It happens so often that I enter a home and see an odd pair- a mismatched sofa and coffee table. Alas, the couple are not speaking to each other because they have nothing in common. One is too large, the other too small, one is contemporary, the other traditional, or the shapes don't work together... It happens all the time, homeowners put sofas and coffee tables together that are not a perfect match and they end up looking like an unhappy married couple sitting in the center of the living room giving each other the evil eye!
Creating the perfect balance of these furnishings takes understanding scale, shape and style and there are certain basics which should not be ignored. The most basic math you will need to know is that a coffee table must sit close enough to your sofa that you can use the top to place your drink or reading material where it is easily reachable, yet far enough away that you can easily walk around the space. You want to make sure that your coffee table sits comfortably at 16"-18" away from the front of your primary seating group- whether it is one sofa or two sofas sitting adjacent from each other, or a sofa and loveseat or chair. There are also end tables that can come into play, but let's focus on the coffee table first.
There are different reasons designers select one style of coffee table from another to create the perfect mood. A glass table in any setting will give the illusion of more space, but you wouldn't place a glass table in front of a heavy or bulky piece of furniture because they are not evenly matched visually. The "weight" of your pieces must be similar. In this same scheme, do not pair a table with slender legs or thin metal base with a chunky sofa. You get the same undesirable result. So, your first rule is:
#1. Match the weight of your sofa to that of your coffee table.
If your sofa is thick, get a table with thicker base. If the sofa has clean lines, go for clean lines in your table. If your sofa is more delicate in look, search for thin, swooping features in your table. The pieces do not have to match, but do have to compliment each other and proportion is the start.
#2. Select the right style for your table. While it is certainly fun to create an eclectic mix of styles within a room, you must be careful to understand the two styles you are combining together when creating your eclectic vibe and then know how to balance out that look with other pieces in the room to create a theme. In other words, you cannot take a country style table and put it in front of a contemporary sofa without carrying out that same mix of these two odd styles throughout the whole space; and even then, it can easily be done badly. The easiest way to achieve a cohesive space, when going it alone is to use similar styles together. If your room is modern, go for a streamlined table, if it's Mediterranean go for a chunky, ornate piece, if your room is rustic, go for natural, earthy wood...I'm sure you get the idea.
#3. Remain with this style for your end tables, but they DO NOT have to match. One idea that is difficult for homeowners to break out of, is that all pieces in their home have to match. Simply put, they don't... they just have to coordinate with each other- and there's a difference. Check out the pictures below and notice how the coffee tables and end tables are different shapes, but they are similar styles, so they work well together.
Creating the perfect balance of these furnishings takes understanding scale, shape and style and there are certain basics which should not be ignored. The most basic math you will need to know is that a coffee table must sit close enough to your sofa that you can use the top to place your drink or reading material where it is easily reachable, yet far enough away that you can easily walk around the space. You want to make sure that your coffee table sits comfortably at 16"-18" away from the front of your primary seating group- whether it is one sofa or two sofas sitting adjacent from each other, or a sofa and loveseat or chair. There are also end tables that can come into play, but let's focus on the coffee table first.
There are different reasons designers select one style of coffee table from another to create the perfect mood. A glass table in any setting will give the illusion of more space, but you wouldn't place a glass table in front of a heavy or bulky piece of furniture because they are not evenly matched visually. The "weight" of your pieces must be similar. In this same scheme, do not pair a table with slender legs or thin metal base with a chunky sofa. You get the same undesirable result. So, your first rule is:
#1. Match the weight of your sofa to that of your coffee table.
If your sofa is thick, get a table with thicker base. If the sofa has clean lines, go for clean lines in your table. If your sofa is more delicate in look, search for thin, swooping features in your table. The pieces do not have to match, but do have to compliment each other and proportion is the start.
#2. Select the right style for your table. While it is certainly fun to create an eclectic mix of styles within a room, you must be careful to understand the two styles you are combining together when creating your eclectic vibe and then know how to balance out that look with other pieces in the room to create a theme. In other words, you cannot take a country style table and put it in front of a contemporary sofa without carrying out that same mix of these two odd styles throughout the whole space; and even then, it can easily be done badly. The easiest way to achieve a cohesive space, when going it alone is to use similar styles together. If your room is modern, go for a streamlined table, if it's Mediterranean go for a chunky, ornate piece, if your room is rustic, go for natural, earthy wood...I'm sure you get the idea.
#3. Remain with this style for your end tables, but they DO NOT have to match. One idea that is difficult for homeowners to break out of, is that all pieces in their home have to match. Simply put, they don't... they just have to coordinate with each other- and there's a difference. Check out the pictures below and notice how the coffee tables and end tables are different shapes, but they are similar styles, so they work well together.
#4. Make sure it's the right size. This is a very common mistake that homeowners make when pairing a sofa and coffee table- the wrong size or scale. Not only does style have a say in this, but you have to select an adequate width and depth for your room and the pieces framing (around) it. The general rule of thumb is that your table should be no smaller than approximately 3/4 the width of your sofa. Thankfully coffee tables come in such large widths that they can now accommodate the many longer sofas that exist on the market today; but if you can't find one that's large enough, there is another way! Use more than one table or even several ottomans to create the look, and width you need. Below I used 2 end tables to create an interesting coffee table.
#5. Ottomans make great coffee tables, but don't forget the tray. I love to use ottomans in front of a sofa, and I have a great deal of fun creating looks with different colors, fabrics and shapes grouped together to add interest to a room.
Here is a living room design showing a nice printed large ottoman but see what else you can do with this space.
Here I've taken the same nailhead drum ottoman and duplicated it with enough to span the width and depth appropriate for this sofa and room. With them all packed closely together, it's easy to place a tray atop of several without worrying about it tipping over.
Above is a third way to work with this same space, by using two mid-sized round ottomans, spaced a bit apart from each other to take up the necessary width for a table space.
Using ottomans instead of a coffee table can serve as both functional and beautiful. Not only are they soft enough to rest your feet upon, but, with the addition of a nice tray above, they are practical and supportive enough to hold your drinks or snacks, which may spill on the fabric without them. You can find a great supply of trays at furniture stores, accessory shops and even art supply stores.
I hope these tips and visual aids have helped you to find that PERFECT coffee table or perhaps play with other looks for your existing living space.
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