It’s time for another Best of Classic Design Details blog post, and today I’m sharing some modern-traditional coffee & end tables!
If there’s one thing I’ve learned about searching for the perfect coffee table over the last few months, it’s that they’re a real pain in the ass to find. I mean really – finding a coffee table that fits your budget, your aesthetic, and fits the dimensions you need (height, width, and length) is like, a needle-in-a-haystack type search.
I found the dreamiest coffee table a few weeks ago – everything about it was perfect. The tiered cane with sexy wood legs and brass casters. And it fit my style to a T.
Except it’s slightly too wide and a smidge too tall.
I tried to make it work, but it really overpowers the seating area. So now I’m going to try and pull off a DIY burl coffee table. TBD on how that turns out (I’ll be sharing the process via IG if you’re interested in following along).
On a brighter note, I did find a stunning solid brass & marble end table for $40 a few weeks ago on FB MP. I love how it’s smaller in scale, yet still makes a big impact.
Look at those little legs!
TIPS FOR CHOOSING COFFEE & END TABLES IN A MODERN-TRADITIONAL LIVING ROOM:
- A rule of thumb when choosing a coffee table: a modern coffee table works in almost every seating situation – whether you have a modern or traditional sofa.
- Modern sofas are tricky – I don’t believe they pair well with traditional coffee tables. If you have a modern sofa, I’d opt for a modern coffee + end table. Again, modern tables work in almost every situation.
- Try to vary the visual weight between the coffee & side table. For example, I wouldn’t pair a tiered coffee table with a tiered end table, but rather, a tiered coffee table would work with a round pedestal end table.
- Consider the materials of coffee & end tables. Brass end tables paired with a brass coffee table is probably too much brass, but a brass end table works well with a wood coffee table (as long as the scale is varied). There are a ton of coffee/end table materials to choose and combine – lucite, wood, brass, marble, cane, wicker, glass, lacquered.
Enjoy these coffee & end table roundups!
Thank you for this timely post for me! I agree with you, coffee tables are a bear to find just the right one. I have cancelled an order for a chest (too rugged) and gave a round glass and brass one to my daughter ( hated the smoky glass top). Thankfully, I love the new couch which just arrived so I will take time to search for just the right piece.
Best,
Pam
I inherited a beautiful mahogany Ming style coffee table that was my great grandmothers. It’s a bear to decorate around but I love it.
I so hope you plan to post about your diy burl table. I want to do the same for a dining table and would love to see how yours turns out!
I just found your page and am so excited to read through all of your design advice and tips. My husband and I just bought our first home last year and basically had to start furniture/decor from scratch as we came from a 400sq ft apartment in Boston with just a bed. Moreover, we had to purchase everything sight unseen due to covid restrictions, so you can only imagine! Sending things back if they did not fit/were not as expected was not an option. Anxious to fill our home with essentials like a couch and bedframe, I’m afraid I committed to items that were much more “boho” than what really suites my design aesthetic (very similar to your manifesto).
However, the first purchase I made in the direction of what I believe my design style to be was the two-tiered stone and brass S&L round coffee table you have pictured in this post. I am still at a loss of how to decorate said table for functionality and visual appeal. Could you do a post or provide some tips for styling a large round coffee table like this? Sincerely,