Here’s how to choose the right coffee table – 6 tips for success
HAY's versatile Bella table comes in several sizes and shades, so there's sure to be one that suits your home perfectly.
1. Define your needs
A coffee table is where you spend time, eat, and keep remote controls, books, and all kinds of small things. It also needs room for vases, candles, and bowls of candy, which is why enough surface space really matters. Start by defining your own needs: are you after a coffee table that does it all, or a minimalist, clean-lined surface for your favorite books?
• HAY Bella table >
• All coffee tables >
&Tradition’s Wire VP17 coffee table borrows its design language from Verner Panton’s much-loved Wire metal stool.
2. Measure your sofa’s height
Measure the seat height of your sofa, since a good coffee table should be the same height at most, or even a little lower. A table that sits too high looks clumsy.
• &Tradition Wire VP17 coffee table >
The idea behind HAY’s Tray Table was to replace large tabletops with combinations of smaller tables.
3. Decide on the size
The sofa plays the leading role, so the table in front of it should be clearly smaller. A good rule of thumb is that the table's maximum size is two-thirds of the sofa’s width. A slightly too small coffee table is better than one that's too big, but don't go too tiny either.
Keep in mind that the walkway to the sofa needs to stay wide enough, and that anyone sitting down should be able to reach things on the table without effort.
• HAY Tray Table >
GUBI’s Pedrera coffee table pairs a slender steel frame with a gently rounded glass top.
4. Choose a shape
Round, oval, asymmetrical, square or rectangular? A removable tray, castors or two tiers? Something quietly unobtrusive or a sculptural statement? The right shape depends on the form and style of your sofa, but also on everything else in the room.
Remember the rug, too: if the sofa has angular lines and the rug is rectangular, an oval or round coffee table brings a welcome touch of softness to the whole.
• GUBI Pedrera coffee table >
• All rugs >
Tavolo con Ruote is a coffee table from 1980 that plays with the meeting of industrial aesthetics and modern minimalism.
5. Which material?
Marble and glass tops, brass frames, painted metal and warm wood all have their devoted fans. Choose the material that best suits your everyday life and the rest of your home. Keep in mind that even a small stone top can be surprisingly heavy, so if you like to move the table around, go for a lighter option.
In a home with children, look for a surface that won't scratch at the first sign of play. A tray-style table with raised edges is a great spot for building Lego, since the bricks stay on the table instead of scattering across the floor.
• FontanaArte Tavolo con Ruote >
Design House Stockholm’s Aria coffee tables combine simple, clean lines with carefully considered details.
6. Mix and match with confidence
Try arranging two or three tables of different heights so that they overlap. The look is appealing and the setup is practical: pull the tables apart when you need more surface space, or nest them together to free up room in front of the sofa. They can belong to the same series or be made of entirely different materials.
You can also replace one of the tables with an ottoman pushed partly underneath, so there's always an extra seat at hand. Set a tray on top of it when you need more surface space. And note that a side table next to the sofa is allowed to be taller than the sofa itself.
• Design House Stockholm Aria coffee table >
See also:
• All coffee tables at Finnish Design Shop >
Photos: Manufacturers
This article was originally published in Avotakka. Updated on November 10, 2026.
Published on 16 Mar, 2018
