Questions & Answers
Our trusted network of 1stDibs sellers answer common questions
Should a side table be lower than a sofa?
1 Answer

No, a side table shouldn't always be lower than a sofa. To make it easy to access items on a table, a sofa's arms should generally be no more than 2 to 3 inches above or below the tabletop. This rule of thumb differs from the one for coffee tables, which should be as tall or 1 to 2 inches shorter than the seat height of the sofa to ensure a balanced look. Explore a large selection of side tables on 1stDibs.
1stDibs ExpertMarch 25, 2024
Related Questions
- Can an accent chair be lower than a sofa?1 Answer
- Should a coffee table be lower than a couch?1 Answer
- Should end tables be higher or lower than a couch?1 Answer
- What are side tables used for?1 Answer
- What are nesting side tables?1 Answer
Shop for Side Tables on 1stDibs
Hourglass Shape Side Stump Table in Walnut
Located in Old Town Orange, CA
This stunning reclaimed wood stump table, crafted from rich walnut, features a unique hourglass shape that adds an artistic flair to any space. Its organic form showcases the natural...
Category
21st Century and Contemporary Organic Modern Side Tables
Materials
Walnut
Dutch Art Deco The Hague School solid oak accent table, 1920s
Located in EVERDINGEN, NL
A sculptural and beautifully crafted Haagse School side table in solid oak, dating from the 1920s. This compact yet architectural piece embodies the movement’s emphasis on structural clarity, honest materials, and refined geometric form.
The circular top rests on four tapering supports that create a rhythmic verticality, grounded by round lower shelf, giving the piece a functional elegance.
Compact yet visually strong, it works beautifully as a side table, accent table, or plant stand, and stands out with its sculptural Mission-style silhouette.
Recently lightly restored, the surface is in excellent condition - the oak shows a warm even patina and woodgrain, the piece is stable and sturdy. Small in footprint, but notably weighty. A superb example of Dutch interwar modernism, where craftsmanship meets disciplined form, and the material itself becomes ornament.
''Haagse School'' furniture manufacturing was centered in the city of The Hague with its rather affluent clientele.
In the 1920s, a style of architecture and furniture design emerged in The Hague that would become known as The Hague School. More sober than the imaginative Amsterdam School and more elegant and luxurious than De Stij...
Category
Vintage 1920s Dutch Art Deco Side Tables
Materials
Oak
Pink Marble Side Table ‘Flow’
Located in Eindhoven, NB
FLOW is a modern pink marble side table with a clean shape and a wave detail at the bottom. The simple cube form is combined with a flowing base, giving the table a light and playful...
Category
2010s Dutch Modern Side Tables
Materials
Marble, Stone
$2,408 / item
Maija Heikinheimo Art Deco Side Table Apu Model 604 in Dark Birch, Asko 1930s
By Asko
Located in Helsinki, FI
A functional and beautifully simple Art Deco side table by Maija Heikinheimo, produced by Asko in the 1930s. In the original Asko drawings the model is named “Apu”—Finnish for help—a...
Category
Vintage 1930s Finnish Art Deco Side Tables
Materials
Birch
Large "Marcel T" Chrome Coffee Table by K. Takahama for Cassina, Italy 1974
Located in Roma, IT
Stunning and very rare “Marcel T” coffee table in chrome-plated steel and crystal, designed by Kazuhide Takahama and produced by Cassina in 1974 as a tribute to Marcel Breuer’s iconi...
Category
Vintage 1970s Italian Mid-Century Modern Side Tables
Materials
Crystal, Chrome, Stainless Steel
Swedish Designer, Side Table, Wood, Burl, Sweden, 1930s
Located in High Point, NC
A wood and burl side table designed and produced in Sweden, c. 1930s.
Minor signs of wear on legs and feet.
Refinished.
Overall Dimensions (inches): 23.75"H x 35.5"D
All items sh...
Category
Vintage 1930s Swedish Scandinavian Modern Side Tables
Materials
Wood, Burl


