The coffee table performs many functions. It can hold books and magazines, you can put food and drinks on it, and you can also use it for board games. Maybe you like using it as a footrest, and your children like to paint for it. In addition, it is the central element of the interior of the room, it's hard not to notice, and that's why you need to choose a good coffee table.

• Important factors of choice
• Conclusion

Important factors of choice

First of all, why do you need such a piece of furniture, or what is missing your room, and then choose a table that solves these problems.

Before buying a table, mark the area that it will occupy in the room, with adhesive tape, to have an idea of ​​its size and how it interacts with surrounding furniture. If you have a very spacious room and a fairly large coffee table, you can visually reduce the size of the table by placing on the sides of the bench-ottoman, as demonstrated in this photo. When the room is crowded, they can always be pushed aside to allow guests to walk freely around the room, but in everyday life, these seats serve as an excellent visual link between the sofa on one side and the chairs on the other. Do not limit yourself to one ottoman - put two.

If the room has two sofas or other large items of upholstered furniture, a large coffee table may seem a reasonable solution. However, you can think about buying two identical coffee tables. They will distract attention from large, cumbersome sofas and allow you to freely look around the room with a look.

Classic solutions

One of the classic coffee table sizes is 122x60 cm, so it's worth keeping this in mind if you are planning how to arrange furniture. A large coffee table, as a rule, is twice as large.

A coffee table with raised sides or with a small groove on the edge is an excellent choice if you often spill coffee or if your children often use this table as a lunch. They also fit in if you often receive guests and do not want to worry about stains from wine on the carpet.

The coffee table should be no lower and no higher than the upholstered furniture around it. The average height of the table is 45 cm (although, again, this depends on the height of the other furniture). If you have chosen a table with high sides, make sure that the edges of the table sides are not higher than the edges of the furniture around it - otherwise you risk constantly pouring a glass / cup / glass of drinks on the sides, trying to put them on the table. The whole point of the coffee table is to put drinks on it, and not to pour it on it.

The classic dimensions of the coffee table are 120x60x45 cm, but these are not always the most ideal dimensions for your interior. Do not be afraid to experiment!

If you do not want the coffee table to be in the center of attention, you should choose a table with a glass top and finish, combined with the finishing of other pieces of furniture in the room, as in the example in the picture. So attention will be distributed equally among all parts of the interior, and will not be delayed on anything.

Glass tables with a metal base - another way to create the impression of open, free space. Such a table is great if you have a beautiful carpet, and you would not want to hide it from your eyes. At the same time, be prepared for the fact that the glass table will often have to be wiped.

Remember that any glass surfaces (if they are not framed by a frame) have a greenish shade on the cut. You can order a table of special glass, devoid of such a feature - but it will cost more.

On the other hand, perhaps you want the interior of your room to be cozier (and you need a place where you could store things). Place under the usual coffee table baskets, suitcases, boxes - so you can fill an empty space.

Massive worktops, as a rule, have sharp right angles. If you have small children, or if the room is small, free up space around the table so that you can move around freely without bumping into sharp corners.

If you have a table with upholstery

If you have a table with upholstery — выбирайте яркую обивку, которая будет привлекать ваших гостей усесться вокруг столика. Положите на столик поднос, чтобы на нее можно было положить книги и другие вещи (и чтобы смягчить слишком яркую расцветку обивки, как на этом снимке).

Think carefully over the choice of upholstery, given that the table can be used as a stand under your feet. Special upholstery for outdoor furniture can be quite solid and dirty. Try Do not use linen and cloth with high viscose content as upholstery.

To make sure that you have chosen the right upholstery, take a piece of upholstery in the store and test it at home, checking how it copes with dirt, stains from wine, coffee and everything that you think a coffee table can deal with.

Let the ottoman table with upholstery costs about 45 cm from the sofa and / or armchairs so that, sitting, you can easily change the pose without touching the table.

If you want to buy a quilted ottoman, pay attention to the indentations in the upholstery - especially if you are going to use the table as a lunch. If the crumbs get into the grooves, they will not be easy to clean.

Round and vintage tables

Round coffee tables provide more freedom of movement around the room, especially if there is a lot of soft furniture around, as in the example in the photo. If you can not reach anywhere from the coffee table, make sure that there are other serving surfaces in the room.

A vintage coffee table will bring a piece of history to the interior - and create your own. Make sure that the table is secure and that all fasteners are securely locked. If you need to restore the table, ask the seller what material it is made of - this will help you in your work.

One more thing to think about is how the table will stand on the floor or carpet and will not damage it. Split wooden legs or a rusty metal base can damage or contaminate the floor covering. Often, the lower part of the tables, which are sold in second-hand stores, remains unreconstructed. Pay attention to this before buying.

Sculptural wooden coffee tables have a special personality and can give the interior of a room in which there are a lot of soft furniture, the heat of natural motifs. A special water-repellent coating and, of course, stand for dishes will help to protect the surface of the table from damage.

Sometimes a table with a non-standard height or width is exactly what your interior lacks. In the case shown in the photo, a very low table creates a clear horizontal plane in the foreground, shading the long horizontal line of the kredensky cabinet in the background. A higher table would not allow the kredensu to be considered in the background and would conflict with it. Different height of furniture makes the interior more interesting.

Conclusion

The best rule that should be used when buying a coffee table: make sure that this table not only matches your aesthetic tastes, but also harmoniously fits into your interior.

Photogallery Total | 13 pictures