Common FAQ’s on Coffee Table Shopping

Do I need a coffee table in my living room?

Coffee tables are multitasking pieces of furniture that accomplish much in a small space.  Trunk storage, magazine racks, drawers, hidden seating, or even built-in ottomans.  If any of these ideas sound appealing, you’ll find a coffee table fitting for your living space.  Decide the form and function of your coffee table.

What shape of coffee table is right for me?

While the most classic shape for coffee tables is rectangle, you can find beautiful styles in a round coffee table, square coffee table, and even pie shaped.  Corners can be sharp or rounded.  Some styles of modern coffee tables even break geometric rules!  As coffee tables can fill many functions, take your use into consideration when deciding on a shape.  The main factor, however, will be the space you have among the other furniture in your room.

credit: Allison Choppick

Do coffee table tops come in different colors?

Coffee table tops vary just as much as coffee table bodies.  Wooden tables may have wooden tops (the color of their wood!) or glass tops, and glass coffee tables will have glass tops.  Glass can be tinted or frosted a variety of shades.  You can buy anything from misty white to black coffee table tops.

What is the benefit of a wooden coffee table?

The default material for coffee tables is, and always has been, wood.  Nowadays, most wooden coffee tables are made from medium density fiberboard (MDF) and sealed with veneer.  MDF is a compound of glue, resin, and recycled wood fibers under extreme pressure to make a very sturdy wood resistant to splitting and shrinkage.  Solid wood construction of an oak coffee table or pine coffee table is an excellent investment, but… it is an investment.

Why choose a glass coffee table?

Glass coffee tables create a feeling of enhanced space.  A full glass or glass top coffee table offers multiple sight lines, and with a decorative piece on top or beneath the tabletop, this coffee table can be an excellent style choice.

What is a lift top coffee table?

A lift top coffee table has two functions.  First, it provides extra storage for book in a shelf like space.  This space can remain hidden or lie open for every day use.  Second, it gives your coffee table added height for use as an eating or desk space.