Ever wonder why the coffee shops like Starbucks have living room-like settings and those little corners with comfortable club chairs and sofas? Almost always, in the middle of those comfy seats stands a coffee table.
The coffee table may be a piece of furniture to place your coffee, devices or books, but for some people they may put their feet up just like at home. It invites you to stay a little longer and reminds you to come back for more next time.
Coffee tables are also common in homes in America and other parts of the world. Sometimes they serves as centerpieces for family activities – homework, snacks, TV dinners and of course a place to put your coffee.
How did coffee tables get their name and who invented the coffee table?
We found the answer from one United Kingdom website about coffee tables. According to thecoffeetable.co.uk, the first wooden tables specifically designed as coffee tables were made in the late Victorian era in Britain. In 1868 a coffee table designed by E.W. Godwin was listed in Victorian Furniture. These tables can be traced back to the Ottoman Empire, India and Japan where low tables were used for tea drinking.
You can read more about the origins and history of coffee table on The Coffee Table’s website.
“A living room without a coffee table is a lot like a supermodel without lipstick, undone,” said Freshome, a design and architecture magazine. The magazine gives 10 simple steps to picking your ideal coffee table. Read about that here.
Here are 8 coffee tables that can spruce up your home and make it homey where you can put up your feet and have a cup of coffee alone or with friends and family:
1. America Monroe Rectangular Coffee Table in Walnut and Black
Cost: $190.99
This easy to assemble contemporary coffee table has a laminate dark walnut top and black wooden legs. The rectangular coffee table is made with medium fiber board construction (not real wood) and measures 47 inches wide, 24 inches deep and 17 inches in height.
It has a 4.5 star rating on Amazon.com. Get the table here.
2. Furinno 11158EX/BR Espresso Coffee Table
Cost: $38.52
The Furinno espresso coffee table is definitely a bargain for those looking for a coffee table with plenty of storage space for small toys, magazines and remote controls.
Get this table here.
3. Tribeca Coffee Table
If you like glass tops and sleek artistic designs this coffee table is for you. It has a solid wood stand and a 15mm thick sheet of tempered glass.
Get it here.
4. Ikea Boksel Coffee Table
Cost: $169
Ikea has a huge selection of coffee tables that require assembly. The Boksel comes in 4 colors measuring at 31 inches length, 31 inches width and 16½ inches height. The veneered surface gives the table a natural wood look. It has a tempered glass to protect the surface and casters for easy moving.
Get this table here.
5. Pi Coffee Table by Blu Dot
Cost: $599
We would buy this coffee table for its design. It’s made of solid walnut and powdered-coated steel top, 14 inches height and 38 inches diameter.
Get it here.
6. Tracery Coffee Table by Ethan Allen
Cost: $1,399
This drum-style 36 inches diameter and 18 inches height coffee table is influenced by Moroccan patterns. The tracery coffee table has an inset tempered-glass top and the silver-leaf are applied by hand.
Get it here on EthanAllen.com.
7. Suno Coffee Table by Dwell Studio
Cost: $1,249
The Suno coffee table has a minimalist look and is clean and chic. It is made of oak and oak veneer measuring 17 inches high, 23.5 inches in diameter and 47 inches wide. It weighs about 39 pounds with no assembly required.
Get it here on dwellstudio.com.
8. Messina Coffee Table by Ballard Designs
Cost: $399
The Messina coffee table is made of hardwood, plywood and a zinc metal sheeting on top. Assembly is required for this 18″ by, 45″ by 22″ table.
Get it on BallardDesigns.com
