Coffee Tables - A Buyer's Guide

Coffee tables are like the stepchildren of furnitureYour personal taste comes into play a lot here also.
selection. Mostly we give our attention to dining roomDo you want to go with the traditional rectangle table,
tables and chairs, sofas and bedroom suites, and evenor something not so predictable? There are literally
entertainment centers. Few things can complement athousands of designs to choose from, and this is one
cozy living room, however, like a solid oak coffee table.area of furniture selection where your individuality can
In this day and age, it's the furniture must-have.shine through.
An important consideration when looking at buying aIf you do a lot of entertaining, however, you may want
coffee table is the current decor of your living room.to consider going with a round or oval table. For some
Do you live in a tiny mansion, or a studio apartment?reason, round tables are just better when you have
Does your living room look out over a rock beach, or alarge groups of people around. Outside their aesthetic
landfill?reasons, they're handy to have around if a game of
In the living room, the coffee table is center stage. Yes,Texas Hold'em breaks out.
your sofa and end tables are very important, but yourAnother option to keep in mind is a square coffee
table can make or break the ambience of the room.table. Square tables draw attention, especially if the
On its surface you can usually find such items asrest of the living room is predominately rectangles. If
books, a vase full of flowers, and sometimes even athe room is too small, however, you might want to
cup of coffee. It's probably the most seen piece ofavoid a square shape. If it is a large room, however, a
furniture in your entire house.square table might just provide a much-needed
So what should you look for in a coffee table? Ideally,balance.
the table should be matched with your sofa, especiallySo, while your sofa and end tables might consume
when it comes to sizing. For instance, your coffeemost of your attention when thinking about buying living
table should be no taller than your sofa cushions, and itroom furniture, too little thought about a coffee table
shouldn't be more than two-thirds the sofa's overallcould turn out to be a big mistake. Above all, have fun
length.with it.