Coffee table? Yay or Nay?

[FartNRoses]

I’m in the exciting process of building a house! Even though it’s in the early stages of development, I’m thinking of decor and room design. This got me thinking about the living room.
Is a coffee table in the middle of the room with sofas directly around it still a thing? I’m thinking I don’t really want one.
Over to you guys. Thank you.

DM had a coffee table in the 70’s but not since. I’ve not been in a house with one for a couple of decades tbh. I have a side table to stick my mug on.

@WhoopWhoopNow Thank you. I thought that might be the case.

Oh we still have a coffee table in the middle and use it - it’s beautiful and I love it. Interesting to reflect on others I know and your probably right most of my friends don’t… we actually only really use the room in the evening as we have a playroom kitchen diner where we spend most of the day and that doesn’t have similar

I didn't have a coffee table when the children were younger as it gave more space to play.

I have one now and wouldn't be without it.

A friend doesn't have one and her sofas are all at the edge of the room. Great for the DC but feels very empty when it's tidy.

I think central coffee tables are impractical for drinks or snacks, the remote etc. I f they are close enough to reach sitting down it’s probably a small room, like mine and really clutters it up. Or it’s not that close and you have to keep everything in your hands/lap or keep standing up to get a peanut. It’s a lounge or sitting room so lounge or sit with a nest of small tables.

We have a coffee table but when it was in the middle of the room, in front of the sofa it made the room seem smaller and more cluttered. Now we have a toddler the table is pushed to the far wall under the TV and is basically just used as somewhere to put junk! I think I’d rather have side tables - even the ones you can pull out so you can put one in really easy reach when needed but tidy away when not in use.

I've got one in the middle of the lounge, there is also a side table at the end of one of the sofas (where I sit) which has a basket with remotes & bits.

When I was growing up my parents had a bench type coffee table which was against radiator on the wall under the window.
They still have the same coffee table which is now between 2 sofas on a long wall both angled slightly, then side tables at the other ends.

We have a very large one in the main living room and a smaller one in the other living room. It is not directly in the middle as such, but more in line with the sofas.

honestlh I find rooms without one and just an empty space not fully furnished and find it quite odd, genuinely can’t fathom unless kids why you’d not wish one. Hugely practical and finish the room off.

I dont think I've ever seen a livingroom that looks fininshed that doesn't have one. I use mine for all kinds of things, candles, remote, some nice books etc. In addition I put my cup of coffee on it or bowl of crisps etc. Maybe it's a cultural thing but I'm in Sweden and we all have coffee tables.

I can't imagine not having one - for drinks, tv dinners, laptop, newspapers.. nests of tables aren't big enough and would look sill stored in the middle of the room, and no room around the edges. We often need to seat 6 adults, so have 3 sofas and no spare wall space!

Thanks everyone for your input! I totally get that it’s useful to have it there for remote, books etc but I’m worried it will end up a dumping ground for just random stuff (3 kids plus my DH - 4 kids)

The area will be pretty large and open plan so may look empty without it.

Thanks again all.

I recently got a freecycle coffee table and absolutely love it! We had one before we had our dc and got rid of it when they came along to make more space for play. They're older now and the table makes our living room feel extra cosy and companionable.

I don't have a coffee table because I have the same worry about it becoming a dumping ground. We had one in our last house and that's exactly what happened.

I have one side table at the moment but I'm planning to get a second long skinny one to sit at DH's end of the couch. His will be near the door so I hope it makes him think twice about leaving stuff there all the time.

I think it depends on the layout of your sitting room/ area. Most of the ones we have had there is a largish space between facing sofas or chairs , or angled which still focus on the same space, so a table concentrates that area. The room where both main sofas were angled towards the big window with the balcony and the view had side tables for each. ( I suppose thé huge wall mounted television would be the same ). Central table also good for tea etc if you are entertaining.

If it is going to be open plan a central table would help to define the area . You can often find quite interesting low tables, they don’t have to be plain or boring.

I got rid of ours as it was just turning into a child and man-crap dumping ground. If you have less feral family members than I do - I'd have one.

I can’t imagine getting rid of the coffee tables just as family members dumped stuff, I’d simply ask them to put their shit away.

I used to have one and it just got used as a dumping ground and footrest. I also didn't like having to navigate round it every time I got up, but I do think they can look nice in the right space and if kept free of clutter. I just have side tables now and much prefer them

Never had one as an adult, we’ve got a nest of tables that live by the side of one sofa and come out when anyone needs one for drinks etc.
Impractical with small kids and just another thing to keep tidy we got used to not having one. I think it would be in the way now, our living room isn’t really the right shape for one!

Got rid of the coffee table years ago when the kids were small but I have recently bought another, followed the rule on size and I really like it - mostly used for putting feet up on and being a bit of a wanky decorative space with stacks of books, candles and a plant. Side tables for drinks so not really needed for that,

Ours is a large one with wo glass panels which annoy the hell out of me (filth and fingerprints.)
I plan to replace the top with a buttoned, upholstered thing so that it becomes a hybrid footstool/coffee table, with the aid of a pretty tray. Aiming for something like this...
https://www.laresidenceinteriors.co.uk/collections/ottomans/products/petit-royale-ottoman-coffee-table?gad_source=1&gclid=CjwKCAiArLyuBhA7EiwA-qo80KmrDUrA8qEckBw2U1ZD7clpdQmdWk6i_XoGoQKc2M9eXSh_WH43KxoCJxAQAvD_BwE

I always think they look really nice, but can’t imagine the reality of it, I think it would be impractical, as youd always need to balance any cups etc on a tray, plus as its material wouldn’t be easy to clean.

Ours is also a large glass one in the main room (stock image of very similar tables ) it’s square, glass with a brass /gold edge, and a mirror bottom layer, we got it about 15 years ago, it’s 4 foot by 4 foot, I still love it,but I hate cleaning it, as it’s so bloody big. However it is incredibly useful.

in the other room I have a small all glass one I got from markies a few years back, it’s great as it keeps it light and airy in there ,

@Frasers - I will not be upholstering it in pale linen, that's for sure! I have a dark aquaclean velvet in mind.
For us, a firm footstool - occasionally used as a coffee table will be more use than a coffee table but I will hang on to the wood and glass top just in case it all goes pear-shaped!