How Much Space Between Sofa And Coffee Table

Helen Skeates
Helen Skeates
15 min read

It is recommended that you leave at least 14 inches of space between your sofa and coffee table, but no more than 18 inches. But before you go any farther with those figures, make sure the coffee table and couch are set up properly. There’s also the matter of mastering the art of sofa table placement.

Be aware that we like to cluster a number of different tables around the sofa, not just the coffee table. If you know how to utilize yours properly, it can also aid in the setting up.

The Benefits of Coffee Tables

You Can Keep Items Off of the Floor

When you invest in a new coffee table, you’ll be able to effortlessly keep clutter out of sight and out of the way in your living area. Anything from food and drink to televisions and video games to candles, books, magazines, and even cell phones fall into this category. Having a specific spot to set down your food and drink reduces the likelihood of spills and mishaps. Snacks placed on a coffee table are also within easy reach of all guests.

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Your Home Will Look Complete

As appealing as a spacious floor plan can be, it can also send the message that you don’t have enough furniture to fill the room. If you have noticed for a while that something is missing in your living room, then you need to consider the very likely possibility that the problem is a missing coffee table. In addition to offering you plenty of space to store your items, when you have a coffee table, it can easily tie together the rest of your room and make your décor uniquely your own. Because you can easily choose coffee tables that vary in size, shape, color, and design, it’s simple to find one that will work well in your space.

How Much Space Should Be Between Couch And Coffee Table?

While a lack of clutter and excess furniture might make a room feel more spacious, open floor plans have the opposite effect. You should seriously explore the idea that the long-missing piece of furniture in your living room is actually just the coffee table if you have been feeling that something is missing for some time now. In addition to serving as a convenient landing spot for drinks and snacks, a coffee table is a great way to personalize your living area and draw the room’s design elements together. Coffee tables come in a wide variety of sizes, shapes, colors, and styles, making it easy to pick one that suits your needs.

Factors to consider:

Room size

You should imagine your room to determine how much room you need between your sofa and coffee table. This means that you don’t want to have all the heavy furniture in one area, but that you also don’t want to have too much vacant space in the room.

One tip is to tailor your furniture selections for the living room, such as the sofa and coffee table, to the available floor space. Sectional sofas, for instance, can be employed even in compact living rooms due to the flexibility they provide in terms of placement. Finding the proper type is the first step, but once you have a sectional sofa, you’ll want to make sure you know what kind of coffee table would work best with it.

Table size

It is not appropriate for the coffee table to be any longer than the sofa. For maximum visual impact and practicality, however, we recommend going with a piece that is at least half as long as the couch. With the right coffee table size, you may decorate it, use it as a surface for holding things, and it will complement your sofa.

In order to find the perfect coffee table size, you need to consider the room’s square footage and the sofa you plan to place it with. If you have a sectional sofa and want to match a coffee table, you’ll need to know the dimensions of both. Depending on your sense of style and practicality, you may need to go higher than 18 inches or lower than 14 inches.

Personal comfort

The distance between the coffee table and the couch should be determined based on how much space you need. A living room’s purpose extends beyond mere aesthetics. It’s a place to hang out with loved ones or to unwind on your own time.

Therefore, the coffee table needs to be situated at an appropriate distance from the sofa to facilitate easy entry and exit and to allow for adequate leg room when seated, but close enough to facilitate placing and reaching the objects above it without much straining. It’s important to note, however, that some households just use the coffee table for displaying items, while the end tables or sofa table behind the couch are used for storage.

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Does A Coffee Table Need To Be Centered?

Although it’s not required, most coffee tables look best when placed in the middle of the room. Coffee tables can serve as fantastic centerpieces due to their size, form, or even color, and they can be further decorated with additional eye-catching objects such as miniature sculptures. If you have a large living room, it is the coffee table’s uniqueness that will make it the focal point.

When is it not ideal to have the coffee table in the middle of the room? Long, narrow rooms provide the illusion of having multiple focal points. Therefore, place the coffee table near the sofa and chair arrangement, either symmetrically or asymmetrically, rather than dead center in the room.

Can Coffee Table Be Higher Than Couch?

If the coffee table is too high above the sofa, it will be difficult to lift heavy objects over the arm of the sofa. Plus, if the coffee table is far higher than the sofa, the room will look unbalanced. The ideal height for a coffee table is roughly four inches higher or lower than the height of the sofa’s seat cushions.

How Much Clearance Do You Need Around A Coffee Table?

A minimum of 24 inches and a maximum of 30 inches of clear floor space should surround the coffee table. This calculation does not take into account the shape of the room or the presence of any additional furniture. However, keeping in mind the suggested distance from the sofa to the coffee table will allow for easy navigation without compromising the aesthetics of the room.

These Are the Best Coffee Tables to Spruce up Your Living Room

Best Overall: Foundstone Arlo Coffee Table with Storage

It’s not easy to choose out the top coffee table, but this one from Wayfair’s in-house Foundstone brand does. The Arlo Coffee Table is a hybrid of modern and Scandinavian design; it is constructed of wood and boasts flared legs, an open lower shelf, and a clean white top. The natural finish is more in keeping with the Scandi aesthetic, while the pecan finish brings out the mid-century modernism.

As a result of its minimalistic and adaptable design, it may complement a wide variety of existing living room arrangements. The bottom shelf can be used for a variety of things, such as displaying coffee table books and magazines or concealing toys, blankets, and other other items.

Best Budget: IKEA HAVSTA Coffee Table

IKEA’s HAVSTA coffee table demonstrates that sprucing up your living quarters doesn’t have to break the bank. This rectangular coffee table with two shelves is an instant classic and will complement any existing decor. It is constructed of solid pine wood, making it strong and long-lasting, and its brushed surface gives it an organic appearance and feel.

While not strictly a storage table, the additional shelf can be used to store books, remote controls, and whatever else you would need easy access to in the living area. In addition, it is available in three timeless neutral tones: dark brown, gray, and white.

Best Round: Floyd The Coffee Table

This round coffee table from Floyd’s Modular Collection is a great example of the simple elegance that can be achieved with even the most basic of design elements. Although it is simple in construction (the top is made of birch or walnut plywood, and the legs are powder-coated steel), it is nonetheless attractive and will give your living area a contemporary feel.

It is also really sturdy, so even if you use your coffee table for other purposes besides just sitting and reading, it will continue to look great for many years to come. You can pick a table that complements your decor and adds a touch of warmth from the four different color combinations available (black and birch, birch and white, black and walnut, and white and walnut).

Best Nesting: AllModern Hana Nesting Coffee Table Set

Instead of purchasing a single coffee table, why not get two? The Hana Nesting Coffee Table Set by AllModern is a contemporary take on the traditional coffee table that will look great in any family room. Each of the two oak tabletops rests on a triangular, rounded metal base supported by three flared legs; the overall design exudes strong mid-century influences. This design is also great for apartments and studios: You can unfold them when more room is required on the floor, and fold them in on themselves when less is required.

Best Oblong: Article Silicus Coffee Table

The Silicus Coffee Table is an option by Article that offers a touch of color without being overpowering. This table’s painted glass top and brushed gold legs make a sophisticated complement to any room, and it’s offered in two sizes, styles, and colors. Soft pink and gold embellishments give any room a luxurious feel, while the airy, minimalistic design is at home in a Scandi-inspired setting.

Best Wood: Ashley Furniture Wesling Coffee Table

This Ashley Furniture alternative is a lovely, spacious, and timelessly stylish take on the classic solid wood coffee table. The rectangular plank table’s simple silhouette and contrasting finishes (light brown top, rustic black trestle legs) make it a versatile piece of furniture at home in either a classic or contemporary setting.

Mango wood, a renewable resource, was used to craft the top, which has a rich, striking grain and will last for generations. This coffee table will become the focal point of your living space with its unique blend of modern, industrial, and rustic styling.

Best Glass: West Elm Mid-Century Art Display Coffee Table

West Elm’s Mid-Century Art Display Coffee Table is an excellent choice if you prefer glass coffee tables. Storage and display space are maximized with this two-tier coffee table’s tempered glass top and lower shelf of white and gray polished marble. The shelves are set up on a metal framework given an antique brass finish, which both emphasizes the shelving’ mid-century aesthetic and gives the unit an air of refined sophistication.

This coffee table has an infinity edge, making it much easier to clean than traditional glass coffee tables that are framed on all sides and trap dust and crumbs.

Best Lift-Top: Joss & Main Lift-Top Frame Coffee Table with Storage

Not only can the correct coffee table serve as a focal point in your living area, but it may also serve as a useful storage space. Lifting the top of the Lift-Top Frame Coffee Table reveals a big open storage compartment concealed underneath, in addition to a drawer accessible from the table’s side.

Furthermore, the best part is… You can have both form and function in a single product. The table’s open iron legs and walnut finish create a contemporary look without making the room feel cramped.

Best for Small Spaces: HAY Tulou Coffee Table

When decorating a little living room, the Tulou Coffee Table is a chic solution. It takes its cue from the design of a classic tray table, but adds a contemporary twist that makes it suitable both as a showpiece and an accent piece in your living area. Powder-coated steel is used in its construction, and it comes in three different, tasteful hues. Its rounded edge adds a touch of visual appeal.

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Best Ottoman: Urban Outfitters Alina Storage Ottoman

The Alina Storage Ottoman combines two essential furniture pieces—storage and a place to put your feet up. This coffee table ottoman has a huge lid that conceals an even larger inside storage space, perfect for storing away seasonal blankets, pillows, and more. Its top measures 21 inches.

It’s a storage ottoman, but its seagrass construction and woven design give it a chic boho air. A tray placed atop the unit transforms it from a storage component to a tiny, multipurpose coffee table that is easy on the eyes and the feet.

Conclusion

Did you take away some useful takeaways from this handbook? When deciding how much room to leave between the couch and the coffee table, aim for 14 to 18 inches. This spacing is ideal for easy foot movement and maintains a harmonious aesthetic in the living area.

Keep in mind the dimensions of the room and the table, as well as your own preferences, while deciding how to arrange these elements. And with that, I’ll end this. If you have any questions or comments, please leave them below; we hope you found this post informative.

Helen Skeates

Helen Skeates

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