10 Tips for Finding the Perfect Coffee Table

The coffee table is the last piece of the living room puzzle, chosen after all the seating. You have to pick just the right one to fill the gap. Even designers have a tough time, because the options seem endless. Brass base with a glass top? Round wood with tapered legs? Drawers or no drawers? For my own living room, I pushed two glass coffee tables with stainless steel bases together because I couldn't find just one table in the right size!

The ideal distance from the edge of the sofa to the edge of the table is 18 inches—close enough to reach for your drink or put a magazine down, but far enough to stretch out your legs. People often leave too much or not enough room. If you have other seats in the room that you want to reach the coffee table, follow the same 18-inch rule. Morgan table, 44"W x 32"D x 19"H, $449, ballarddesigns.com

Think about your room’s main passageway, and leave at least 30 inches from the outer edge of the coffee table to the TV stand or media cabinet. If you have a narrow room, you can get away with 24 inches. Parsons table, 48"W x 24"D x 18"H, $209, homedecorators.com

A coffee table's height is key. The surface should be about one or two inches lower than your sofa seat. Standard tables are 16 to 18 inches high, but if you have a higher couch or entertain a lot, consider a taller table—20 or 21 inches—so it's easy for guests to set down their dessert plate or cut a piece of cheese. Frasier table, 50"W x 28"D x 20"H, $549, lanefurniture.com for stores