Coffee tables are staples of living room furniture and are used to enhance style, functionality, and to tie the room together. If you find yourself wondering if you need a coffee table, it all comes down to what makes the most sense for your unique space. Read on to learn about the benefits of including a coffee table in your layout, and how to complete your space with or without one.

Do You Need a Coffee Table?

The short answer to this question is no. It’s absolutely possible to make a living room work without a central coffee table. However, you will want to consider some factors like whether you will have too much negative space, enough surfaces for drinks or snacks, and enough storage space without one. Below, we’ll go over the benefits of having a coffee table and how to make things work without one to help you decide if going without a coffee table is the right choice for you.

Benefits of Including a Coffee Table

While you can certainly make do without a coffee table, it may be just what you need to complete your living room. Consider these benefits of including a coffee table in your space.

1. Useful Surface Space: One of the main purposes for a coffee table is to serve as the primary surface in the living room. Here you can place drinks, snacks, reading material, or the TV remote in between channel surfing. Coffee tables are also the perfect surface to style with decor for a personal touch. Round, square, and rectangular coffee tables offer ample space for decorating, and their geometric shapes make it easy to center decor or create symmetrical designs. Common coffee table decor includes decorative trays, bowls, decorative objects, and vases with floral arrangements. Check out our guide to learn more about Decorating a Coffee Table.

Tip!

Get inspiration for putting a personal touch on your coffee table with these Coffee Table Decor Ideas.

2. Added Functionality: Coffee tables are more than just a surface to place your drink or reading materials, and choosing the right one can add functionality to your living room. A lift-top coffee table adds secret storage but also gives you a multifunctional surface that you can adjust to the height you need. This makes it easy to eat or work on your laptop right from your couch, turning your living room into a multifunctional space, which is ideal for small homes and apartments. Find coffee tables with extra features like stools to sit or rest your feet on, or with built-in outlets to give you a convenient way to charge your devices while relaxing.

3. Style-Enhancing: Coffee tables are typically the center of the room, making them influential to your living room aesthetic. Stick to rounded shapes for modern living rooms by choosing a low profile drum coffee table or an abstract wavy-sided coffee table. Add boho flair with coffee tables made of natural materials like rattan and wicker, or give your living room a glam glow up with metal and glass coffee tables or mirrored ones.

Tip!

Want to know more about coffee table styles? Check out our guide on Coffee Table Styles & Materials Guide.

4. Hidden Storage: If you’re prone to clutter or a messy living room, a coffee table with hidden storage can help you keep things neat. Store important items like remote controls and electronics manuals in a coffee table with drawers to keep them hidden and easy to find. Use shelves to store reading material or decorative books or objects. Choose a coffee table with trunk storage to store extra throws that can be pulled out on chilly nights.

Tip!

Check out these Stylish Storage Coffee Tables for inspiration!

5. Visual Balance: Coffee tables are great tools for balancing a room spatially. Coffee tables are often placed in the center of the room to serve as a visual anchor, helping bring the room together and filling negative space that would otherwise be there. Centrally placed coffee tables make the perfect focal point since they can be styled with your favorite decor. Coffee tables also balance out the room by acting as a counterpoint to heavier furniture like sofas and accent chairs – leaving a coffee table out can leave the space looking lopsided.

Tip!

Know the different Types of Coffee Tables to help you choose the perfect one for your living room.

Coffee Table Alternatives

If you’re leaning towards excluding a traditional coffee table from your living room design, try these alternatives to avoid ending up with an unbalanced living room.

1. Downsize Your Coffee Table: If you want to include a coffee table but are worried that you don’t have the space for a traditional one, try out a small coffee table (under 30") – it may be just what your small space needs. If you’re not sure which size coffee table is right for your space check out our Coffee Table Sizing Guide.

2. Choose a Moveable Option: Another option for having a coffee table in a small space is to choose a table on casters, which allows you to move the table around as needed. It can be pushed to the side of the room and then moved over closer to the sofa when you want to use it or have guests over.

Tip!

Dealing with a small space? Check out these guides for help on navigating this challenge:
Big Ideas for Choosing Furniture for Small Living Rooms
Space-Saving Small Living Room Ideas

3. Substitute With End Tables: If you’ve decided to skip the coffee table all together but still want a space to hold drinks or food, go for one or two end tables that can be placed next to your sofa or accent chair without taking up space in the center of your living room. This gives you the functionality of a coffee table without the visual clutter if you’re short on space. If you have extra room behind your couch, consider placing a thin console table there to give you more surface space and some storage.

4. Go for Ottomans Instead: Ottomans are another great alternative to coffee tables, if you want a softer upholstered surface instead of a hard one. The best part is that you can prop your feet up on an ottoman and relax guilt free since that’s what they’re made for! Choose two small ottomans for a symmetrical look that can be moved around or one large one that can be reached from several seating positions. Larger flat ottomans can even be used to hold some decor like trays or decorative books.

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