Ashley Furniture: Choosing a coffee table

Choosing a coffee table may seem like a relatively easy task, yet, if you ask the experts, there’s a lot that can go wrong.

Too big and it impedes the flow of the room and makes the space feel crowded.

Too small and it gets lost among the other furniture and makes people feel awkward having to reach or get up to put down their cup.

Too high and a vase with flowers can block your view of guests or the television.

While sharp edges and shiny materials that show fingerprints may not be suitable for homes with little ones running around.

In short, choosing a coffee table may have you feeling like Goldilocks…

Luckily, the team at Ashley, one of South Africa’s premier furniture homestores, is here to help.

Here, they share how to choose the perfect-sized coffee table for your space.

Get the height right

“Jot down your sofa’s height from floor to top cushion. The coffee table should be the same as or about 5cm lower than the sofa’s seat height.

“However, there can be caveats to this rule. You may base the height of your coffee table on the sizes of other surrounding furniture or your personal design preferences. For instance, a low height, such as that of the Ambrosh Rect Table, comes in handy for creating a modern feel, offsetting items in your room or providing an unobstructed view of another piece of furniture. While tall living room tables, like the Havalance Lift Top Table or Blitzyn Occasional Table, are ideal for rooms with higher sofas or if you entertain frequently. The extra centimetres make it easier to reach snacks and other items on the tabletop.”

Choose the correct length table

“Coffee tables should measure about two-thirds the length of the sofa. Following this tip will help keep your coffee table in proper proportion to your sofa, resulting in a comfortable feel. Again, like other coffee table rules, this one is flexible, depending on sizes of other furniture in the room and your preferences.”

Choose the perfect shape and size for your space and needs

“Your coffee table size will depend on the amount of available room space. If you have a lot of open space in front of your sofa, you may want to choose a table with added depth. This gives you more room to showcase your style and to serve snacks.

“When deciding on shape, make sure it matches your furniture and design style. For a room with lots of space, consider a large coffee table in the shape of a circle, square or hexagon, such as the Danell Ridge Rectangular Table. Slender rectangular and oval tables, like the Caralayne Oval Table, are ideal for narrow rooms.”