Questions & Answers
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Who invented the coffee table?
1 Answer
No one knows for sure who invented the coffee table. The earliest examples of the occasional table can be traced back to Victorian-era Britain. At that time, makers like William Watt and Collinson and Lock were producing coffee tables in large quantities.
Notably, F. Stuart Foote, the designer behind the American Imperial Furniture Company, claimed to have invented the coffee table in the early 20th century. He stated that he did so by cutting down the legs of a dining table. However, it's unlikely that Foote is the actual inventor of the coffee table, as books describing coffee tables existed in the UK a decade before his birth in 1872.
Shop a wide variety of coffee tables on 1stDibs.
Notably, F. Stuart Foote, the designer behind the American Imperial Furniture Company, claimed to have invented the coffee table in the early 20th century. He stated that he did so by cutting down the legs of a dining table. However, it's unlikely that Foote is the actual inventor of the coffee table, as books describing coffee tables existed in the UK a decade before his birth in 1872.
Shop a wide variety of coffee tables on 1stDibs.
1stDibs ExpertApril 12, 2024
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Shop for Coffee Tables and Cocktail Tables on 1stDibs
Unique 54-inch Oval Walnut Coffee Table by Aaron Saxton
Located in South Charleston, WV
Coffee Table 36x54x16" tall. May be reduced down to 15.75" if required. This model is part of the Emergence Collection we are now producing where every table model (be it a coffee ta...
Category
2010s American Modern Coffee and Cocktail Tables
Materials
Walnut
Zanaboni Cloud Verde Alpi Marble Coffee Table
By Zanaboni
Located in Milan, IT
A special edition coffee table featuring a distinctive cloud-shaped top with a thickness of 4 cm, crafted entirely from Verde Alpi MR52 marble. The design includes matching cylindric...
Category
2010s Italian Coffee and Cocktail Tables
Materials
Marble
$33,005 / item
Set Bold Blend Coffee Table Large + Medium + Small
By Mohdern
Located in Milano, Lombardia
The Bold Coffee Table Blend Large offers a harmonious balance between wood and marble, with wooden legs combined with an elegant marble top that is available in a range of marble opt...
Category
2010s Italian Modern Coffee and Cocktail Tables
Materials
Travertine
$14,788 / item
Antique Italian Walnut Burl Inlay Console Side Table with Bobbin Turned Legs
Located in Carimate, Como
Beautiful antique Italian solid walnut side coffee table console with veneer wood inlay decor and framed top over four beautifully walnut Bobbin turned twisted carved side legs, conn...
Category
20th Century Italian Renaissance Side Tables
Materials
Wood
Tom Greene Brutalist Cocktail Table - Vintage Torch Cut Brass Round Coffee Table
By Paul Evans, Tom Greene
Located in Decatur, GA
Vintage Tom Greene Brutalist style cocktail table, circa 1970s. Torch cut brass brass base with glass top. Base is in excellent condition with no flaws of note. Glass top shows minor...
Category
Vintage 1970s American Brutalist Coffee and Cocktail Tables
Materials
Metal, Brass
Emergence Collection Rosewood Oval or Round Coffee Table by Aaron Saxton
Located in South Charleston, WV
The Emergence collection released January 2026 by Aaron Saxton, designed and built in the USA. As shown 54x36x15 3/8" tall. There is a separate listing for the walnut model, while th...
Category
2010s American Modern Coffee and Cocktail Tables
Materials
Rosewood, Cherry, Ebony, Mahogany, Oak, Teak, Walnut
