How to Select the Right End Tables for Your Sofa

End tables are similar to the players to some sofa. They seldom get the glory, yet they’re vital in their own low-key way. Along with serving as a landing pad for lamps along with a perch for cocktails, they can help provide a room a well-rounded, glistening look. They whisper of a homeowner who pays attention to details.

That said, they can be challenging to get right. They arrive in an intimidating array of styles, finishes and sizes, and since you typically need two rather than one, you would like to be doubly certain that you select winners. I’ve had a more difficult time shopping for tables than any other piece in my living room — I’ve waffled over decks, peaks, base styles and materials in an effort to strike the perfect balance of work and finishing touch. While I find it, I will inform you.

At the meantime, rely on those tips to help you on your search.

TruexCullins Architecture + Interior Design

The number-one question when choosing an end table : How tall should it be? The guideline is the surface area should be equivalent to or just below the height of the sofa arms. For a standard sofa, that’s around 25 inches, but get out the measuring tape to be sure (I did, and it is a fantastic thing — that the arms mine struck 28 inches). Most finish tables are between 22 and 30 inches.

In case you can’t find tables that you want within your target elevation range, err on the side of shorter rather than taller. Styles that jut above arm level not only can look awkward, but they can also make it difficult for people to set a glass down or get a book.

Amy Lau Design

These tables split the elevation principle, but they function for 2 reasons: One, the tables’ bottom tiers sit below the sofa arms and within easy access. And two, the floor-to-ceiling windows and draperies stretch the distance visually, so the makeup could endure a boost in elevation, exaggerated by the set of lamps.

Lauren Liess Interiors

Nesting tables let you get away with a little additional height. Leave the shorter table pulled partly or entirely out from the taller one to create an engaging layered effect.

Works Photography Inc..

What about armless sofas? You have two choices: Select tables that suit the elevation where arms will sit (to gauge it, get comfortable on the sofa and hit for an imaginary beverage), or purchase low versions that are level with the chair. Neither option is far better than another; it just depends upon your tastes and the equilibrium of your area.

Niki Papadopoulos

This is not technically a sofa (it is Mies van der Rohe’s iconic Barcelona Chair), however, the principle applies exactly the same — that the tabletop lines up having an imaginary arm. Its chunkiness helps to ground the leggy seating, and its cylindrical form brings a needed curvy part that offsets the succession of right angles.

LORNA GROSS Interior Design

If you like the mismatched look, select tables similar in size and visual weight for harmony. These each fall at approximately the same elevation as the sofa arms. Notice the way the square table is tucked into the corner, a nice match for its angles.

Bosworth Hoedemaker

Obviously, there is no law that says you need to double up on end tables if the look does not jibe with your space. A single tray table at the far end of this sofa keeps the inviting openness of the space, and the arrangement will be evened out by the folding table that sits on the diagonal across from it.

Dreamy Whites

Don’t hesitate to use nontraditional objects — shipping crates, old suitcases, sewing machine racks, garden stools — as tables. Just make sure they fall in step with all the scale and height guidelines above they are conversation pieces rather than nuisances.

Inform us : What can you use for end tables, and also what makes them function?

See related