Eva Zeisel Coffee Table
1990s American Coffee and Cocktail Tables
Glass, Wood
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21st Century and Contemporary American Modern Coffee and Cocktail Tables
Art Glass, Cut Glass, Walnut
2010s British Post-Modern Daybeds
Bouclé, Walnut
2010s European Modern Convex Mirrors
Mirror
2010s English Modern Convex Mirrors
Mirror
1990s Italian Modern Coffee and Cocktail Tables
Glass, Murano Glass
21st Century and Contemporary Belgian Modern Patio and Garden Furniture
Aluminum
20th Century French Louis XV Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Bronze
21st Century and Contemporary Mexican Modern Floor Lamps
Linen, Fiberglass, Wood
Vintage 1970s Italian Modern Dining Room Tables
Concrete, Steel, Chrome
20th Century Italian Regency Revival Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Marble, Brass
Vintage 1970s American Modern Credenzas
Granite, Brass
2010s American Modern Table Lamps
Cement, Brass
Vintage 1950s American Lounge Chairs
Lucite
Vintage 1970s American Mid-Century Modern Side Tables
Brass
2010s Spanish Modern Dining Room Tables
Marble, Slate, Crystal, Travertine
21st Century and Contemporary Philippine Art Deco Abstract Sculptures
Brass
Finding the Right Coffee-tables-cocktail-tables for You
As a practical focal point in your living area, antique and vintage coffee tables and cocktail tables are an invaluable addition to any interior.
Low tables that were initially used as tea tables or coffee tables have been around since at least the mid- to late-1800s. Early coffee tables surfaced in Victorian-era England, likely influenced by the use of tea tables in Japanese tea gardens. In the United States, furniture makers worked to introduce low, long tables into their offerings as the popularity of coffee and “coffee breaks” took hold during the late 19th century and early 20th century.
It didn’t take long for coffee tables and cocktail tables to become a design staple and for consumers to recognize their role in entertaining no matter what beverages were being served. Originally, these tables were as simple as they are practical — as high as your sofa and made primarily of wood. In recent years, however, metal, glass and plastics have become popular in coffee tables and cocktail tables, and design hasn’t been restricted to the conventional low profile, either.
Visionary craftspeople such as Paul Evans introduced bold, geometric designs that challenge the traditional idea of what a coffee table can be. The elongated rectangles and wide boxy forms of Evans’s desirable Cityscape coffee table, for example, will meet your needs but undoubtedly prove imposing in your living space.
If you’re shopping for an older coffee table to bring into your home — be it an antique Georgian-style coffee table made of mahogany or walnut with decorative inlays or a classic square mid-century modern piece comprised of rosewood designed by the likes of Ettore Sottsass — there are a few things you should keep in mind.
Both the table itself and what you put on it should align with the overall design of the room, not just by what you think looks fashionable in isolation. According to interior designer Tamara Eaton, the material of your vintage coffee table is something you need to consider. “With a glass coffee table, you also have to think about the surface underneath, like the rug or floor,” she says. “With wood and stone tables, you think about what’s on top.”
Find the perfect centerpiece for any room, no matter what your personal furniture style on 1stDibs — shop Art Deco coffee tables, travertine coffee tables and other antique and vintage coffee tables and cocktail tables today.
