Decorating Your Living Room: A Guide to Choosing the Right Tables
Decorating a living room can be challenging, but it’s also a lot of fun and extremely rewarding when the design is successful.
Whether it’s a formal drawing room, a casual lounge, or a family sitting room, the living room is often the hub of household activity. This means that choosing the right type of furniture, including chairs, sofas, bookshelves, TV cabinets, and tables, is essential. Of course, the furniture you choose depends on your personal needs and preferences.
It doesn’t matter if you’re buying a lounge suite or selecting end tables for your living room—it’s important to first identify what your needs are. This isn’t just about wanting a table or couch, but about understanding how you’ll use these items. After all, anything can serve as a place to sit or display things. The real question is: What do you need these tables and seating options for?
Identify Your Living Room Needs
Living rooms come in many different styles, and it’s essential to know exactly how you will use the space. If you have more than one living room, you’ll be able to designate different functions for each. For instance, you might have a formal room for entertaining guests, as well as a family room with a television, music center, and mini-library.
When used by the whole family, a living room often becomes a multifunctional space. It’s where everyone gathers to relax and unwind. The living room might also double as a dining room or a place for kids to do homework, while mom uses it as a sewing room.
Once you know how you’ll use your living room, you can better plan the layout and furniture. The main priorities will be seating, surfaces, and storage. In this article, we focus specifically on tables—particularly end tables.
Suitable Tables for a Living Room
The most common table found in living rooms is the coffee table, which is usually placed in front of a couch or sofa. Its primary function is to hold coffee mugs, tea trays, or decorative items. More often than not, coffee tables also serve as a place to display books, including stylish “coffee table” books, or even a spot to rest your tired feet.
Larger, higher tables are often included in living rooms and are used for displaying decorative pieces. In family rooms, larger tables can become a venue for homework or family games.
Pedestal tables, which are typically round, are a prominent feature in many homes. Half-round tables, designed to sit against a wall, are usually used for display purposes.
Sideboard-style tables, generally rectangular, are narrow and high, often matching the height of a mantelpiece. These tables are primarily for displaying flowers, ornaments, or other decorative items.
End tables are small tables placed beside sofas or chairs. Typically, they are the same height as the arm of the chair, making them functional for holding cups, glasses, books, or even a lamp. These tables serve a similar purpose to bedside tables in a bedroom.
Interestingly, the term “end table” dates back to the mid-19th century. Today, the term “side table” is more commonly used, likely because these tables are positioned at the side of seating furniture.
Suitable End Table Styles
If you browse through magazines, websites, or visit friends, you’ll notice that end tables come in a wide variety of types and styles. When selecting end tables for your living room, it’s important to know exactly what you’re looking for—not only in terms of cost but also style and functionality.
End tables generally fall into two broad categories: casual and formal, with both traditional and contemporary styles available. The choice within these categories is vast. Casual designs can be rectangular, oval, square, or round, and some feature wooden tops, while others have glass tops within a wooden frame. Some end tables even incorporate stone, slate, or metal tops. They may also have cupboards or shelves.
If your home is decorated in a specific style, you’ll want end tables that complement that aesthetic. For example, you might choose a one-legged Baxton Studio stainless steel accent table with a round glass top, inspired by designer Eileen Gray, or opt for an antique Georgian butler’s tray with ornate marquetry.
Some of the most beautiful traditional designs can be found in museums. For instance, a simple round lamp table with a leather top, based on a table in the Museum of New Mexico, has been reproduced for modern use. These vintage-inspired designs are often available commercially in contemporary formats.
When selecting end tables for your living room, remember that the variety is immense. It’s worth taking the time to search for the perfect table that fits your style and meets your needs.
