that glass is out of the question for families with small children, think of other options that could work well for your lifestyle. If you have a small space, a lucite coffee table could be a good option to not visually clutter the room. If you have hardwood floors in a mid-tone color, try staying away from woodand pick something complementary like marble or travertine. Think of whether you’d rather be able to move the piece easily or if you’d rather have it anchor the space permanently. These are all questions that can help you choose the perfect coffee table.
Should Side Table Be Same Height As Couch
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Can Your Coffee Table Be Higher Than Your Sofa
It was mentioned earlier that your coffee table should be about as high as your sofa cushions. This is a general guideline, not a rule.
A coffee table could certainly be higher than a sofa, but this would not work in the following situations:
- Your couch sinks in. Firm couches wont sink down very much when you sit down on them, and this is great if your coffee table is a bit on the higher side. However, when the opposite is the case when you sit down on your soft couch, and it sinks in, your coffee table may be too high to be used effectively.
- You are tall. You may want a coffee table that comes up higher than your sofa cushions if you are a tall person. However, if you are of average height, your coffee table may be too high if it is higher than your sofa.
A coffee table that is too high is just as bad as one thats too low. It creates a tangible awkwardness that youll be in a hurry to get rid of.