Calligaris Coffee Tables

A coffee table needs to work with the seating and space around it rather than simply filling the middle of the room. Start with how you actually use the area: where you sit, what you want within reach and how people move between the sofa, chairs and the rest of the room.

One large coffee table is not the only answer

Occasional tables have generally become smaller and more flexible, and a collection of pieces can sometimes work better than one large central table. Different heights can give you a lower surface for drinks and everyday items alongside a taller table for a lamp, plant or decorative piece.

Smaller tables can also be easier to move when the room needs to work differently, rather than permanently committing the centre of the seating area to one substantial piece.

Use shape to change the feel of the room

There is no rule that says a coffee table needs to be rectangular. Round, curved and more organic shapes can soften a room containing lots of straight furniture, while square and rectangular designs can give a more structured appearance.

Whatever the shape, consider the routes people take around the seating. A table should be useful from where you sit without becoming something everyone has to negotiate as they move through the room.

Coordinate finishes without creating a matching suite

Calligaris offers occasional furniture in finishes that can relate to its dining tables, sideboards and other pieces. That can be useful in an open-plan room, but it does not mean everything needs to match exactly. Repeating a material or colour in a smaller piece can be enough to connect different parts of the space.

If you need a smaller surface beside a sofa or chair, see our Calligaris lamp tables.