How Close to the Sofa Should a Coffee Table Be?

Our customers often ask us, how close to the sofa should a coffee table be? The answer to this question depends on the size of your sofa and the size of your living room.

There are many factors that play into the placement of your coffee table in relation to your sofa. It's important to understand those factors before you start placing your furniture in the room.

If you have a large sofa, you'll want to keep it further away from the coffee table so that people can walk around it easily. However, if you have a smaller sofa and a larger living room, try moving them closer together to create an intimate atmosphere.

The ideal distance between the coffee table and the sofa

This practical guide can assist you in determining how much space you'll need between pieces of furniture, whether you're redecorating a room, purchasing a new sofa or simply rearranging the layout of your living room. It will help you design a practical layout that isn't overly confined.

The ideal distance between a coffee table and the sofa should be about 45cm. This will give you enough space to place items on the table without getting up from your seat.

It is also a good idea to leave about 50cm of space between the armrests of the sofa and the coffee table. That way, you can place things like magazines or remotes on top of them without having them slide off.

Make sure tasks can be performed easily

We recommend the Vertigo Coffee Table by Silvano Luxury as an ideal coffee table. It's a long, narrow table that can be placed between couches or chairs in a living room. It has the surface area of a regular coffee table so it's not unwieldy, but it allows you to sit comfortably while still having enough room for drinks and snacks.

With a table in this style, you won't be too cramped up against it when sitting on the sofa, nor will you have to stretch to reach for items on the coffee table. 

Consider small children or pets

The coffee table is a great place to display your favourite books and magazines and put down your cup of tea, but it can also double as an obstacle course for kids and pets. If you have young children or pets that like to run around your living room while playing, make sure they have enough space to do so safely.

If a child can't reach their toys without accidentally pushing over a glass, it's probably not safe until they're older. Take a look at our interior design project portfolio for design inspiration on how to arrange a coffee table in a living room..

The other issue is aesthetics. If your furniture is too close together, it's likely that your living room will look cluttered and it will disrupt the traffic flow in the walkways through your room.

Add a tray on top of the coffee table 

If you're looking for a way to make your coffee table more functional, consider using a tray on top of the coffee table. The tray can be made from wood or metal and should have a lip running around the edge so that it doesn't slide off.

You can use this tray to hold drinks and snacks, making it easier for guests to reach their drinks without having to bend over or get up during a conversation. Here are more ways to make coffee tables functional.

1. Use it as a laptop stand

If you're looking for a place to rest your laptop while you work, why not just set it on your coffee table? You can keep an eye on emails while you relax on the sofa.

2. Stack some magazines

Having a stack of magazines or a nice coffee table book on your coffee table is always a nice touch when you're chilling on the sofa.

3. Use it as storage

If you have a few miscellaneous items that don't have a set place of storage, your coffee table can be a good place to keep them. Things like decorative boxes or baskets can create eye-catching decor for your living room. Just be aware that adding too many things will create the feeling of clutter, so you want to keep the items to a minimum and arranged them in a tidy way.

Choose a coffee table that is easy to move

A coffee table in the middle of a room can be a bit of a hazard when it's not being used, especially if your home is small. If you have guests over often enough that you're worried about space, you might want to consider choosing a coffee table that you can easily move.

You could push your coffee table against a wall or along one side of the room while your guests are present. It won't take up as much space and will still be accessible when needed.

Take a look at our range of modern coffee tables which are designed to be stylish yet functional. When it comes to entertaining, these pieces are perfect for a large room or open-plan space.

Our coffee tables come in shapes and sizes. Some, like the Bonne Vie Coffee Table by Naos, are innovatively engineered to move and change configurations.  Some can be used as low dining tables or side tables. 

In conclusion

The bottom line is, your coffee table should be close enough to the sofa so that you can easily place a book or drink on it, but not too close so that you can't move easily between it and the sofa. It should be the perfect distance to entertain guests and pull up some extra chairs but allow for free-flowing traffic around the living room.

It may take a little time to find that sweet spot but once you do, you'll find your coffee table becomes a functional and elegant extension of your living room design. Visit our showroom to see some coffee tables from top European brands or chat with our design experts via WhatsApp or Zoom.