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Our trusted network of 1stDibs sellers answer common questions

Can a coffee table be too low?

1 Answer
Can a coffee table be too low?
Yes, a coffee table can be too low. Most experts recommend choosing a coffee table that is around one to two inches lower than the seat height of your sofa or loveseat. You may find it difficult to access items on the tabletop while seated if you choose a shorter table. In addition, an overly low coffee table can make a room feel cramped or unbalanced. However, there are exceptions to this rule. Sometimes, designers intentionally place ultra-low coffee tables in spaces to create a bold contrast in a large room. Feel free to break from convention when choosing a coffee table. What's most important is that the finished result appeals to you and allows you to enjoy your seating area to the fullest. Shop a wide range of antique, vintage and contemporary coffee tables on 1stDibs.
1stDibs ExpertAugust 8, 2024
Early and Rare Ado Chale 'Relief d'Agate' Coffee Table in Bronze Mosaic
Located in Waalwijk, NL
Ado Chale, 'Relief d'Agate' coffee table, bronze, lacquered steel, Belgium, ca. 1980 This Relief d'Agate coffee table is a very rare and early piece by Ado Chale, and showcases exce...
Category

Vintage 1980s Belgian Post-Modern Coffee and Cocktail Tables

Materials

Bronze, Steel

"Zakatu" table JAPAN 1965
Located in Forest, BE
The Zataku coffee table, designed in the 1960s by Saburō Inui for Tendo Mokko, embodies the timeless elegance of Japanese design. A key figure of his generation, Inui redefined fur...
Category

Vintage 1960s Coffee and Cocktail Tables

Materials

Wood

Pierre Chapo Inspired Brutalist Round Dark Oak Coffee Table
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Heavy, round coffee table built in the manner of Pierre Chapo. The dark-stained solid oak top measures 3 inches thick, giving the piece a substantial, grounded presence. Four faceted...
Category

Vintage 1960s Dutch Brutalist Coffee and Cocktail Tables

Materials

Oak

Roger Capron ‘Sou-Chong’ Coffee Table in Ceramic and Wood
Located in Waalwijk, NL
Roger Capron, ‘Sou-Chong’ coffee table, ceramic, stained beech, France, 1971 Lovely French coffee table with wonderful composed ceramic tiles by French designer Roger Capron. Both t...
Category

Vintage 1970s French Mid-Century Modern Coffee and Cocktail Tables

Materials

Ceramic, Beech

Roger Capron Coffee Table with Floral Imprinted Ceramic Tiles
Located in Waalwijk, NL
Roger Capron, coffee table, beech, ceramic, France, 1960s This elegant French rectangular coffee table from the 1960s is a design by Roger Capron, known for his iconic ceramic work....
Category

Vintage 1960s French Mid-Century Modern Coffee and Cocktail Tables

Materials

Ceramic, Beech

Roger Capron Style Brutalist Oak and Ceramic Tile Table, Dutch, 1970s
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Dark-stained oak frame supports a grid of red-glazed ceramic tiles in varying terracotta tones. The tiles sit flush within the wood surround, framed by a thick oak border that runs t...
Category

Vintage 1970s Dutch Brutalist Coffee and Cocktail Tables

Materials

Ceramic, Oak

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