Last Updated on July 28, 2022 by Kimberly Crawford
The coffee table might come off as a small detail in the living room but best believe that it could transform your living room’s look in no time.
It is where centerpiece vases are put, where the magazines and other art pieces for visitors to be entertained. Or on a stressful day, a coffee table can be a haven for your feet to rest.
Now, for the coffee table to go along with all the elements of the living room and strike a high visual appeal, you need to choose the best coffee table with the right dimensions. In this post, we will cover everything that you should know about it.
Related: 57+ Different Types Of Tables: Materials, Shapes, and Styles (Buying Guide)
What is the average size of a coffee table?
You need to know the average size of a coffee table for you to avoid cramping up the living room. The average size of a coffee table is between 36-48 inches in length and 18-24 inches in width.
Or just keep in mind that the average size of a coffee table should not be more than 2/3 of the length of your couch (whatever the dimensions of your couch might be).
Related: 23 Best Coffee Table Alternatives For Small Living Room
Coffee table width and length
As have been mentioned, the right coffee table length should be at 36 inches and a maximum of 48 inches. However, in some circumstances where the couch is extra-long and the living room is spacious, you can extend it to 56 inches. When it comes to width, keep it at 18-24 inches or 32 inches maximum for larger couches in the living room.
Along with these dimensions, make sure that there are 16-18 inches of space surrounding the table for ease of movement.
Related: 52 Types of couches
Coffee table height
The rule of thumb for coffee table height is that it should be as tall as your couch cushions. Drawing from the standard height of couch cushions, coffee table height is at 10-18 inches or 25-45cm.
If you are not sure about the height, just measure the dimensions of your couch. Making it 1-3 inches lower (the rule is not 4 inches higher or lower than the couch cushion) is still also under the range so it is basically up to you to choose the best coffee table height for your living room.
Coffee table depth
When it comes to furniture, the average exterior depth must be at 30-40 inches and an interior depth of 20-26 inches. This should be measured using the nearest couch. As for coffee table depth, it should be at an average exterior depth of 30 inches.
This way, it provides enough wiggle space for you to move around the couch, coffee table, TV, or the fireplace. It also provides enough leg room for you to be at an arm’s length to reach for the magazines or be comfortable in watching TV.
If you have other adjacent seats, make sure that the coffee table depth still makes way for comfortable movement enough for two persons. For spacious rooms, keep in mind the 30 inches rule of thumb but you can always accommodate greater coffee table depth.
Coffee table placement
Now it is time to position your coffee table and you must know that there is a standard coffee table placement dimension. For this, make sure that there is at least 18 inches of space between the coffee table and the sofa’s edge.
Notwithstanding this, you can make the necessary amendments in the placement by trying it out. If the leg room is too cramped up for you to sit on and if your leg is bumping on the coffee table, adjust the space for you to have more space. At the same time, if you are stretching too long to get a hold of the items in it, lessen the space around it.
Coffee table size rules
You can consider this section as just a summary of what we have mentioned in the previous ones. So here is a rundown of the coffee table size rules that you should always keep in mind when that redecoration comes kicking.
In terms of height, the coffee table should be at least 16-18 inches high or as high as your sofa’s cushion. Having the coffee table at 2-3 inches lower than the sofa cushion is still tolerable.
On the other hand, remember that the ideal width for a coffee table should be 2/3 the width of the couch. If the placement is at the center of the seating, each side must be at an equal space with all the seats. As for the length, it should be at a range of 32-48 inches or more depending on the length of the sofa too. In terms of depth, always follow the 30-inch rule.
How to read coffee table dimensions
There are no elaborate formulas for you to have a good read of the coffee table dimensions. The trick here honestly, is measuring the couch and the surrounding seats first.
From there, measure 2/3 of the width of the sofa for you to pattern your coffee table width with. For the overall placement, leave 16-18 inches of space in between the sofa and the table and at least 30 inches between the coffee table and other furniture like the TV.
IKEA LACK coffee table dimensions
This one is a hard-lined coffee table available in white, black, and dark brown color. It is ergonomic, complete with shelves for you to keep the magazines. It is designed by IKEA Sweden. As for the dimensions, the IKEA lack coffee table has a surface area of 55cm, a length of 35 3/8 inches, and a width of 21 5/8 inches. For the height, it stands at 17 ¾ and is a good pair to sofa cushions of the same height or up to 19 3/4.
Noguchi coffee table dimensions
This one is a classic countertop designed with two irregularly cut id wood interlocked supporting a 1.0cm thick glass tabletop.
The base wood comes in cherry, walnut, black, and white ash colors. As for the dimensions, the Noguchi coffee table is 50inches in length, 36inches in width, and 15.75inches in height. It will look beautiful in spacious living rooms. Â
Rectangular coffee table dimensions
Again, follow the rule of thumb which is 2/3 the size of the sofa but for the sake of exact dimensions, the standard rectangular coffee table should be 47inches in length and 27 inches in width. As for the height, it should be at 18 inches or the same height as the sofa cushion or 2-3 inches lower than it.
Square coffee table dimensions
You would normally find square coffee tables in compact living rooms or minimalist living room designs. These coffee tables stand at a height of 12.6 inches, width and depth of 40 inches. Famous designs would be square cage coffee tables.
Round coffee table dimensions
Depending on the design, the surrounding seats, and the area of the living room, you can choose from an array of round and oval coffee tables in different dimensions. Again, you have to take note of the 2/3 rule in choosing the right round coffee table that will best complement your couch. As such, following this rule of thumb, if you have a 72 inches (6ft) long sofa, your round coffee table should be 48 inches (4ft) long.
But at standard, most round coffee tables are 30-48 inches long and 22-30 inches wide. Oval coffee tables are 54 inches long and 22 inches in width.
Klubbo coffee table dimensions
This is also designed and distributed by IKEA made of wood veneer and particleboard and steel chrome legs. It is a popular choice for minimalist, industrial and modern design living rooms. For the dimensions, the Klubbo coffee table is 31 inches in length and width 14.5 inches in height.
Can a coffee table be higher than the couch?
The key thing to remember for this question is that a coffee table should not be too short since it will compel you to bend every time you have to get something from the table and not too high that it will look more of a countertop than a coffee table.
To get the best coffee table height in relation to the height of your couch, your coffee table should not be 4 inches lower or higher than the couch’s cushion.
How far should a coffee table be from a couch?
The ideal distance between a coffee table and a couch and generally all other surrounding seating should be at a range of 16-18 inches. This distance keeps everything accessible but at the same time leaves you enough leg room for ease of movement.
If anything, you should also know that there is a 30 inches distance rule between the coffee table and the furniture beyond the sofa and the other seats.
Conclusion
To conclude, coffee table dimensions are as important as any other interior fixture in the home. If you get it right, you are in for a visually appealing living room ensemble. But it is not easy to choose one. Consider your couch, the adjacent seats, and the surrounding fixtures. From there, you can pick the right coffee table shape.
After that, measure the couch and employ the measurements that we have mentioned here in this post. Follow the 16-18 inches rule for the leg room, the not higher than and lower than 4inches in height rule, and the 30 inches rule for the depth and the distance of the coffee table from the fixtures beyond the couch. With these in mind, you are good to go.
