Used Coffee Tables
1960s Italian Used Coffee Tables
Glass
1980s Italian Used Coffee Tables
Travertine
20th Century French Mid-Century Modern Used Coffee Tables
Metal, Gold Leaf
1950s Czech International Style Used Coffee Tables
Oak
1940s European Art Deco Used Coffee Tables
Mahogany
Early 2000s British Used Coffee Tables
Bronze
21st Century and Contemporary American Modern Used Coffee Tables
Aluminum
Mid-20th Century Used Coffee Tables
Travertine
Mid-20th Century Used Coffee Tables
Wood
Mid-20th Century Mid-Century Modern Used Coffee Tables
Brass
Mid-20th Century Used Coffee Tables
Travertine
1970s French Mid-Century Modern Used Coffee Tables
Stainless Steel
Mid-20th Century Used Coffee Tables
Travertine
1990s Hollywood Regency Used Coffee Tables
Laminate
21st Century and Contemporary Used Coffee Tables
Rattan
1970s American Used Coffee Tables
Chrome
Mid-20th Century Used Coffee Tables
Elm
Mid-20th Century French Used Coffee Tables
Wood
1960s French Used Coffee Tables
Bamboo
1970s Mid-Century Modern Used Coffee Tables
Hardwood
1970s American Mid-Century Modern Used Coffee Tables
Glass, Lucite
Mid-20th Century Used Coffee Tables
Elm
20th Century Used Coffee Tables
Marble
1920s Austrian Jugendstil Used Coffee Tables
Beech
Mid-20th Century Swedish Scandinavian Modern Used Coffee Tables
Pine
Early 20th Century English Other Used Coffee Tables
Fruitwood
Mid-20th Century Italian Mid-Century Modern Used Coffee Tables
Metal
Mid-20th Century Spanish Hollywood Regency Used Coffee Tables
Metal
1910s Austrian Jugendstil Used Coffee Tables
Brass
Mid-20th Century Italian Mid-Century Modern Used Coffee Tables
Metal, Brass
1950s Italian Used Coffee Tables
Bamboo
Late 20th Century British Mid-Century Modern Used Coffee Tables
Teak
Mid-20th Century Italian Mid-Century Modern Used Coffee Tables
Wood, Wenge
Early 20th Century British Used Coffee Tables
Walnut
Mid-20th Century Belgian Mid-Century Modern Used Coffee Tables
Metal
1950s French Mid-Century Modern Used Coffee Tables
Rattan
1960s American Used Coffee Tables
Bronze
1910s Czech Vienna Secession Used Coffee Tables
Bentwood
1940s French Industrial Used Coffee Tables
Steel
Early 2000s American Post-Modern Used Coffee Tables
Maple
1960s Danish Used Coffee Tables
Stone, Metal
1960s Scandinavian Scandinavian Modern Used Coffee Tables
Teak
Mid-20th Century Italian Mid-Century Modern Used Coffee Tables
Brass, Nickel
Late 20th Century Italian Mid-Century Modern Used Coffee Tables
Rattan
1950s British Mid-Century Modern Used Coffee Tables
Beech, Oak, Sycamore
1980s American Mid-Century Modern Used Coffee Tables
Wood
Early 19th Century British Used Coffee Tables
Wood
1970s French Mid-Century Modern Used Coffee Tables
Wood
Early 2000s Dutch Mid-Century Modern Used Coffee Tables
Metal
1960s Mid-Century Modern Used Coffee Tables
Laminate
1980s Used Coffee Tables
Wood
1960s French Modern Used Coffee Tables
Lava
1950s Chinese Chinoiserie Used Coffee Tables
Wood
1970s French Hollywood Regency Used Coffee Tables
Brass, Bronze
Late 20th Century Canadian Mid-Century Modern Used Coffee Tables
Composition, Aluminum
20th Century Belgian Mid-Century Modern Used Coffee Tables
Ceramic
1960s Italian Mid-Century Modern Used Coffee Tables
Metal, Brass
20th Century French Used Coffee Tables
Marble
Mid-20th Century Czech Industrial Used Coffee Tables
Iron
1960s American Mid-Century Modern Used Coffee Tables
Walnut
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Used Coffee Tables For Sale on 1stDibs
How Much are Used Coffee Tables?
Finding the Right Coffee and 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. Browse a vast selection of antique, new and vintage coffee table and cocktail tables today.
- 1stDibs ExpertSeptember 28, 2021The most preferred type of glass for a coffee table is tempered glass. In case of a mishap, this type of glass will fracture into small pieces. One-half inch thick glass is the most popular for coffee tables. 1stDibs offers different antique, vintage and new glass coffee tables.
- What are bistro tables used for?1 Answer1stDibs ExpertApril 5, 2022Bistro tables are small round tables used for serving small meals, like breakfast or afternoon tea. Bistro tables are versatile, and are great for smaller areas such as a porch or back patio. You can shop antique and contemporary bistro tables from a variety of sellers on 1stDibs.
- What are table lamps used for?1 Answer1stDibs ExpertApril 5, 2022Table lamps are often used as a reading light or for task lighting. They can also simply serve as part of a room’s decor, perhaps adding light to an area that doesn’t get any illumination from overhead lights. Shop a collection of table lamps from some of the world’s top sellers on 1stDibs.
- 1stDibs ExpertFebruary 22, 2021Console tables serve a variety of functions. They can be used as buffets, storage units and display tables. Because they vary in size, you can use them for just about anything.
- What are end tables used for?1 Answer1stDibs ExpertSeptember 25, 2019
End tables typically hold lamps, coasters and other items to keep them within easy reach from the sofa or chair they are next to.
- What are side tables used for?1 Answer1stDibs ExpertApril 5, 2022Side 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 was a drum table used for?1 Answer1stDibs ExpertApril 5, 2022A drum table, also referred to as a rent table, is a circular table with labeled drawers. It was traditionally used by landlords to keep account of rent money with the labels displaying the days of the weeks. Due to their unique shape, drum tables are a favorite among home decor enthusiasts. Shop a selection of drum tables on 1stDibs.
- 1stDibs ExpertSeptember 28, 2021A sideboard table is generally used for storing cutlery, napkins and other dining supplies. Sideboards have much in common with credenzas and buffet tables but they are distinct from both of those other kinds of case pieces. Shop a range of antique and vintage sideboards and other storage furniture on 1stDibs.
- 1stDibs ExpertApril 5, 2022Nesting tables typically consist of several different sizes of tables designed to fit underneath one another — they were initially intended to save space in the drawing room. The tables were pulled out as needed and used for playing chess, needlepoint and engaging in other leisurely activities. Shop a collection of nesting tables on 1stDibs from top sellers worldwide.
- Why is it called a coffee table?1 Answer1stDibs ExpertAugust 15, 2019
Coffee tables were originally used in living spaces during social gatherings to support a tray containing multiple mugs, a coffee pot, creamers and sugar bowls. Low to the ground and centrally located in the space, coffee tables reduced the host or hostess’s need to constantly stand and serve her guests.
- Is an ottoman a coffee table?1 Answer1stDibs ExpertApril 5, 2022Typically, an ottoman is not a coffee table. An ottoman is a small cushioned seat without a back or arm rests. You can shop a collection of vintage and contemporary ottomans from some of the world’s top sellers on 1stDibs.
- 1stDibs ExpertSeptember 25, 2019
A coffee table should generally be two-thirds as long as the sofa it stands in front of and around the same height as the sofa’s seat cushions.
- Who invented the coffee table?1 Answer1stDibs ExpertApril 12, 2024No 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. - 1stDibs ExpertFebruary 22, 2021Because of their variety of sizes and range in function, console tables can easily work as a desk. Given their size and ease of mobility, a console table can be used in almost any sort of room.
- 1stDibs ExpertFebruary 13, 2023A table used for drafting can simply be called a drafting table. Other names for drafting tables are artist's table, drawing table and architect's table. On 1stDibs, shop a variety of drafting tables.
- 1stDibs ExpertMarch 22, 2022Yes, you can use a library table as a desk. In fact, many people like the spacious tops found on library tables because they usually have enough room to accommodate a computer and provide additional work space. Find a range of library tables on 1stDibs.
- 1stDibs ExpertApril 5, 2022A dough box table, also known as a bread table, was designed for making bread. The dough is placed in the wooden box to allow it to rise, then when the dough is ready to be kneaded, it can be finished on the flat top. Shop a collection of vintage dough box tables on 1stDibs.
- 1stDibs ExpertMay 5, 2023You can use a number of things in place of an end table. Place a stool, chest, trunk, barrel or crate beside your sofa or chair, or use a bar cart or freestanding tray to rest a lamp and other objects on. If there is a wall nearby, you can even install a floating shelf within arm’s reach. On 1stDibs, shop a collection of living room furniture.
- 1stDibs ExpertApril 5, 2022While both pieces are relatively new to the furniture world, the main difference between them are their shapes. A cocktail table is generally square or rectangular in shape, while a coffee table tends to be oval or circular in shape. You can shop a collection of furniture from some of the world’s top sellers on 1stDibs.
- 1stDibs ExpertMay 22, 2019
The difference between a sofa table and a coffee table is that a sofa table is always behind the sofa and a coffee table is in front of it. Additionally, a sofa table is the same height as the sofa and a coffee table is much shorter.
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