How To Choose The Right Coffee Table

Coffee tables are so often the finishing touch to a new home, a new living room, or new décor. But, as with any furniture, there’s a lot out there. Whether you’re trawling the innumerable aisles of Ikea, or taking a look at your local antique centre, the options are sure to overwhelm you.

That means you’re likely to have a tough choice ahead: of all the coffee tables out there, which do you choose? No need to worry too much; choosing is easy if you know what to do. So here are our tips on how to choose the right coffee table for you.

Choosing the right coffee table: where do you start? With measurements!

The best way to narrow down your choices is also the simplest: measure your available space. There’s no use looking at countless stunning coffee tables if they won’t fit in your living room. No doubt many coffee tables will be too big for your living room altogether. But they can be too small as well. So before you measure your available space, you need to work out what defines that space. This is where the principles of interior design can help.

Those principles are useful to tell you what amounts to ‘empty’ or ‘underutilised’ space in your home. They work well in living rooms too! Simply take a look at the space you want your coffee table to fill, and measure it. Once you’ve got measurements, your choice will be much easier. And as always, don’t be afraid to enlist some professional help. An experienced eye is always best suited to working out what space you have to spare.

Once you’re sure your coffee table will fit, you should try to choose a design – here’s how

So you’ve got your measurements – great! Your options have probably been close to halved, and you’re much closer to a decision. Now it’s just a matter of picking a design. This is a matter of balance; you need to balance your practical requirements with your personal preferences. Consider things like layered coffee tables – do you want to store books underneath?

Then consider angles; do you want legs coming at right angles, or would you prefer a more modern slant? Shopping around is the best way to find a design that you like. Even if it doesn’t fit your measurements, at least you’ve got some inspiration. Either way, you’re closer to your goal!

Are you thinking long term or short term? Choosing a coffee table means choosing between quality and cost

Quality cabinetry is expensive. And it’s easy to see why; most quality cabinetry is handmade. Countless hours of attention, experience, and hard work goes into bespoke handmade furniture. Without a doubt, furniture of that nature will last a lifetime. So if you’re planning on keeping your coffee table for a lifetime, quality is sure to be your number one priority. It may be a sting to the hip pocket, but it’s worth it!

What if you’re not planning for a lifetime though? If you just want a coffee table to fill some empty space in a rental property, or to get you through until you save for a good one, price is probably more important to you. Luckily, there are some terrific options that work with all budgets. All you have to do is work out what your priority is.

Finally, make sure the coffee table you choose fits your décor – choosing is easy with professional help!

By this stage, you should be very close to finding the coffee table of your dreams. Choosing the right coffee table may seem like more of an adventure than you were expecting, but that’s the price of perfection when it comes to home décor. And speaking of perfection, there’s one last hurdle: theme and scheme. Does your choice of coffee table suit your wider décor? Working that out may require an expert eye.

Get in touch with the interior design specialists at Adina Interiors to ensure your coffee table is the right choice for your home!