We’re always getting questions, and one of our most common is whether you need a coffee table. Ask any interior designer and they’ll tell you, function trumps form in every case. Why create a beautiful room if you’ll never use it? That’s why it’s so important to establish how you’ll use a space before you start shopping. For your living room, you’ll likely be watching television, hosting friends, and relaxing with family. It’s a room meant to be comfortable.

Enter the coffee table. After your seating, it’s the most important piece in your living room because it holds drinks, your remote, reading material, and is a place to put up your feet. Every living room needs one, and we’re here to walk you through what you should consider before selecting one.

1. Coffee Table Size
Your coffee table should be between 14-18 inches from any seating clustered around it, and definitely no more than 24 inches. So if you’ve laid out your floorplan, you should be able to see how large a coffee table you’ll need.

For very large living rooms, consider using two coffee tables next to each other. Or if your living room isn’t a pass through, you can go even larger.

2. Consider the Shape
Different spaces and layouts call for different shapes, but here’s something to think about. For a layout that’s more closed off, square or rectangular works perfectly.

If your living room is a pass through, and you’ll frequently be walking around the coffee table, round works well.

Aesthetically, we like to balance round and square shapes in a space, so if most of your furniture pieces are square (think a sofa with tuxedo arms, square fireplace, and square side tables), a round coffee table adds balance. Alternatively, if you have curvy arms on your furniture, a big round mirror, and round side tables, a square or rectangular side table works beautifully. It’s all about balance.

3. Finish the Room
No room should use the same finish on every surface, so just like with shape, a coffee table can be a way to bring something new into your space. If you have a nubby fabric on your couch or more rustic elements, a glossy or shiny coffee table will contrast that rough texture. Or if you’ll be using your living room for TV watching, choose a finish that you won’t mind putting your feet on, like a slightly weathered wood or an upholstered ottoman.

4. Styling Your Coffee Table
Once you’ve picked out your coffee table, consider accessories. For a family room where you’re watching TV, you’ll probably want to leave plenty of space for propping up feet and placing drinks. A coffee table with a lower shelf works great in these spaces because you can place books and trays underneath, leaving plenty of room on top.

Keep all accessories low, since you want to be able to see over the top of them. Anything too tall will block your line of vision.

Add essentials: reading material, a tissue box, coasters, a box for remotes, a candle, matchbooks, or anything else you’ll use frequently can be displayed.

5. Ottomans and Clusters
Now, not every living room has to have a “coffee table” — in other words, you can use an ottoman, pouf, or a cluster of smaller side tables in certain instances. The important thing is that you have something in this space for function — an ottoman, two or three side tables grouped together, or a taller cocktail height table can all work depending on how you’ll use your seating area.

6. Coffee Tables and Sectionals
If you have a sectional, you may approach your coffee table a bit differently. Many sectionals have a chaise on one or both ends, so you probably won’t be putting your feet on the coffee table. This gives you more opportunity to use glass or metal tables. You can also go a bit smaller here because they’ll be less foot traffic and less entertaining.