The living room is the place where a home gathers, relaxes and spends quality time with family and friends. Therefore, it is important that he feels comfortable.
When it comes to decorating the living room, the idea usually revolves around getting a comfortable sofa to sink into after a long day, or having a cool TV and stereo set for binge watching on the weekends.
With the right design, material and size, a coffee table not only enhances the aesthetic appeal of our living room, but it is also an important centerpiece that makes the living area more functional and versatile.
Here are some suggestions in selecting a coffee table.
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Budget
Coffee tables can range in price from expensive to very budget friendly, so before you start shopping, you want to have a rough budget range. Your overall budget should be broken down into areas such as accessories, lighting, and other decorative items. After you buy the coffee table, you will correspondingly buy some decorative essentials as well as practical ornaments to match and enrich the whole living room.
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Shape
Coffee tables come in different shapes such as rectangles, squares, circles or a combination of them. Picking the right shape will depend on a number of factors, including the characteristics of the other furniture you have in your living area and whether you have children or pets in the house.
As a guide, if you have children or pets running around the house, then look for a round coffee table, or a square or rectangular coffee table with rounded corners.The curved edges mean that the sharp corners won't hurt anyone if someone falls or bumps into it.
Using a rectangle and leaving 30 inches of space between the TV console and the coffee table will give you the right amount of walking space between the two items. A round one will provide more room to walk through because its curve will be away from the TV console.
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Size
The coffee table was also used as a flat surface for various activities we did in the living room. As with the shape, you will need to determine the size you need. The height of the coffee table is very important. It should be no less than 1-2 inches from your sofa seat, and a taller sofa needs a taller table.
For example, kids can huddle around the coffee table to play board games or put together puzzles. The size of the coffee table is another important consideration. Therefore, pick a coffee table that is large enough to accommodate all of these daily activities, but it should not be so large that it takes up most of the living area.
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Material
When it comes to materials, coffee tables can also come in many varieties. There are industrial coffee tables that are made of metal. Materials such as glass combined with brass or steel offer a more sophisticated look. Whether it's oak, maple, cherry or walnut, wood has its own feel. Oak and maple are more casual, while walnut and cherry have a more formal look. Choose your favorite, durable coffee table to add a little comfort as well
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Functionality
Another important factor is to know what the primary use is. Is the table more decorative, or does it provide storage? How much storage space is enough? Tables can have shelves or drawers to hold collections of books ranging from your child's toys to the magazines you'll read someday.
Some of us may want to hide the stash of magazines and dozens of remote controls from view. If this is your goal, then a coffee table with extra shelves or compartments will fit your storage requirements. Some people like their coffee tables to be adjustable in height so they can work on their laptops while sitting on the couch.
Whether or not storage is needed, you will still likely want to be able to hold drinks or plates without the risk of tipping them over. Pick a piece that can easily hold beverage and snack plates.
A variety of coffee tables are available to add functionality and meet specific needs.
Now that you've decided on a budget and determined your style, function, size and materials, it's time to go shopping. Hopefully, this will help you pick out furniture that is in proportion, matches your style, and fits your room.
