Small but Mighty

Tips for choosing great accent tables

Advice & Education

There’s nothing better than coming home after a long day, kicking off your shoes, pouring a glass of wine, and relaxing in your favorite chair. You sit down, take a sip, and set your glass down. Imagine if you didn’t have a table to rest your glass. Where would we be without these small but mighty tables? Side and coffee tables are a simple way to tie the room together and offer a stylish place to set your phone down or hold a favorite picture frame or lamp, making the home more comfortable and functional. But how do you know which size, shape, or style to choose? Here are a few tips to consider when looking for new side tables, coffee tables, or consoles for your home.

functionality

How will you be using your side table? Do you need more than a flat surface to hold a lamp or a clock? Several of our occasional tables offer a beautiful hand-polished surface with additional storage, featuring flawlessly executed dovetailed drawers and shelves designed to neatly tuck away keepsakes. Once you know the needs of your side table, it’s time to consider the dimensions.

Finding a table with the perfect width, height, and depth is just as important as the comfort of the sofa or bed beside it. When looking at different occasional tables, pay careful attention to the dimensions of the designs you’re favoring. Be sure to jot down those measurements and mark off the floor where you want to place them. 

Shown: Far left: Hartford Side Table in walnut. Left: Sequel Table in cherry. Right: Oval Ring Coffee Table in cherry.

Shown: Hartford Side Table

finding Furniture that fits

Measurements are vital if you’re adding multiple pieces to a bedroom, dining room, or living room. Our website is an excellent resource as every piece of furniture has a product sheet that gives the full dimensions. Other considerations include the shape of the table. Round or oval tables are perfect for softer, relaxed environments and for homes with small children. Square or rectangular tables fit a more formal interior, homes with narrow living spaces, or extra-long couches. With dimensions and shape in mind, it’s time to take to the floor.

Solid Floor: If you have a solid floor like hardwood, tile, or laminate, we recommend using painter’s tape in a different color for each piece you’re considering. Use the tape to outline the footprint of the piece on the floor. The inner edge of the tape should be the outermost part of the furniture’s footprint- creating some wiggle room and space for movement. Painter’s tape is a wonderful working palette to jot down notes or thoughts on how a piece may need customization.

Carpeted Floor: Using cardboard, cut out the footprint of the furniture and lay it on the floor where you want to place it. Live with the cutouts on the floor for a few days and notice how they create or inhibit a comfortable flow to the room. How close are the cutouts to existing furniture or architectural elements, like stairs, windows, or doorways? If you keep stepping on or moving the cardboard cutout, you will need a smaller design or to customize the design you love. 

Shown: Hartford Side Table and Hartford Coffee Table, both in walnut.

Side Tables + Coffee Tables

Throughout history, small tables have been used to display art, as writing desks, or as places to set down a cup of coffee. Today, our homes would feel amiss without a table beside our favorite lounge chair or in front of the couch. When selecting a side table or accent table, a good rule of thumb is to place one anywhere someone might be sitting or relaxing for an extended time—beside a sofa, lounge chair, or bedside nightstand. 

Height & Size: Your side table or nightstand should be roughly the same height as the arm of the sofa or the top of your mattress but should not exceed two inches above or below that threshold. Coffee tables should be at least half to two-thirds the length of your couch, and we recommend leaving 12 to 18 inches between the couch and the table for ease of movement while still allowing it to be close enough to reach for a magazine or beverage. The coffee table should also be the same height as the sofa’s seat, give or take four inches. 

Hall Tables + Consoles

Console tables are generally long, narrow tables perfect for entryways, hallways, or along a wall. These versatile tables also work beautifully behind a sofa or as a minimalist sideboard in the dining room. Modern hallway tables bridge the gap between functionality and art. The narrow design allows them to fit in tight spaces, and their broad surfaces create plenty of space to hold a bowl for keys when you enter your home, hold a lamp and magazines in the living room, or work as a vanity in the bedroom. 

Height & Size:  If you intend to place the table behind a sofa, it should be at least two-thirds of the sofa’s length, or give yourself at least twelve inches from the end of the sofa to the edge of the table. The height of the table depends on the needs of the table. Do you want to display picture frames to be visible from the sofa side, or do you want a lower table for a tall lamp and artwork? In general, the height of the tabletop should not exceed the height of the sofa’s frame or be lower than twelve inches to eighteen inches below the frame. 

Occasional Table Alternatives

If you find yourself always looking for extra storage for blankets, pillows, children’s toys, or puzzles, a storage chest like our Blanket Box or Captain’s Chest may offer the handmade touch you want to keep your space looking neat and tidy.

Benches like our Fireside Bench and Vita Museum Bench are the perfect alternatives to traditional coffee tables. For those who love to rest their feet on the edge of a coffee table, each bench features hand-stitched cushions for ultimate comfort and can be used as extra seating when needed. One charming feature of the Fireside Bench is that the solid wood bench extends ten inches beyond its cushion, providing extra space to set down books, a small charcuterie board, and your favorite beverage.

Height & Size: As with coffee tables, look for a storage chest or bench the height of your sofa’s seat or four inches below to create a balanced look and flow to your space. The piece should be at least half as long to two-thirds the length of the sofa for ease of movement around the piece.

Shown: Blanket Box and Captain’s Chest in cherry.

Choosing the right accent tables for your home involves a blend of functionality, style, and careful consideration of space. Whether you’re selecting a side table, coffee table, or an alternative like a storage chest or bench, it’s essential to consider how the piece will be used, its relationship to existing furniture, and how it complements your room’s overall aesthetic. By keeping functionality, dimensions, and shape in mind, you can create a space that is not only visually appealing but also highly functional and welcoming. Remember, the perfect accent table serves a practical purpose and enhances the comfort and style of your home, making it a more enjoyable place to live, relax, and entertain.