The right coffee table can pull together a whole room, providing a focus that’s practical as well as a joy to use.
Some include hidden storage, drawers or shelves to help keep on top of the usual living room clutter. Light tables on legs work well placed on a rug, and make easy work of cleaning around them. Heavier styles are boxier in nature, but might prove more practical for storage.
A coffee table is a piece of furniture that will see constant everyday use. Make sure to choose a style that suits your space, but will be easy to clean, maintain and keep looking fresh in the long run.
1. Cox & Cox Aalto Occasional Table: £175, Cox & Cox
The Aalto table from Cox & Cox is made from carbonised bamboo, a hardening technique more commonly used for flooring. This material makes the coffee table durable yet light, with the looks of natural wood but not the cost. The slatted shelf gives added storage, but a drawer would have been a welcome addition. A matching console table for the hall costs £250.
2. La Redoute Lunja Pine 4-Drawer Coffee Table: £219, La Redoute
La Redoute’s Lunja table has four drawers for stashing away remote controls, magazines, letters and other living room clutter. It’s made in solid pine, finished with a teak stain and wax for a traditional feel. The level finish is good for the price – drawers slide easily, the handles have a smart antique look, and the 5cm-high base gives the whole piece a solid feel.
3. FUWL Cage table: £159.95, Skandium
Designed by Stockholm-based studio Form Us With Love, the Cage storage series has bags of modern style. A stained ash top sits on thin metal legs that loop together to form the base. At 30cm high, it can easily accommodate a basket underneath for magazines or blankets. It’s a little smaller and squarer than traditional coffee tables, and could be used as a side table too.
4. Marks & Spencer Darcey Coffee Table: £499, Marks & Spencer
This Regency-style table is made from solid oak and veneer, with a grey-painted finish that contrasts with the natural top. It’s a good size, including two slim drawers and a bottom shelf. At 50cm high and 110cm wide, it’s among the largest on the list and would suit a grand living room where it can really be appreciated. There’s a matching range of other table styles, and delivery is free.
5. Habitat Orrico Rose Gold Coffee Table: £225, Habitat
Inspired by India, the Orrico range by Habitat has an exotic feel to it. This statement round coffee table comes in gold, silver or on-trend rose gold. Each has a unique texture, made by hundreds of tiny hammer marks that catch the light. Despite the heavy appearance, the table is light to move around. Beware: the metal finish can scratch easily, and requires regular dusting.
6. Menu Turning Table: £399, Amara
A real showstopper, the lid of this unusual round table rotates to reveal a storage place. It’s a pleasure to use, and made in stained black ash complemented with brass. A version in white oak and copper is also available. Made by Danish brand Menu, it does have a designer price tag, but its quality and style make it a unique accent for the living room.
7. Debenhams Amalfi Glass Coffee Table: £238, Debenhams
Although glass coffee tables can give off a retro vibe, it seems they’re not going out of fashion any time soon. This one from Debenhams is pleasingly simple, made from a single sheet of bent toughened glass, with no joins or fixings. It’s easy to clean and keep looking pristine; transparent tables also increase a sense of space. Comes with a one-year warranty.
8. Norman-Copenhagen Ding Table: £299.90, Clippings
The three legs of this striking table slot together like a giant puzzle. Ding has a fun design, rather than practical, and would suit a living room that’s in need of a dramatic centrepiece. The table comes in combinations of smoked or transparent glass, and oak or black legs. No fixings are needed and the table arrives flat pack.
9. Maisons Du Monde Bahia Table: £195.50, Maisons Du Monde
Ideal for adding a bit of colour in the living room, the top of this coffee table is made from strips of reclaimed wood, salvaged from old houses in India. The recycled nature of the product means you can’t be quite sure what you’re going to get. Edges and legs in riveted metal continue the industrial look of this simple table.
10. Houseology OH Maison Malvern Coffee Table: £265, Houseology
This wood coffee table has just a hint of country styling, with turned legs and base in birch with a light grey painted finish. The oak rectangular top has been left natural, handy for disguising any small scratches or marks it may acquire over time. It’s a solid, timeless piece that would work well in a traditional or contemporary living room.
The Verdict: Coffee Tables
The quiet simplicity of the Aalto table by Cox & Cox means it can fit with most décor. It’s lightweight, made from sustainable bamboo, and comes at a very reasonable price. The slatted shelf makes a good place for putting magazines and remote controls out of the way.
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