Where to Position Your Coffee Table

Don’t leave the job of arranging your living room to chance — employing a few key design rules will really pay off whatever the size and shape of the space.

Along with the sofa, the placement of your coffee table, will form the backbone of the entire look of your living room layout, not to mention the way you can use it. Positioning your coffee table, a piece of furniture which when well-chosen can become the focal point of the room, in the wrong place can make or break the way the space flows.

What Size of Coffee Table?

Choosing a new coffee table comes down to more than just looks — size matters too. So, before you buy, there are a few insider tips to take into consideration.

• Coffee Table Height

Coffee tables come in all sorts of heights, but as a general rule of thumb, aim to keep the height of your coffee table pretty close to the height of your sofa give or take around four inches. This in order to allow you easy access to the table when sitting down.

• Coffee Table to Sofa Size Ratio

Getting this bit right will really ensure that the proportions of your living room are easy on the eye. Although there is no need to get the measuring tape out, try to ensure that your new coffee table is around half to two thirds of the size of your sofa.

• Coffee Table Size

The question ‘what size coffee table do I need?’ is a common one, but in reality there is no hard and fast answer — it really depends on the size of your living room. However, there is one piece of advice that makes it easier.

When arranging your living room, aim to position your coffee table within approximately 14 inches of the sofa and try to work out what size of coffee table will work from there. This distance is close enough to reach for your cup of tea or magazine without encroaching on leg space.

The Centre Point of the Room

The centre point of your living room is generally the middle of the entire space and it is, in most cases, the best position for a coffee table. However, in living rooms that are long and narrow, or L-shaped, there might be more than one visual centre point. In this case, it is best to position your coffee table on the one that will be closest to your sofa and armchair arrangement. A coffee table situated centrally within your seating creates a sociable, welcoming feel to the room.

Focal Point Coffee Tables

Some rooms have natural, built-in focal points, such as an amazing fireplace or a huge picture window, in which case the furniture tends to play less of a starring role and is more of a support act.

However, choosing a coffee table as a focal point, particularly given its central position within the room, is a wise move.

Focal point coffee tables include those with strong, eye-catching shapes, such as an oval coffee table, oversized pieces or a design that features a bold colour or pattern. In addition, a coffee table with storage, such as this unusual design, means you can use it to display some of your treasured possessions in order to draw attention to it too.