What are side tables used for?

Side tables are used next to furniture like beds and couches to provide an accessible place for keeping essential items at hand. In the living room, side tables are often used to display flower arrangements, photos or books as well as to set down a drink. In the bedroom, a side table is typically populated with items like a lamp, bedtime reading material, and a charging device for a phone. Shop a collection of vintage and contemporary side tables from some of the world’s top sellers on 1stDibs.

What are nesting side tables?

A nesting table is a set of tables designed to be stored one inside or under the other, giving them a layered or stacked appearance. A side table is a table that’s placed beside a piece of furniture. A nesting side table would be a series of side tables in graduated heights that can be stacked or nested together. Shop a collection of nesting tables from some of the world’s top sellers on 1stDibs.

What size should a side table be?

A side table should stand one to three inches below the arm of the sofa or chair it is placed next to.

Is there a difference between an end table and a side table?

There are two differences between end tables and side tables: function and size. Typically, end tables go beside a chair or at opposite ends of a sofa and have smaller tabletops, while side tables go toward the sides of seating areas or against walls and feature a larger surface area. However, many people use the words side and end tables interchangeably, so these differences may not always apply. On 1stDibs, shop a variety of end and side tables.

How can you tell if a side table is antique?

To determine whether a side table is an antique, closely examine its details. Older pieces will typically have telltale features like wood pegs, hand-cut dovetails with some slight imperfections and mortise-and-tenon construction. Tables that are a consistent color throughout or have machine-cut moldings or carvings are unlikely to be antiques. A certified appraiser or knowledgeable antiques dealer can be a helpful resource when dating tables. Shop a collection of antique, vintage and modern side tables on 1stDibs.

What is a tall side table called?

A tall side table may also be called a console table. While these furnishings are not as common in today’s interiors as their coffee-table and side-table counterparts, console tables are stylish home accents and have become more prevalent over the years. The popularity of wood console tables took shape during the 17th and 18th centuries in French and Italian culture, and were exclusively featured in the palatial homes of the upper class. Find console tables today on 1stDibs.

Should a side table be lower than a sofa?

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.

Bavarian Side Table

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20th Century German Table Mirrors

Bavarian Dressing Table Mirror

H 31 in W 26 in D 12 in

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A Fine Quality 17th Cenury Bavarian Table Cabinet

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Antique Swiss Draw-Leaf Extension Table

H 29.5 in W 85 in D 34.5 in

Hans Weidinger 1940s Oil Landscape Painting of Tegernsee in the Bavarian Alps

Located in Atlanta, GA

Tegernsee circa 1940 will make for a wonderful addition to any home, hung above a side table, buffet or

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Wood, Paint, Canvas

Hans Weidinger 1940s Oil Landscape Painting of Tegernsee in the Bavarian Alps

H 30 in W 37.5 in D 1.25 in

Transforming Ladies Desk, so called Secretaire a Culbute, France, 19th Century

Located in Greven, DE

closed, we see a side table on curved flared legs in brass sabots. The veneers are laid in diagonally

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Transforming Ladies Desk, so called Secretaire a Culbute, France, 19th Century

H 27.56 in W 25.6 in D 18.51 in

The Most Dangerous Game -- Nymphs and Satyrs Edition

Located in New Orleans, LA

hunters' quarry to fully turn the tables on the hunter/satyrs. Formally speaking, the painting is an

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Canvas, Oil

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The Most Dangerous Game -- Nymphs and Satyrs Edition, 2022

H 48 in W 72 in

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Located in Swedesboro, NJ

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Swedish Gustavian Style 19th Century Painted Sideboard with Doors and Drawers

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Secession Seating Group, Gustav Siegel for J.J. Kohn, Modell 715, 1900, Set of 3

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Swedish Gustavian Style 1860s Painted Chest with Five Drawers and Fluted Motifs

H 30.6 in W 32.7 in D 15.75 in

Pair of Stacking Chairs by Karl Schwanzer, Thonet, Austria, 1950s

By Karl Schwanzer, Thonet

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H 34.26 in W 18.9 in D 18.9 in

Art Nouveau Table Lamp in Bronze and Yellow Glass, Early 1900s

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Art Nouveau Table Lamp in Bronze and Yellow Glass, Early 1900s

H 16.15 in W 13.39 in D 11.03 in

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German Régence, Giltwood Console

Located in Charleston, SC

, and figures on each side. A “rouge royal” marble sits on the shaped top of the console. Scroll legs

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H 36.25 in W 77 in D 30 in

Vice Versa, Low Table by Christian Haas

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Located in Munich, DE

table is an opulent stained glasswork, visible only through reflection. The motif is a detail from a

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H 19.69 in W 58.27 in D 31.11 in

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H 31 in W 71 in D 42 in

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H 71.66 in W 39.38 in D 26.78 in

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Questions About Bavarian Side Table

What are side tables used for?
1 Answer
1stDibs ExpertApril 5, 2022
Side tables are used next to furniture like beds and couches to provide an accessible place for keeping essential items at hand. In the living room, side tables are often used to display flower arrangements, photos or books as well as to set down a drink. In the bedroom, a side table is typically populated with items like a lamp, bedtime reading material, and a charging device for a phone. Shop a collection of vintage and contemporary side tables from some of the world’s top sellers on 1stDibs.
What are nesting side tables?
1 Answer
1stDibs ExpertApril 5, 2022
A nesting table is a set of tables designed to be stored one inside or under the other, giving them a layered or stacked appearance. A side table is a table that’s placed beside a piece of furniture. A nesting side table would be a series of side tables in graduated heights that can be stacked or nested together. Shop a collection of nesting tables from some of the world’s top sellers on 1stDibs.
What size should a side table be?
1 Answer
1stDibs ExpertSeptember 25, 2019
A side table should stand one to three inches below the arm of the sofa or chair it is placed next to.
Is there a difference between an end table and a side table?
1 Answer
1stDibs ExpertMay 5, 2023
There are two differences between end tables and side tables: function and size. Typically, end tables go beside a chair or at opposite ends of a sofa and have smaller tabletops, while side tables go toward the sides of seating areas or against walls and feature a larger surface area. However, many people use the words side and end tables interchangeably, so these differences may not always apply. On 1stDibs, shop a variety of end and side tables.
How can you tell if a side table is antique?
1 Answer
1stDibs ExpertMay 5, 2023
To determine whether a side table is an antique, closely examine its details. Older pieces will typically have telltale features like wood pegs, hand-cut dovetails with some slight imperfections and mortise-and-tenon construction. Tables that are a consistent color throughout or have machine-cut moldings or carvings are unlikely to be antiques. A certified appraiser or knowledgeable antiques dealer can be a helpful resource when dating tables. Shop a collection of antique, vintage and modern side tables on 1stDibs.
What is a tall side table called?
1 Answer
1stDibs ExpertSeptember 28, 2021
A tall side table may also be called a console table. While these furnishings are not as common in today’s interiors as their coffee-table and side-table counterparts, console tables are stylish home accents and have become more prevalent over the years. The popularity of wood console tables took shape during the 17th and 18th centuries in French and Italian culture, and were exclusively featured in the palatial homes of the upper class. Find console tables today on 1stDibs.
Should a side table be lower than a sofa?
1 Answer
1stDibs ExpertMarch 25, 2024
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.