How to Choose an Accent Table

Accent Tables are the supporting cast to the leading characters- sofa and chair. Necessary pieces of furniture that should jive with the style of the room. I’m referring to side tables and sofa tables. Their duty is holding beverages, stacking books, displaying holiday decor and exhibiting family portraits. Before buying, think about what you need, measure the space (don’t you get tired of me telling you that), assess the style of the room, and snap some pictures.

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Do you call it a Coffee Table or a Cocktail Table? What is the difference? The terms are used interchangeably and basically refer to the table in front of the sofa. A well-known interior designer (who shall remain nameless) scolded me for not knowing. She told me cocktail tables are round or oval and coffee tables are square or rectangular. Really? I Googled it and it’s true. Just a bit of trivia.

Back to the “how to”…. here are a few accent tables rules…

Height- Side Tables should generally be equal to or just below the sofa arm or chair arm. The average arm height is 25″. Measure the arm heights of your sofa and chairs so you can shop wisely. Cocktail and Coffee Tables are usually 16″-18″ high, sometimes taller, right at the seat height Don’t get stuck on this because arm heights and table heights are all over the place these days. The main idea is comfortable reach of a book, lamp, or beverage. AND every side table does not have to be the exact same height.

Shape- For small spaces, children and pets I would recommend a Coffee Table (round or oval). No sharp edges and easy to maneuver around. A large room can handle those mammoth Cocktail Tables (square or rectangle). Side Tables come in all shapes and again I think it looks nice to mix and match.

Scale- The MOST important element. Look at the furniture in the room….measure the space….then go shopping. If you have a large, dark, chunky sofa you don’t want to choose a small dainty cocktail table. Conversely, the cocktail table shouldn’t be longer than the sofa-no matter how great you think it is. This is where we get into trouble. We buy what we like then it doesn’t look good with what we have. Here’s where the pictures of your existing furniture come in handy. You can always ask the store to help you with scale.

Style- Traditional, contemporary, eclectic– I am a big fan of mixing things up a bit. You can’t get too crazy with Accent Tables but you can inject a bit of glamour or personality.

Check out what I found in local stores….