Side Tables & End Tables
How to Choose a Side Table or Nesting Table
A side table is sized against the arm of the sofa beside it. Height comes first. The table should usually fall within about 2 inches above or below the arm, which on most sofas sits somewhere between 20 and 26 inches high. Beside an armless sofa or chair, the seat is the better reference point.
Most are 16 to 24 inches wide or across, with narrow tables coming in under 14 inches where space beside a chair is tight. The useful question is whether the surface is close enough to reach from the seat and large enough for what it needs to hold.
A side table for the living room may be round, square, drum-shaped, or built on a pedestal. A C-shaped side table slides its base underneath the sofa so the top comes over the seat. Nesting tables separate when more surface is needed and stack together afterward. Side tables can also include a drawer or other storage, which keeps remotes and smaller things out of sight.
How tall should a side table be?
A side table should usually sit within about 2 inches above or below the sofa arm beside it. Sofa arms typically run from 20 to 26 inches high, so there is no single table height that works for every sofa.
Beside an armless sofa or chair, match the seat instead, usually 17 to 19 inches high. For a lamp, the bottom of the shade should land near eye level when seated. That often means using a lower table with a taller lamp rather than raising the table itself.
How much space should there be between a side table and the sofa?
A side table can touch the sofa or sit a few inches off it. It needs to be close enough to reach without leaning forward. Once it starts feeling like a separate piece of furniture rather than part of the seat, it is probably too far away.
Between two chairs, the table should be within easy reach of both. Where a walkway passes beside it, allow about 30 inches. The side against the sofa does not need that clearance.
Round, square, drum, or C-shaped, which side table works best?
A round side table avoids corners in a walkway. A square table uses the full width of its top and can sit neatly beside a sofa with a straight arm. Drum and pedestal forms work well where a corner would get in the way.
A C-shaped side table works differently. Its base slides under the sofa, allowing the top to come over the seat for eating or working. Nesting tables are useful when the amount of surface needed changes, since they can separate beside the seating and stack back together afterward.
Do you need a side table at both ends of the sofa, and do they have to match?
Not necessarily. A side table at both ends gives more than one seat somewhere to set down a drink or place a lamp, but one end table can be enough when only one side of the sofa needs it.
The two tables do not have to match. A set of 2 side tables works well when the sofa and lamps are arranged symmetrically. Different tables can work too, as long as their heights make sense beside the sofa. A side table with a drawer or other storage may also make more sense at one end than the other.
What is the best material for a side table?
It depends on what the table will deal with every day. A solid wood side table in oak or walnut can be sanded and refinished. Veneer over a stable core stays flat. A marble side table, travertine, or another stone side table needs protection from oil and wine.
A glass side table keeps the room visually open but shows rings. A metal side table can have a thin frame without looking heavy. Rattan and cane are light and breathable, but neither handles damp well.
How do you care for a side table?
A damp cloth and coasters cover most routine care. Wipe up spills rather than letting them sit, and keep a coaster under anything oily on a stone top.
Keep indoor wood tables out of prolonged direct sun. Grain, color, and figure vary from piece to piece, and a board that looks different from the one beside it is part of the material. Glass is best cleaned with a soft cloth rather than a scouring pad.