The pursuit of perfection – your ideal coffee table

If there is one piece of furniture that defines the living room, it has to be the coffee table — which is why it is so important to choose well, both in terms of the style you opt for as well as in more practical terms. Check out our guide to finding the right one for you.

What Are You Using it For?

Apart from the obvious, a coffee table can be called upon for lots of different tasks — to hold remote controls, to provide extra seating, as a drinks table as well as just being a beautiful addition to the room.

Coffee tables with storage are, for most of us, a bit of a must-have item if we want to keep clutter to a minimum.

There are several options here. A modern coffee table with storage often does away with the frills and features useful shelving beneath, providing a spot for books, magazines and remote controls. Take a look at a retro coffee table from Zespoke, all of which come with the option of glass shelving.

Consider a coffee table with a backplate too. This is a panel fixed to the back of the table and is useful for hiding cables when the table is used as a TV stand, but also as a way of ensuring any books, remote controls etc. that are placed on shelves will not be falling out the other side of the unit — a backplate provides a neat and sleek appearance.

More traditional models, such as chunky wooden designs, will also feature shelving and look great with small baskets placed on them, whilst an ottoman coffee table with a lift-up lid provides storage and extra seating, but is not so practical as a food and drinks holder.

Which Style?

The style of coffee table you choose should reflect the overall interior design scheme you have gone for in your living room, as well as taking into account how you tend to use the room — plus of course, the size of the room should be a consideration.

Ask yourself what style you are aiming for overall. Sleek and contemporary perhaps? Shabby chic? Scandinavian or out-and-out traditional? Perhaps you are after that most popular of style at present, Mid-Century Modern?

Once you know which style direction you are heading in, you can choose a coffee table based on this look — a modern coffee table for a super minimalist space, a retro coffee table which can work in any number of interior design schemes, a luxury designer coffee table for an opulent focal point, or perhaps a totally unique coffee table, custom designed for you — Zespoke offer an online ‘customiser’ allowing you to play around with styles and colours until your heart is content.

If you fancy combining old and new in your living room, consider how the two will be balanced and which one your coffee table should reflect.

The Size of Your Room

The size and shape of your new coffee table needs to take into account the proportions of your living room. In small living rooms, a curved or circular coffee table is a great idea, being easier to navigate around than a rectangular model and visually taking up less space. Coffee tables with storage are also invaluable in more compact spaces, where every inch counts.

Create the optical illusion of more space with a modern coffee table on legs —many retro coffee tables also feature dainty angled legs that work well here.  Zespoke’s unique coffee tables all come with optional feet, providing clear space underneath to give a more open, airy feel to the room.

You should also measure the height of your sofa or chairs — the last thing you want is for your coffee table to causing you to stoop down or stretch up high every time you want to pick up your coffee.

Colour and Materials

The choice of coffee tables no longer falls between a traditional wooden design or a designer coffee table with a hefty price tag. These days it is quite possible to have a bespoke coffee table tailored in your choice of colour combination, pattern or image for less than many off-the-shelf pieces.

Zespoke coffee tables are available in 30 different colours, all of which can be combined within one design — so whether you want all eyes to be drawn to your new coffee table, or need something that blends in with a neutral rug or carpet, the option is there.

In terms of materials, those with children who are likely to plonk all manner of dripping drinks and the like down on the table, not to mention using it as a stage wearing muddy shoes, should consider a material that is easy to keep clean. Wood and fabric will be marked by cup rings and stains readily than an acrylic veneer, which is both durable and easy to maintain.