Olive Lane Interiors
Finding ‘The One’: A Love Story Between You and Your Coffee Table
January 3, 2026
“How do I know what type of coffee table I should get?” This is a question we are asked a lot, and when I released my first blog post “You’re Styling Coffee Tables Wrong”, I realized “how can people decorate their coffee table when they don’t even know how to pick a coffee table!” So, before you can style a coffee table beautifully, you have to choose the right one. From color and shape to size and style, here’s everything you need to know to get it right from the start.
Set the Tone (Literally)
Living rooms often rely on a few key pieces to establish their mood — your sofa, accent chairs, and (of course) the coffee table. Choosing the wrong one can quietly, but completely, shift the feeling of your space.
When picking a coffee table, one of the first questions I ask is: how do you want to feel in your space? Is it calm and free, or is it immersive and cozy? That emotional goal will guide you with every choice to follow. Once you determine how you want to feel, pick colors that evoke that feeling. Is it whites, beiges, light grays? Or is it browns, dark blues, blacks? Maybe it’s even the vibrancy of yellows or reds that speaks to you. Lastly, make sure your coffee table complements the temperature in your palette. Do they pull warm, cool or neutral? Your coffee table should harmonize with those hues so the entire room feels connected, not competing.
Incorporate Your Space’s Style
Whether your space leans modern and minimal, coastal and calm, or playful and eclectic, your coffee table should echo that personality, not compete with it. Take a look around your room: do you have rustic textures, straight clean lines, or whimsical shapes? Now, ask those same questions of your coffee table. If the answers don’t align, chances are the table isn’t working with your space and rather working against it.
SHAPE, SHAPE, SHAPE
Now that you’ve determined your coffee table’s color and style, the next step is all about shape. The shape of your coffee table should be guided by your furniture and how you want to use the space. Do your accent chairs have curved lines? Is your sofa a sectional or a traditional three-seater? Are you aiming for a conversational setup or something more open and easy to walk through? These details matter.
A rectangular table works well with traditional sofas or longer seating arrangements. A round or oval table complements curved furniture. If you have a sectional, consider a round or square shape to fill the space proportionally. For more eclectic or modern spaces, organic shapes like pebble-like forms can bring a touch of playfulness and visual interest.
No matter what you choose, your coffee table’s shape should complement the lines of your furniture and the rhythm of your room, not disrupt it.
The Beauty of Balance
Proportion is everything when it comes to your coffee table. When you look at it, does the room feel heavy? Is the table commanding all the attention, or blending in too much? Do you want it to be the focal point? Asking these questions helps you see whether your coffee table truly fits your space.
As a general rule, if your furniture is on the bulkier side, balance it with a table that feels lighter and more delicate. To know you’ve chosen the right piece, your room should feel settled — grounded, but not weighed down.
When it comes to dimensions, aim for harmony: your coffee table should be roughly the same height as your sofa seat (or no more than two inches lower) and about two-thirds the length of the open space in front of your sofa. The goal isn’t perfect math. It’s a feeling of ease and balance when you walk into the room.
Function Follows Form
When designing a space, the most important thing we as designers consider is you and the way you live. Do you have kids? Pets? Do you need your space to serve a specific purpose? The same thinking applies when picking a coffee table. Do you need rounded corners for safety? Hidden storage for crafts and blankets? A surface that’s easy to wipe clean? A durable material that can withstand daily life? These questions matter because the right coffee table supports the way you actually live in your space. When the function is clear, the form naturally follows.
At the end of the day, your coffee table is more than just a surface. It’s the piece that brings your living space together. When you find that table that fits your home’s rhythm and your lifestyle, everything else simply falls into place.
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