Choosing the Perfect Coffee Table
Everybody is good at something, but not everyone has an eye for interior design (thank goodness that these are people that we can hire!) Some people may think that a coffee table isn’t too integral to the flow of a room and can sometimes go for the completely wrong height, shape, or size.
Realistically, you don’t notice a coffee table when it’s perfect in a room, but you very much notice it when it doesn’t fit in a room. They can be cumbersome, in the way, and all around just make the flow of your living area well, not flow!
We’ve done y’all a favor, and we hired some expert interior designers to give us some recommendations on the absolute best brands out there that can provide you with the perfect coffee table for your living area. (If you’re interested in meeting those interior designers, head over to The Best Sectional Sofa Brands where we introduce each of them!
How do you Pick the Perfect Coffee Table?
Now these wonderful interior designers have shared with us what brands make the best products, but at the end of the day, it’s up to you to decide what will work the best in your space! Here are a few things to consider before making a purchase:
What do you need your coffee table to do?
That may seem like a silly question, but it isn’t! Do you need a coffee table that holds just drinks, or do you want to be able to put your feet up too or play a game of cards? Do you need extra storage underneath your coffee table? What should the table be made from?
These are all questions you should be asking yourself, and the answers depend on your lifestyle. For example, I don’t have a dining room in my one bedroom apartment, so I have a larger coffee table so that I can still have friends over for dinner. I also have a single shelf underneath the surface of the coffee table where I can hold magazines and my ukulele.
A coffee table isn’t just a coffee table. It’s something you can kick your feet up onto if you don’t have an ottoman, it’s a dinner table, it’s a centrepiece, maybe it’s where you like to do your crafts. A coffee table isn’t an afterthought, it’s integral to the flow of a room!
What other furniture do you have?
Now a coffee table should absolutely compliment the rest of the furniture that you have. For example, it makes a whole lot more sense to have a table that is around the same height as the seat of your couch. Why? Because that way you can comfortably put your feet up, and it’s an appropriate height if you’re sitting on the couch.
The coffee table should also be a similar length to whatever piece of furniture you’re putting it in front of. It shouldn’t be difficult to walk around the table, and it shouldn’t block you from doing something in your living area. If you have to move it out of the way to do yoga, chances are that it’s too big!
The best way to ensure flow in a room is to ensure that everything fits and everything has its place. That’s why choosing the right coffee table is just as important as choosing the right couch or rug or art piece!
The Best Coffee Table Brands (According to Budget)
While writing this article the only thing I can think of is how badly I want to make a reference to the coffee table book episode on Seinfeld, but I’m sure it will come up organically. In the mean time, hopefully you’ve started to get an idea of the type of coffee table you’re looking for.
We understand that everyone has their own budget to work with, and that’s why we’ve organize this ultimate coffee table buying guide by budget: lower budgets, moderate budgets, and luxury budgets. This way everyone has the opportunity to find the perfect piece of furniture for them!
All of the following information has been very generously provided by a fantastic group of interior designers. These are the real experts and they’re here to help us regular folks out with all of our home designing needs! If you’re interested in their work, there’s links to all of their personal websites for you to peruse!
The Best Low Budget Coffee Table Brands
Uttermost/Revelation
John from NOV8 Design totally understands how important a coffee table is in a well running room. John introduced us to Uttermost/Revelation, which is a company that very clearly specialized in luxurious designs that are attainable to all different types of clients. This what John had to say about picking the perfect low-budget coffee table:
“Not only should coffee tables be beautiful, they should also be equally functional. Selecting the correct table depends on many variables. Overall aesthetic, scale, and price point are a few things that must be considered when sourcing the perfect coffee table.
Uttermost/Revelation carries transitional, and modern options – so the range of options fits a large spectrum of projects. Uttermost/Revelation makes superior quality products. They have been in business for over 40 years. They also use a lot of sustainable and natural materials for their coffee tables (teak, mango wood, reclaimed wood). Retail costs range from $500 – $2000 – which fits the requirements for most projects.”
Doublebutter
This isn’t the first time that Samuel Grout has given us advice about furniture. I just love how excited he gets about certain pieces. The way he speaks about the furniture really goes to show just how much of an expert he is: from looks, design, style, and manufacturing, he understands every step of the way. This is what Samuel had to say about his favorite low-budget coffee table brand:
“Some coffee tables don’t get a second look. A lot in fact, don’t. Even fewer demand it, rightfully anyway, whilst maintaining an awfully simple design. Doublebutter’s designs are consistently able to do this. Their “Armadillo” coffee table, amongst many of their other products, is incredibly minimal, yet it has just the right angles and just the right amount of contrast to be a focal point of any space.
Folded from a single sheet of powder coated steel, their classic tapered and angled legs are no small feat. It is clear that very serious thought and engineering went into this product. In contrast, the table is so light and fun-feeling. This review would be a waste if it didn’t mention the hand shaped wooden base stretchers at the bottom of those legs. Also notice the slight radii worked in here. They offer all these beautiful characteristics in several different finish options; For the steel, they offer blue, cream, grey, black, pale blue, pale green, medium green and a medium red. For the wood options, they include natural walnut, natural rift sawn oak, blackened oak, and a whitened maple. Options galore! Love this table, and for only $750 it is an absolute steal!”
Greenage
Ahmet Can Ozkara is a wonderful interior designer who likes the funkier side of furniture. He appreciates when a company can provide something that is unique, functional, and a little bit fun, all the while being wonderfully affordable to the folks out there who are on a more strict budget. This is what Ahmet had to say about the company, Greenage:
“The prices of their Greenage products are very affordable. It is a complete price-performance product. Each piece has its own unique shape and veined patterns. The natural wood grains, knots and red and brown lines on the reliefs are eye-catching. Greenage furniture is very durable with a weight capacity of approximately 200 pounds. You can expect a lifetime of use when proper maintenance and weight capacities are followed.”
Another reason why I like Ahmet Can Ozkara is because he is supporting small businesses like Greenage. Just because they’re a smaller company, doesn’t mean anything is sacrificed. If anything, they take more care in terms of quality products, quick delivery, and quality products.
CB2
CB2 is a furniture company that keeps getting recommended over and over again, but I’m not whining about it. If anything, I’m extremely fortunate to be so familiar with this company. I know I’ve said that all these other furniture brands do a great job of combining affordability with a great product, but CB2 really wins the award.
CB2 is a furniture brand that creates absolutely stunning pieces of furniture that combine impeccable style and impressive longevity at superbly attainable prices. I’m not the only one who loves this company. Andrea Zivic is a fantastic interior who has used CB2 to furnish multiple projects of hers. This is what she had to say about their coffee tables:
“A coffee table is an opportunity for the most beautiful decoration in the living room. This is an important piece of furniture that should be chosen correctly to geometrically match your set. You can always play with colors and shapes if you prefer soft notes of color in your home, in order to create a contrast.
CB2 is a brand that we have already mentioned and explained why we liked it. So this time too, it was on our list due to its modern design and affordability. The Peekaboo Acrylic coffee table is a table that we really liked from their collection. The transparency and shape allows it to fit into any interior style without any effort.”
Ikea
I don’t need to tell you about Ikea. It’s probably the most famous furniture company on the planet, but sometimes that’s the exact reason why people would brush by it! Don’t make this mistake! Ikea – though they do have those very cheap options at their store – has some really beautiful items. Mairead Belcher is an up and coming interior designer living in Vancouver, and Ikea is the secret weapon she brings to her projects! This is her favorite model:
“The Lack coffee table is extremely budget-friendly, and in terms of design – although simple – it’s minimalistic design pairs well with a modern, sleek interior ascthetics. The designer can alternatively use it in almost any interior style.
I have used this table in budget-conscious projects exposed but also layered it with tablecloths and decor on top to maximize the design standard and feel of the client’s home. Surprisingly for the price and quality, this piece can withstand a good amount of weight and is easily assembled by yourself.”
The Best Moderate Budget Coffee Table Brands
Sunpan
John from NOV8 Designs is at it again with the great recommendations. Sunpan is the epitome of style that is clean, fresh, and minimal. This is a great brand for your potential coffee table because they can provide a multitude of products for any type of space. The minimalism allows you to direct the look you want. Here’s what John wanted to share about Sunpan:
“Sunpan specializes in clean, modern, and minimalistic design. This is great for coffee tables as you can style them to fit with most design aesthetics. Sunpan is another vendor that makes very high quality products.
They use natural and sustainable materials for their coffee tables. They also use metals like reinforced steel to increase durability, additionally features like glass tops decrease the likelihood of scratches. Retail costs range from $700 – $2500, which is within the average moderate budget margin.”
Burke Decor
“The Oak Nordic Coffee Table designed by Burke Décor is another one of these very simple and awfully elegant pieces that just can’t be missed. The main note of this review will be the products versatility; I can count on this table fitting into nearly any aesthetic or communal room: be it residential or commercial.
The finality of its rectangular and almost brutal form is staggered- a very sharp design. Make note of the through lap joints poking out of the top surface, the joinery is likely to be seamless so you can easily miss it- I’d feel sorry for you if you did. Also realize the underside chamfer running along the perimeter of each side of the broad face of the table.
This works in conjunction with the drawers to create a very appealing and unique reveal. This brings us to the drawer- there is one! Storage is essential when looking at a mid-range coffee table. Lastly, I’d be remiss if I didn’t mention they seemingly only offer this piece in one finish option, though again I can attest to its versatility. Natural white oak, rift sawn presumably, is applicable to nearly any scene. At around $1800, this table is an incredibly safe bet, if you can call it that- it’s not much of a gamble from the perspective of this reviewer.”
Honestly as long as Samuel Grout is in charge of introducing us to a furniture brand, I don’t need to say anything. He tells us everything that we need to know, and better than I ever could!
My Swanky Home
Out of all of the furniture companies that I’ve been introduced to, My Swanky Home is by far the one with the best name. How can you resist a name like that!? Ahmet Can Ozkara is at it again, supporting the family owned businesses that keep this planet going. My Swanky Home just has such a homey vibe to it, and you can tell you’ll receive a product that is well made.
“Coffee tables from My Swanky Home are usually made from a wide variety of materials, and their design is more bohemian. They have products made from materials like natural limestone, solid hardwood and hornbeam trees. Each product is handcrafted and is very valuable. Prices are moderate according to the designs of the brand.”
It can be tricky to ride the line between bohemian and sophisticated (and sometimes frankly, it can be downright tacky!) but My Swanky Home perfectly achieves the vibe of being warm and cozy, yet timeless and stylish. Incredible!
West Elm
West Elm is truly poetry in furniture form. They have this ability to take a very classic silhouette, take inspiration from it, and turn it into something chic, modern, yet completely livable. West Elm understands how important a coffee table is to a room, and Andrea Zivic (who we mentioned earlier) knows too. She gave us a little intel on her favorite moderate budget coffee table that West Elm makes:
“If you want a feeling of comfort, a moment of Scandinavian or boho style in your home, we have chosen a table for you. Volcanic ash, fiberglass, sand and stone is the materialization that creates an earthy texture on this beautiful, lightweight piece, called the Monti Lava Stone Coffee Table.”
This is the perfect coffee table if you happen to have a living space that is a little bit more snug. It’s sturdy, made from stone so it’s incredibly durable, and it’s elegant to boot!
William Sonoma
William Sonoma is the essence of elegance and simplicity. Their website is wonderfully easy to navigate and their customer service in known to be incredible as well. I have no faults. The reviews for this furniture company (they’re actually primarily known as a kitchenware company!) are nothing but rave, including this review from Tina Martindelcampo who runs her own interior design company in the United States. This is one of her go-to companies. Hear what she has to say about it:
“The name William Sonoma is synonymous with kitchen and cooking supplies, but they also have a home brand called William Sonoma Home. They are one of my go to brands for the best selection of coffee tables online. What I love most is the variety of styles that they carry, whether you are searching for modern, traditional or beachy coffee tables, they have what you need.
I’m also confident that I’m getting a good quality item when I purchase from William Sonoma. They offer a flat rate delivery fee, so there are no surprises during check-out and a white glove delivery which means they will assemble and carry the item into your home wherever you need it placed.
My favorite William Sonoma coffee table at this moment is the Floating Wood Live Edge Table. It’s a large slab of hand-crafted acacia wood that is floating on acrylic legs to create this unique combo of a modern & natural vibe. Imagine a rockstar living in the woods, that is what I think of when I look at this table. The beauty of the design is that I could picture it in almost any home. I think it’s important to sometimes think outside of the box and stretch your design imagination. That’s what this floating edge table can do for you.”
Anthroliving
Finally someone has recommended Anthroliving! I was originally introduced to Anthropologie because of their beautiful boho clothing, but Anthroliving is the incredible homeware counterpart to this wonderful company.
If you’re looking for furniture that is bohemian, homey, beautiful, and stylish, this is the company for you. The best part is that they have so many options on their website according to budget, yet all of the items are stunning to look at – the price difference is according to the materials that they use. Mairead the interior designer shared with us her favorite mid-priced coffee table they make:
“Anthroliving’s beautifully crafted Moroccan tiled round coffee table makes for a great centrepiece in any living room. I am obsessed with the look and feel of this fun table. Sold in two colours, I personally lean towards the teal and white tile top paired with a hammered antique brass cylinder base. The tile detail is beautifully crafted and comes in three sizes, making it perfect for all sized spaces. This bold piece is a great addition that adds luxury to a room.”
The Best Luxury Budget Coffee Table Brands
Garrett Brown Designs
“Like its namesake, the Erebus coffee table from Garrett Brown Designs has a heaviness, a darkness to it. Erebus meaning the “personification of darkness”. This is especially true if you’ve selected the Grigio Carnico and the ebonized oak finish options, supported by a flat black powder coated steel base.
The first thing one sees in the Erebus table is the incredibly organic shape of the top surface. It most resembles an amoeba that you learned about in high school and, that it has a very gentle underside chamfer, bringing the outer edge down to a very slim half of an inch.
The second point you’ll likely notice is the solid cast bronze center junction joining the three leg stretchers near the ground. Note that I said near; The leg returns follow a slight angle upward away from the ground creating a beautiful sense of depth and shadow. With carefully selected finishes, this table doesn’t have to be so moody, however.
You could easily select a much lighter Statuary Supreme stone and natural oak finish and see a preview of their product at their website. Incorporating this many mediums and cohesively melded together in a solid piece of furniture is never easy, and this reviewer applauds the effort and ultimately the finished product. At nearly $5,000 it is no small choice, not to be taken lightly. Then again neither is the aesthetic of the table. Gorgeous, beautifully done.”
Truly, no notes. Samuel Grout is going to put me out of a job! This man can talk about furniture! (But I do have to add, this furniture company is sleek as can be).
Anthroliving
Proving that Anthroliving is a truly versatile brand, they’re being recommended twice in just one list. This just goes to show that they truly have something for everyone in every price range. They’ve got such gorgeous and unique pieces, and they are really have intent with where they source the materials they use to create such gorgeous pieces. Andrea Zivic loves them just as much as me and Mairead who recommended them earlier, and this is the simple statement she had to make about them:
“Anthroliving provides unique pieces of top quality and manual processing are the specificity of this brand. The tile design is reminiscent of the Moroccan style and goes well with a combination with a brass base.”
CB2
Cb2 is the second brand that we’re recommending twice! This is another brand that has a little something for everyone, yet there is no noticeable difference in quality between the different price ranges. Cb2 does it all. They do minimal looks, vintage looks, elegant looks, organic looks, luxurious looks, funky looks. I can’t speak more highly of Cb2 products, and neither can Mairead Belcher. Hear what she has to say about her favorite coffee table made by CB2:
“The CB2 Slope cement coffee table is one of my favorites. It is a great piece to use when creating a modern neutral look, and research has shown that using exposed natural materials in home decor creates a calm environment and benefits our well-being and mental health.
This versatile piece is a great way to bring that into your home. The clean line offset with soft curves creates a sculpted feel to the piece, which makes a statement in the space and can be paired with many design styles.”
***
And there you have it! We hope that you just experienced a wonderfully comprehensive list of the best coffee table brands that are out there, and that you feel better equipped to choose the perfect table for your living space. Happy shopping!