What coffee tables are in style now?

Like fashion, interior design is no longer ruled by dominant trends, and today’s interior designers and home decorators prefer to mix styles to create unique spaces that transcend fads. What is no longer in style is a coffee table that perfectly matches your side tables or is too precious to set a drink down on. Your coffee table should be the last piece of furniture you choose for your living room, a finishing touch like a striking necklace or a bold tie that can pull the whole room together or elevate a neutral space with something stylish and eccentric. Depending on your taste and whatever else you have going on in your living room, that might mean a geometric coffee table made from mixed or unconventional materials, coffee table alternatives such as poufs and stools, or mid-century modern glass-and-wood coffee tables with sculptural shapes and vintage vibes.

How do you decorate a coffee table?

There are many ways to decorate a coffee table depending on your mood and penchant for creating vignettes. The coffee table is a small blank canvas where you can experiment with new ways to accessorize your living room without breaking the bank or taking big design risks. Some people like to style their coffee tables with stacks of coffee table books on subjects like art, fashion, or photography, layer in decorative objects, scented candles, and potted plants, fresh or dried flowers. Others like to choose a stylish coffee table that is a decor object itself, and to keep it bare so that it can be used for impromptu happy hours, board games, or puzzles without a need to clear off knickknacks. You can use your coffee table as a rotating shrine to the seasons, a showcase for tulips in springtime and winter berries during the holidays, or as a place to add decorative accessories to warm up a minimalist living room .

How tall is a coffee table?

The standard height for a coffee table is 16 to 18 inches from the floor. This height is based on the idea that the table should be a couple of inches shorter than the sofa cushions, allowing the average adult to set down their drink without pulling a muscle. Treat this number as a guideline that will depend on a number of factors, including the height of your couch, and your personal preferences from both an aesthetic and a comfort perspective. Some people prefer a low coffee table, others prefer that it is flush with the seat of the couch so that they can rest their feet upon it, while others like an adjustable lift-top coffee table that allows them to modify the height of the table depending on use. Decorating rules were made to be broken. Do what looks and feels right to you.

The 10 Best Coffee Tables

IKEA LACK Coffee Table collaged against colorful yellow background — The Spruce / Amelia Manley

The right coffee table serves many different functions—from a place to display your most stylish books and keepsakes to a casual tabletop for homework, game night, and dinner in front of the TV. Over the last five years, we've researched and tested coffee tables from the most popular home brands, evaluating quality, size, durability, and ease of assembly.

Here are the best coffee tables for every style and budget.

Our Top Picks

Floyd Floyd Coffee Table at Floydhome.com

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AllModern Soho Storage Coffee Table at Allmodern.com

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West Elm Mid-Century Art Display Round Coffee Table at West Elm

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IKEA LACK Coffee Table at Ikea

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GreenForest Coffee Table at Amazon

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Anthropologie Targua Moroccan Coffee Table at Anthropologie

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Sand & Stable Laguna Coffee Table at Wayfair

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West Elm Mid Century Pop Up Coffee Table at West Elm

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CB2 Peekaboo Acrylic Coffee Table at CB2

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Article Bios Coffee Table at Article.com

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In This Article

Our Picks
What to Look For
FAQ
Why Trust The Spruce

Floyd

View On Floydhome.com

Floyd is known for its American-made modular furniture, and the brand has a simple yet stylish coffee table that you can customize to suit your space. The design features sturdy powder-coated metal legs with a birch plywood top, and you can decide whether you want it to be a 34-inch circle or 59 x 19-1/2 inch oval. In addition to the shape, there are a few other ways to customize the design of your coffee table. The tabletop is available in birch or walnut finishes, and the legs come in black or white.

This table requires very little assembly and the assembly can be done without tools, according to the product listing. To prevent water staining, be sure to use a coaster when placing drinks on top of this table. The product listing also lists that potted plants should be paired with a drainage tray. While it may be simple in design, this coffee table can blend into virtually any home's aesthetic, making it a great investment piece.

Price at time of publish: $455

AllModern

View On Allmodern.com

If you're looking for a coffee table that has the appearance of mid-century modern decor, but doesn't break the bank, we recommend the Soho Storage Coffee Table from AllModern. This table features a classic silhouette that's available in three different base finishes. All base variations are paired with a white top, which gives the coffee table a nice contrasted appearance.

We appreciate the storage shelf on the bottom of this table, which can hold baskets for a discrete storage option, or can display coffee table books and candles for a refined style moment. The top of this coffee table is made from manufactured wood, so we recommend using coasters on it to prevent staining. At 48 inches long, this coffee table offers plenty of space for hosting a casual dinner party in front of the television or enjoying an extensive movie night snack spread.

Price at time of publish: $340

west elm

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A glass-topped coffee table is always a great option if you don't want an imposing piece of furniture in the middle of your living room. This table from West Elm, while slightly more expensive, is timeless in design. Choose between a white or walnut lower shelf, supported by brass legs, to create the casual or formal living room of your dreams. We appreciate that this table is available in two sizes—34 or 42 inches in diameter—so it can fit in both small and larger rooms.

The glass top allows your favorite coffee table books or trinkets to still be on full display from the lower shelf. This is also a great option if you don't want to worry about water rings on a wooden table.

Price at time of publish: $499

IKEA

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Don’t want to spend too much on a coffee table? The LACK Coffee Table from IKEA is one of the most affordable options you’ll find, and its simple design can be incorporated into just about any decor style. The table is 35-3/8 x 21-5/8 inches with an open lower shelf, and it’s available in black or natural wood colors. As you might expect from a budget pick, the LACK table is made from particleboard—so it’s not the most durable product. But it’s still a great value for anyone on a budget.

Price at time of publish: $45

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Amazon

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For those looking for a round option, the GreenForest Coffee Table has an attractive wood and metal design. Plus, it comes at an extremely reasonable price point. The table is just under 36 inches in diameter, and it’s mounted on a sturdy metal base with a mesh-style lower shelf. The top of the table is made from particleboard with a dark wood-like appearance, and it’s waterproof and heat-resistant so that you don’t have to worry about damaging it during daily use.

Price at time of publish: $150

Anthropologie

View On Anthropologie

The Targua Moroccan Coffee Table will make a bold statement in your living room thanks to its intricate bone and resin inlay. The table is crafted from tropical hardwood and supported by a hammered antique brass base, and the tabletop is covered with a handcrafted bone inlay pattern. The circular table is available with teal or charcoal resin, and you can choose from three sizes—30, 36, or 45 inches in diameter.

Price at time of publish: $1,248-$1,798

Wayfair

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This top-rated coffee table is affordable and stylish; it’s no wonder it’s so popular! The Laguna Table has a wood and metal design that gives it an industrial feel, and it’s available in a variety of wood finishes, including gray and whitewashed, to match your space. The table is 48 x 24 inches, and it has a spacious lower shelf where you can display knickknacks or stash your favorite magazines. The base is made from steel with X-shaped accents on each side, and despite the product’s reasonable price, the top is actually made from solid wood.

Price at time of publish: $434

West Elm

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This stylish mid-century coffee table features a lift-top design, allowing you to use it as a workspace or eating surface when you’re sitting on the couch. The asymmetrical design is made from solid eucalyptus wood and engineered wood with a marble slab on one side, and you can choose between a single or double pop-up, depending on your needs. The table has an attractive walnut finish, and there’s a hidden storage space underneath the pop-up top, providing the perfect spot to hide clutter.

Price at time of publish: $899

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CB2

View On CB2

The wildly popular Peekaboo Acrylic Coffee Table would be the perfect accent in a contemporary space. It’s made from 1/2-inch thick molded acrylic for a see-through appearance, and its sleek shape is 37-1/2 x 21-1/4 inches. The table has a simple design with rounded edges, and it will almost make it look like your decor is floating in the center of the room!

Price at time of publish: $399

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Article

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The Bios Coffee Table has a low profile that makes it ideal for kicking up your feet. The modern design is 53 x 22 inches, and it combines glossy-white lacquer with rugged wild oak accents for an eye-catching appearance. One side of the table has an open cubby shelf, while the other features a soft-close drawer, and the whole thing is supported by a black metal frame.

Price at time of publish: $599

Material

There are a large number of materials used to make coffee tables, each of which offers its own benefits and drawbacks. Solid wood is one of the most durable options, but it’s often fairly expensive and quite heavy, which can make your coffee table hard to move. Tables with metal bases are another durable choice, and the price is often driven down by swapping in steel in place of wood. Other popular materials include glass, which is attractive but can break easily, and particleboard, which is extremely affordable but lacks long-term durability.

Shape and Size

Coffee tables are available in many shapes—square, rectangular, circular, and oval, just to name a few—so you’ll want to look at different options to see what appeals to you the most and would fit well in your space. In general, rectangular or oval coffee tables work well for smaller rooms, while square or round options help to anchor large seating areas.

There’s also the matter of finding a coffee table that’s an appropriate size for your room and furniture. A good rule of thumb is that your coffee table should be no more than two-thirds of your sofa's total length, and it should be the same height as the seat of your sofa.

Features

While there are plenty of simple, no-frills coffee tables to choose from, you may also want to consider an option with additional functionality. Some coffee tables have shelves, drawers, or other storage compartments where you can tuck away blankets or other living room essentials, and others have lift-top surfaces that can be raised to make it easier to eat or work on them.

FAQ

What coffee tables are in style now?

Like fashion, interior design is no longer ruled by dominant trends, and today’s interior designers and home decorators prefer to mix styles to create unique spaces that transcend fads. What is no longer in style is a coffee table that perfectly matches your side tables or is too precious to set a drink down on. Your coffee table should be the last piece of furniture you choose for your living room, a finishing touch like a striking necklace or a bold tie that can pull the whole room together or elevate a neutral space with something stylish and eccentric. Depending on your taste and whatever else you have going on in your living room, that might mean a geometric coffee table made from mixed or unconventional materials, coffee table alternatives such as poufs and stools, or mid-century modern glass-and-wood coffee tables with sculptural shapes and vintage vibes.
How do you decorate a coffee table?

There are many ways to decorate a coffee table depending on your mood and penchant for creating vignettes. The coffee table is a small blank canvas where you can experiment with new ways to accessorize your living room without breaking the bank or taking big design risks. Some people like to style their coffee tables with stacks of coffee table books on subjects like art, fashion, or photography, layer in decorative objects, scented candles, and potted plants, fresh or dried flowers. Others like to choose a stylish coffee table that is a decor object itself, and to keep it bare so that it can be used for impromptu happy hours, board games, or puzzles without a need to clear off knickknacks. You can use your coffee table as a rotating shrine to the seasons, a showcase for tulips in springtime and winter berries during the holidays, or as a place to add decorative accessories to warm up a minimalist living room.
How tall is a coffee table?

The standard height for a coffee table is 16 to 18 inches from the floor. This height is based on the idea that the table should be a couple of inches shorter than the sofa cushions, allowing the average adult to set down their drink without pulling a muscle. Treat this number as a guideline that will depend on a number of factors, including the height of your couch, and your personal preferences from both an aesthetic and a comfort perspective. Some people prefer a low coffee table, others prefer that it is flush with the seat of the couch so that they can rest their feet upon it, while others like an adjustable lift-top coffee table that allows them to modify the height of the table depending on use. Decorating rules were made to be broken. Do what looks and feels right to you.

This article was researched and written by Camryn Rabideau, a freelance writer who’s an expert on all things home. She’s taken several courses on interior design and furniture, and she has firsthand experience testing sofas, as well as other pieces of decor.

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