Small Coffee Tables

Every small coffee table here measures 39⅜ inches or less across, from the 23⅝-inch Ashby in bamboo to square and round tops sized for compact living rooms.

How to size a small coffee table

Start with the sofa. A table about two-thirds of its length looks in proportion, so the 35⅜- to 39⅜-inch tables here suit a loveseat or a sofa of roughly 53 to 60 inches, with 16 to 18 inches left between the table edge and the seat. Height is usually set level with the seat or an inch or two below it; these tables stand 11¾ to 15 inches high, so they sit best with low, deep sofas, and the 15-inch Ramsay Coffee Table comes closest to a standard 17-inch seat.

In a tight room, shape matters as much as width. The Winston Coffee Table is 38⅝ inches wide but only 18⅞ inches deep, which keeps a narrow walkway open. The Holbrook Round Coffee Table (35⅜ inches across, sintered stone on a faceted pedestal) has no corners to catch a shin, and the three square tables, 35⅜ to 39⅜ inches, can be reached from both arms of an L-shaped sectional. See round and oval coffee tables and square coffee tables for more of each shape.

The materials wear differently. Sintered stone is the most forgiving of hot mugs and spills; walnut and lacquered wood want coasters and a soft, dry cloth. The Ashby's laminated bamboo end panels fold flat beneath the top, so it can be stored when not in use. Read material care for each finish, or compare every size in all coffee tables and walnut coffee tables.