Coffee tables - old hat?

[daffycat]

Are coffee tables old hat nowadays? Taking up space and attracting family clutter. Or are they best left to those with no children or whose children have left home?
A friend of mine asked me this the other day.

If not what styles do you most favour?

That’s a bit like asking if sofas are old hat

I’d say it’s quite an essential piece of furniture as you need somewhere to put eg a drink down when you’re sitting on the sofa. I like the ones with a shelf underneath so convenient for storing a few books/magazines/a game etc.

Style wise, it depends on your decor really.

Never had one. I put my drink on a table to the side of the sofa normally. I dont want to have to stand up to get my drink.

Also i dont do clutter.

I always thought they were essential but we took it away when our toddler took to jumping off it and free space in our living room is fab, I just have a big rug on the floor now.

Not sure if there old hat but I don't particularly like them. This is possibly as my living room isn't very big and I don't want to have a coffee table in the middle of a small room.

I love coffee tables. A room feels a bit bare to me without one, I think they're really cosy.

Besides, what do you rest your feet on when you watch tv without a coffee table?!

No, they are a piece of useful furniture. The most currently marketed style of said useful piece of furniture may vary to reflect trends but some people will always want something to put stuff on.

I hate coffee tables. Most of them are just horrible and completely unnecessary. They are too low for you to pour tea on the and you wouldn't need them for just one cup/mug. I'm a side table person any day.

Without ours there would be. Big space in the middle of the room. It’s just for looks really as I don’t use it for anything practical, case of flowers or decorative bowl. Side tables for drinks and shit

Ours has a stack of board games under it and is used for games, jigsaws and kids' tea in front of the tv.

We were without it until youngest was about 7, and I like having it back. Stylish it isn't, but homes are for living in.

I have a very old painted blanket box - in lieu of a coffee table - as a place to put cups etc but it also houses some objects, faded pink broste etc

Thank you, everybody.

She's going to get a small coffee table because they don't take up much room. Also it will be sturdier than a side table for her to put her feet on when watching telly.