Getting a piece of furniture can be tricky. When at the store, you may envision it to fit your room and house but when you bring it home, you realise it's the lighting doing its trick on you at the store. Here's some tips on what to look out for when purchasing a coffee table.
1. Function and safety
Consider its functionality. Will you be using it or is it a decorative piece? The usability of it may be different due to design and style. For example, a delicate tiered coffee table may look pretty but not able to house many things on it. Probably a remote control and some miscellaneous items. But you have a young child at home and need a coffee table that can store toys and should not be a safety hazard to your child. A tiered one may risk your little one climbing in the tiered portion. It would be better to have a coffee table that is much more practical and kid-friendly in order to avoid any accidents that can cause harm. This way you can let your kids play around without any restrictions. Consider these before you make your purchase, be sure of what functionality your coffee table will have.
2. Style
The style, colour and placement of your coffee table can make a big difference. If you go into a store without a style in mind, you risk buying one that doesn't suit your room theme. This will make it look out of place. For example, your room is a modern theme but you purchased a rustic style coffee table, it just doesn't gel everything together. Stick to the style of the room.
3. Height
The height of your coffee table should fit the room. According to your existing furniture like your sofa, or chairs in the room, the coffee table should have the right height to fit those seatings. It would be weird to match a coffee table that is too high with a stool, or a short coffee table with a high chair. To make it more comfortable to use, it should be about one cushion height from the seat. You may want to pick out an adjustable lift top coffee table to change the height to fit your needs whenever you need it.
4. Budget
A big decision to make is how much budget to set aside for a coffee table. Do you absolutely require a luxurious coffee table for your living room? Expensive pieces are harder to replace. Cheap pieces may cause impulse buy and replace it sooner than you need to. You would want to consider how long you intend to use the coffee table for and how much you want to spend on it.
5. Material
Pick a material that suits the theme while still providing you with the sturdy and longevity that you desire. There are a lot of options and varieties of material to choose from, leather, wood, acrylic, marble. Some materials require more attention and care to maintain them. Pick one that would fit your lifestyle.
6. Shape
Today, coffee tables come in many shapes and sizes. There are new shapes in the market like oval and odd shapes as well as the traditional shapes of square, rectangle and circle. You can even get one customized to your taste and space in your house. Ensure that while the style and shape is important, it still fits the usability you require.
7. Support
Ensure that the table is sturdy and can fit your needs. A sturdy coffee table can carry more weight and offers maximum support but can be difficult to shift around and to clean. A lightweight coffee table is easier to shift around but would not be able to hold as much weight. Consider the pro and cons of the kinds of support each coffee table offers and what you require.
Every aspect to selecting a coffee table is important, consider them all and pick out one that fits your needs the most. Do your research to pick one that fits you by exploring all the various options in the market.