Coffee tables aren't something you really think about in a living room. But proper living room coffee arrangement is an imperative, as the scale, location and type of table can make or break an otherwise perfect setting.
Still, few homeowners really give much consideration to proper living room coffee table arrangement or even the coffee table itself. While hours are spent selecting just the right sofa, sectional, love seat or chair, the coffee table gets little attention.
However, there is a lot of science that goes into this table arrangement. Like the old story of Goldilocks, you don't want a table that is too big or too small, but rather, one that is just right. And that not only means in height and length, but in placement and scale.
The perfect living room table arrangement isn't hard to achieve, if you know the secrets.
A living room essential, coffee tables come in all shapes, sizes and materials. Whether you want a rich leather upholstered ottoman table or a sparkling ellipse of glass the best place to start your search is the Internet.
Rather than trekking to every furniture store in town you can browse at your leisure and see the greatest selection on coffee tables available. Choose from solid wood squares with inlaid glass, shabby chic white ones with storage drawers and modern metal ones with industrial edge. No matter your taste you'll find what you are looking for.
Of course to find the right one...
Scale
This is perhaps one of the most important considerations. You don't want to create a table arrangement that feels too cramped. The length of the table is very important. A basic rule of thumb is that the coffee table should be two-thirds the length of the sofa. So if your sofa is nine feet the table should be six feet, or even a bit less. If you have an L-shaped sectional, you want to go a little smaller. Measure from the end of the sectional to the spot where it turns. Then get a table that is two-thirds of this length.
Height
The right table arrangement also factors in the height. The table shouldn't be too low or too high. Ideally you want the coffee table to be one or two inches lower than the top of the seat of the sofa or sectional. Tables come in different heights, so you want to make sure you take this into consideration. Most are between 16" and 18" high, but there are models that go higher and lower.
Distance
This is perhaps one of the most important considerations when figuring out the perfect living room table arrangement. You don't want the table to be too far or too close. Most designers and space planners suggest that the coffee table be 18" away from the sofa. If you have an L-shaped sectional, that goes for the entire distance around. That's why it's important to get the scale of the table right and follow the two-thirds rule. There is some wiggle room in this rule, primarily for the new tables that lift up and over to create a table. You may have to adjust the distance a bit with these. To do this, open the table up and sit down on the sofa. Figure out what a comfortable placement is, then adjust the distance a bit. While the 18" rule is nice, if the table ends up halfway into the sofa and pins you there, it's not going to work.
The right coffee table
Finally, when deciding on a table, you want to think about the coffee table itself. How does it fit into the style of the dcor? Does the color complement the woods of your other furnishings? Is the coffee table going to be primarily for looks or should it be more functional? If it's to be functional, do you want it for storage, for eating, entertaining or simply to hold a bunch of books you've collected?
As you determine your needs and find a coffee table that fits those as well as the space available, you'll be able to find the ideal table much easier and it will end up looking as if it were made just for your home.
Author Jennifer Akre is an owner of a wide variety of online specialty shops including that offer both items and information on how you can easily furnish and decorate your space. Whether it is coffee tables for your living room or end tables for you newly remodeled home, there are many tips you can use to make any spot both functional and beautiful. Click today and indulge your senses.
