How to Choose the Best Coffee Table?
Table of Contents
Top Best Coffee Tables Based on Reviews and Price
Why You Need a Good Coffee Table?
Choosing an ideal coffee table for your living room seems an easy task on the surface, but it is not as straightforward as it seems. Often, people tend to overlook the importance of the coffee table in the living room, and these people have been proven wrong time and time again. The coffee table is an essential asset in every living room, and there’s a high tendency that it becomes the cynosure of all eyes that behold your home. Apart from the distinct style and class, the table is the perfect utility item anyone can ask for. Whether it’s serving the purpose of a center table or reading table, the table suits a variety of purposes.
Picking a suitable coffee table for your home requires the utmost attention to detail, as this might go a long way to determine if it will be a great fit. A functional coffee table should serve the primary purpose for it, and the importance of this factor cannot be overemphasized. Along with that, sturdiness, size, and style are other factors to consider when buying your coffee table. So what are the things that define the best coffee table? This article takes an in-depth look into those factors you should consider when buying your next coffee table.
Top 10 Factors to Consider Before Buying a Coffee Table
1. Material Type
The composition of the table’s material goes a long way in contributing to the sturdiness and style of the table. In essence, the type of material contributes to the durability and mobility of the coffee table. So you shouldn’t overlook this factor. The material can be of three types; wood, glass, and steel.
Wooden Coffee Tables
The use of hardwood in making coffee tables is a trend that’s as old as time itself. Wooden materials provide sturdiness when the construction process is done right. Furthermore, wooden coffee tables also offer style and class due to the possibility of carving aesthetically pleasing patterns. Wooden tables are not significantly heavy, and this usually depends on the type of wood used in construction. Having knowledge of the type of wood also provides an accurate insight into how durable the table will be.
Glass Coffee Tables
These types of tables provide optimal style when compared to the other materials. However, glasses are relatively fragile, and this type of table material isn’t kid-friendly. Glasses vary in strength as the composition of the glass build determines how the study the table will be. One of the essential things to consider when getting a glass table is the transparency and clarity level of the table.
Steel Coffee Tables
Steel tables are the sturdiest set of the table amongst the lot. These tables provide optimal durability to users. However, steel tables can be significantly heavy, and you should consider this when choosing a coffee table made of steel.
Stoneware Coffee Tables
This class of table provides exquisiteness and style in its raw form. Marbles, granites as well as slates are used in the construction of these tables to good effect. These types of tables are particularly suitable for hardware floors, and the combination makes for a good view.
Plastic Coffee Tables
Plastic tables are quite sleek and light in weight. However, durability is not assured of this material. With its lightweight build, this type of table can easily be moved when the need arises.
2. Size
The coffee table size should take utmost priority even before you set out to buy the table. It’s quite essential that you take an accurate measurement of the available space in your living room beforehand. This helps you make an informed decision to get the right size of the table. When determining the right size of a table, some vital factors to consider include:
Dimensions: It is significant to know the length and width of the table as it will define the amount of space you’ll have in your living room. In turn, this contributes to mobility within the living room. The height of the table also determines if kids at home can access it. All of these dimensional factors should be adequately factored into your choice of the coffee table.
Shape: The shape of the table also plays an essential role in determining the number of cups and plates it can accommodate. Also, the shape contributes to the amount of free space in the living room. Various shapes of the coffee table include oval, square, rectangular, and round tables. Also, the shape plays a vital role in the kid-friendliness of the coffee table. The coffee tables with sharp edges can be hazardous for little kids, as we all know. Additionally, oval or round tables, provide a haven for kids to play around.
3. Style
Style is a function of aesthetics, and it plays a significant role in giving your living room an appealing outlook. The style could be as a result of the table’s finishing or origin. There’s the modern or classic style of tables. There’s a wide variety of styles available, and choosing a style that suits your taste can make the difference.
4. Scale
Your living room’s appeal is a function of the scale and setting. The way you set up the table in the living room goes a long way in proving this. The scale has to do with the comparative size of the coffee table to the sofa set it will be complementing. Having a huge table at the center of a relatively small set of sofa seats does not make a good arrangement. It’s essential that the size of your coffee table directly complements the size of your sofa set. The scale also has to do with reach, which makes it easy to pick a cup from the table while being seated.
5. Functionality
This factor has to do with the table’s capacity to handle additional storage via multiple shelves. These shelves can be constructed in layers with the possibility of storing your old books or other stationeries. A table with added functionality saves you so much space, and this can only prove advantageous.
6. Fit With Existing Décor
Your coffee tables should blend in smoothly with your choice of wall and floor finishing. This gives your living room a more appealing look. The color on the coffee table can also block the existing color in a way that will function as the centerpiece of your living room. The shape of your rug or carpet should also determine the shape of your coffee table as it would be totally out of place to have a rectangular coffee table on an oval rug.
7. Type of Supports
Coffee tables have a range of support types, and the support type dictates if it’ll suit specific requirements. For example, centralized support might not allow for shelves and other added functionalities of the table. Also, having a spaced out support ensures the tables can have flowers beneath the top cover of the table.
8. Portability
The portability of the coffee table is a direct function of the material type, as well as the size of the table. Having a portable coffee table means it can be moved with ease when the need arises without having to seek external aid. You should also consider portability if you’re the type that relocates regularly. That’s because having a portable table can prove advantageous when you’re moving from place to place.
9. Table Top
Coffee tables are usually classed as works of art, and it is no gainsaying that these tables showcase top-notch creativity. The coffee table top comes in different patterns like lid tops, trunk tops, mirrored tops, tray tops, and lift tops.
10. Sturdiness
Sturdiness should be a priority for anyone who wants to get a new coffee table as a fragile table is not likely to stand the test of time. Various factors contribute to the sturdiness of the coffee table. However, the quality of materials used as well as construction methods play a vital role in determining the strength of the table. The joints of a properly constructed coffee table should be well fitted to avoid a situation where the joint parts fall apart upon use. Furthermore, the table should have the capacity to bear a load of a couple of cups and plates if the need arises.
Conclusion
For many decades, the importance of coffee tables in the modern living room has often been undermined. However, coffee tables are essential items in any functional living room, and one needs to pay close attention to the listed details when acquiring one. Comfort, sturdiness, and style should play a key role in your final choice.
Other factors include coffee tables on wheels for added mobility, upholstery for added comfort, kid-friendliness, nesting tables for storage space optimization, and leather design for improved style. Bearing all of these things in mind can make a difference when buying the best coffee table.
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