A coffee table is a short table generally placed in a living room as a flat surface on which one may stand a cup of coffee, magazines, books and other similar items. While iconic of the 1920’s style, there history is much more storied. They were widespread in the Ottoman Empire – generally located in tea gardens. Coffee houses were on the rise in the 1600’s. Sixteen fifty-two saw the first one open in London, while Boston saw its first in 1670.
When purchasing a coffee table, you always want it to match the room into which you will be placing it. The style of the room should determine what sort of coffee table to get. A wooden table can frequently compliment a traditionally decorated room. A glass table top sitting in a brass or gilded base is another traditional look. For more versatility as a coffee table or a seat, upholstered ottomans are a great choice.
The other furniture you have in the living room dictates the type of coffee table you should get.
If you are more traditional, there is no dearth of tables to choose from. If you already have wood furniture, you will probably want to get a wooden coffee table. A glass table top sitting on a brass or gilded base is another traditional look. Upholstered ottomans are extremely popular now since they can serve multiple purposes including: acting as a coffee table or a low seat to pull near to the fire.
For people with a more diverse style, using reclaimed materials such as a beautiful wrought iron gate, an old wooden front door, or old wooden floor boards to make your own coffee table can create a truly avant-garde look.
More modern styles of coffee tables abound. Chic cubes made from wood, leather, metal, or plexiglass are also becoming all the rage. More unique materials like stone and ceramics can look very trendy and elegant. The Noguchi Coffee Table is always a classy choice.
A Few Tips On Deciding which Coffee Table is for you
1. Always allow at least 15 inches between the sofa and the coffee table to determine appropriate size.
2. When in doubt, go with the larger one rather than the smaller.
3. Be aware that while the standard height of a coffee table is 16 inches high some are as short as 11 inches.
4. If you think people will place their feet on it, a wood or upholstered one is probably a better choice than glass or one with a veneer.
5. A glass table top is beneficial if you have a small room so that it will allow the passage of light through it and create an illusion of openness. Also, it is a great way to show off beautiful carpet.
6. A ‘leggy’ coffee table looks great with a sofa that has skirted covers.
7. If your sofa has legs, a ‘block’ table will do well. In these last two examples, opposites draw attention to the each other.
8. The table and the seat of the sofa should ideally be the same height.
9. One beautiful item, such as a vase of flowers, a beautiful glass bowl, a wooden bowl filled with pebbles or a stack of witty coffee table books, looks stunning on a coffee table.
10. To avoid too much clutter, place a recpticle like a wicker basket near or under the table as a catchall for when the table needs to be cleaned quickly. You can then sort through it later. You always need room for your coffee on your coffee table.
David loves writing about coffee tables, as well as restaurant furniture. Check out his sites at: Trunk Coffee Table and Used Restaurant Furniture.
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Tags: coffee tables, furniture, Home Furniture, indoor furniture, wood furniture