Measure your sofa from arm to arm first. A common rule of thumb in interiors guides is a coffee table about two-thirds the length of the sofa, so a 180 cm sofa pairs with a table of around 120 cm, and a 240 cm sofa with one of around 160 cm. Use it as a starting point, not a fixed rule.
Top length | Tables on the first page of the grid | Sofa length the two-thirds rule points to |
|---|---|---|
180 cm | Surfboard (180 × 60 cm) | About 270 cm: a large sofa or corner sofa |
106 to 134.5 cm | Laccio, Noguchi, Tulip oval marble, Scando | About 160 to 200 cm: most three-seaters |
70 to 91 cm | Platner, Vixen, PK61, Bell large, Around large, Bliss large, Mag | About 105 to 137 cm: a two-seater, or a pair of armchairs |
32 to 60 cm | Star marble, Ella, Bliss, Bell side, Calibre | Too short for the front of a sofa by the same rule |
Leave room for legs. Most guides suggest about 40 to 45 cm between the front of the sofa and the edge of the table, so you can sit down and stand up easily while a drink stays within reach.
Check the height against the seat. The same guides put the top level with the sofa seat or a little below it. On the first page of this grid, the coffee tables stand 25.5 to 42 cm, so measure your seat height before you choose. The lowest pieces, from 25.5 to 34 cm, suit a low lounge sofa.
Smaller pieces are a different job. All of the tables under 60 cm across except the Star marble table stand 52 to 53 cm high, so they work beside a chair or at the end of a sofa. For more at that height, browse our side tables.
Shape decides how people reach the table and how much floor it takes.
Long and narrow for a long sofa or a narrow room. The Surfboard top is 180 by 60 cm and the Laccio 134.5 by 47 cm, so both reach along a large sofa while leaving more floor in front of it than a deeper top would.
Organic and oval tops for a softer outline. The Noguchi glass top has no straight edges and the oval marble top has no corners, which helps where people walk past the table.
Round and square for chairs facing a sofa. A round or square top, such as the 75 cm round Bell tables or the 80 cm square Vixen and PK61, can be reached from every side, which suits a sofa with armchairs around it.
Material changes the weight. The black marble PK61 weighs 45 kg and the glass-topped Platner 37 kg, while the Mag and Around veneer tables weigh 7 to 7.5 kg. If you rearrange the room often, start with the lighter tables.
It is a rule of thumb that a coffee table should be about two-thirds the length of the sofa it serves. For a 180 cm sofa that means a table of around 120 cm, and for a 150 cm two-seater around 100 cm. The table above shows which tables on the first page of this grid fit each sofa length.
Most interiors guides suggest about 40 to 45 cm between the front edge of the sofa and the edge of the table. That leaves room for legs and for getting up, while keeping a cup within easy reach. In a narrow room, a long, narrow top such as the 47 cm deep Laccio helps you keep that gap.
Level with your sofa seat or a little lower is the usual guide. Measure from the floor to the top of the seat cushion, then compare it with the table heights in each product's dimensions. On the first page of this grid, the coffee tables run from 25.5 cm to 42 cm high, so there is a choice for low and standard sofas.
On the first page of the grid, three tables have a marble top: the black marble PK61, the oval pedestal table and the small Star marble table. The Calibre table pairs a white marble base with a brushed brass top. Because marble is a natural material, the colour and veining of the piece you receive will vary from the photos.
Wipe it with a damp cloth and dry it straight away, and avoid acidic cleaners, as the PK61 product page advises. Use coasters under drinks and wipe spills at once to avoid staining. The Calibre product page adds that a marble sealant can be applied for extra protection, and the oval table's page recommends a marble-safe cleaner.
Use a non-abrasive glass cleaner and a soft cloth, which the Noguchi product page recommends to avoid scratches. Put coasters or mats under hot drinks to prevent heat marks, as the Bell coffee table's page advises. Dust the base separately, since the bases range from lacquered beech and solid walnut to stainless steel and aluminium alloy.
The lightest full-size coffee tables on the first page are the large Bliss table at 5 kg and the Around and Mag veneer tables at 7 and 7.5 kg. At the other end, the black marble PK61 weighs 45 kg, the Platner 37 kg and the oval marble table 31 kg. The Noguchi table comes in two packages, of 29 kg and 9 kg.
Some arrive ready to use. The Around table is listed as fully assembled. The Noguchi, Surfboard and oval marble tables need their tops placing on their bases, the Platner and PK61 list setting a heavy glass or marble top on its base, and the Bell and Bliss tables list moderate assembly. Check the specification of the table you choose.
Several are based on designs by named designers: the glass-topped table on two wooden pieces by Isamu Noguchi, the oval pedestal table by Eero Saarinen, the Surfboard table by Charles Eames, the wire-base table by Warren Platner and the Laccio by Marcel Breuer. The Bell tables are inspired by Sebastian Herkner. See more in our Isamu Noguchi furniture and Charles Eames furniture collections.
No. These coffee tables are not manufactured by or affiliated with the original designers or associated parties, and we claim no rights in any third-party trademarks. Full specifications, lead times and warranty terms are listed on each product page. You can browse more of the range, including dining tables and desks, in our designer tables collection.
