Magazines are a thing of the past, but coffee tables have stayed with us till now. This is because their function is not limited to storing the press. You can have breakfast at the table, sitting in your favorite chair. It is easy to lay out everything you need for board games. Remote controls, books, and blankets can be hidden in drawers. In some of them, there is even a place for a minibar. We will discuss how to choose an end table for the living room and what options to pay attention to in this piece.
Why Is the Coffee Table So Important?
Modern end tables are usually used to place books, newspapers, and board games. They serve as a helpful tool for spending leisure time alone, with family or friends. Usually, people select coffee tables based on the interior’s characteristics, the room’s size, needs, etc.
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A coffee table is not an essential item. But it falls into the second tier of important things, as it has several useful functions:
1. Combines a sofa and armchairs into a group, forming a harmonious space for relaxation and communication.
2. Acts as a place for storage: remote controls, books, serving utensils, and games can be placed on the tabletop, on shelves, in drawers, or niches.
3. Transforms into what you need it for now: to drink coffee, draw or play a board game with the whole family.
4. Becomes a dining table: The height of transforming coffee tables is adjustable, and the tabletop doubles.
5. Serves as a workplace: A laptop can be placed on a low table or, conversely, on a table with a lifting table top.
6. Decorates the room: A table of bright color, unusual shape, or original decor can become the main accent in the interior.
7. Emphasizes the character of the accommodation: sophistication, restraint, and environmental friendliness.
For a table to serve you for many years, to be a sought-after part of the house design, and not wasted money, the selection process should be approached with particular care.
4 Things to Consider When Choosing an End Table
Today, on the websites of online stores and traditional outlets specializing in the sale of cabinet furniture (tables, chairs, and cabinets) and interior items, you can find many compact end tables that will fit into almost any room decor.
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When choosing the best end table, you should pay attention to the following:
Product sizes and colors
The height of the legs, the dimensions of the tabletop, and its shape are the main criteria influencing the buyer’s choice. The item should easily fit into the interior, take up little space, and optimize the use of space. The end table should match the color of the main cabinet furniture in the room and be combined with the color of the sofa upholstery. Tables with a glass surface are considered universal models because they do not break the color harmony.
Materials and model
These characteristics affect appearance, resistance to external factors, and product functionality. Material and model choice is directly related to the appearance of the furniture. When choosing the best product, you should think through everything to the smallest detail and pay attention to the shape, height, functionality, and decorative elements.
Mobility
Tables on wheels can be easily moved around the room. Furniture options with a transformation function can be less massive, allowing you to plan the space correctly.
Trademark
The selection criteria for the manufacturer are directly related to the product’s pricing policy, quality, and durability. Proven manufacturers who value their company’s reputation provide certificates for the entire range.
So, buying the end table is not a problem. Choose its color scheme, shape, and style in advance, and consider what materials it will be made of. Then, in the store catalog, select the optimal individual design table.
What Material to Choose
Considering the material for your end table, personal preferences and financial constraints determine the choice. At the same time, inexpensive models and natural materials are by no means mutually exclusive concepts.
1. Chipboard. Budget material that has many shades and textures.
2. MDF. Light, affordable material with a rich palette of colors. It is also often combined with glass, wood, and metal.
3. Natural wood. Wood is environmentally safe and pleasant to the eye and touch, but not a cheap material. Coffee tables made of wood will find use in any interior.
4. Glass and glass ceramics. A glass coffee table seems almost weightless if you choose a transparent tabletop, and it immediately becomes noticeable if the tabletop is mirrored, colored, or patterned.
5. Metal. Tables are often equipped with metal legs with a glossy or matte surface. Countertops are also made from this material. There are budget-friendly and expensive metal tables.
6. Plastic. Acrylic tables can be compared with glass tables; they weigh much less and have a complex shape.
7. Natural and artificial stone. Coffee tables made of natural stone are relatively rare, as they have a solid weight: moving them from place to place is difficult.
8. Rattan. Wicker furniture has long ceased to be an attribute of country houses, and a rattan coffee table can complement even a classic interior.
9. Natural and artificial leather. A table covered with leather goes from the category of oddities to the category of ordinary things. With the appearance of eco-leather, such tables stopped being very expensive. These materials require careful use and care, but they make the interior expressive.
Designers and constructors consider wood, metal, and glass the best materials for making coffee tables, which can be combined to create masterpieces.
