Chirp, chirp, zebra teaches you how to choose a coffee table (what the hell)
Many friends have asked me to update my article, so now I will talk about choosing a coffee table.
Before choosing a coffee table, remember one thing: a coffee table is not necessary for the living room.
Sister Zebra summarizes the functions of a coffee table as: a place to cross your legs, storage, and to show off your style. You can also use it to eat and watch TV.
The above functions can also be achieved with footstools or side tables. In the traditional living environment, the small tea table on the couch and the small table between the armchairs in the hall all play similar functions to the tea table.
Let me first talk about some industry secrets of coffee table selection:
1. Principle of similar arcs:
The sofa legs, coffee table legs, and armchair legs should be similar in shape;
The sofa has no legs, so choose a footless coffee table;
The sofa has stainless steel square feet, and the coffee table has stainless steel square feet;
The sofa has small thin legs that open outwards, and the coffee table can also have small thin legs that open outwards.
2. The best height of coffee table:
Slightly lower than the sofa armrest, or even slightly lower than the sofa cushion;
3. Coffee table color selection:
Either close to the floor color or the wall color.
Japanese and Nordic furniture generally prefer solid wood. In the trend of solid wood supremacy, many people choose Japanese and Nordic styles because they want the natural and high-quality feeling.
Classic combination 1: small thin-leg wooden sofa with small tea table-style wooden coffee table
Sofa and coffee table from Fanji
If you look for well-known domestic wood design brands, almost half of them are of this style, with different details. If you choose this kind of coffee table, most of them are solid wood, and the color should be close to the floor.
Sofa and coffee table from Japanese home furnishing brand IDEE
It is also a wooden-legged sofa with a simple small tea table, which is suitable for small spaces. IDEE is a Japanese brand with a more Nordic style design, which is more lively and fashionable.
MUJI's model house
MUJI is much more regular (cold) and neat (bland). This is the MUJI model house that Zebra Sister wrote about before. Click >>> This is how poor people in Japan live<<< to see the thick and plump Japanese fabric sofa, matched with a small rectangular table with the same right angles.
Evolution small tea table with storage function
Sparks between the thin legs
I introduced the >>Southern California Retro Presidential Chair<< last time. I can’t help but post it here because I love this retro color scheme.
Where to buy:
Japanese style coffee table with storage:
http:///26vkjY
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Double-layer tea table, this one is cheap:
http:///26vl7v
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Classic combination 2: round tray style + wooden feet or no feet sofa
The disc wooden coffee table designed by the Eames couple is probably the originator of this series.
It is definitely among the top three best-selling coffee tables in the world.
This tray-style coffee table is also the main force of the Nordic style. It is a very gentle and lovely female-oriented coffee table, especially suitable for small apartments with a small living room area.
As for the color of the pallet, the safety code still applies: either close to the ground or close to the wall.
The one in the picture is a product of the famous Danish design company Normann Copenhagen
The sofa with strong lines and wooden legs is paired with a tray-style coffee table with thin legs. You can cross your legs and drink tea.
MUTTO candy-colored sofa and tray coffee table
If one is not enough, you can make up for it with a few, depending on your actual needs. MUTTO is also a Danish brand. This round, girly sofa is paired with a candy-themed tray coffee table, and then a big guy who picks his feet sits on it, hahaha.
Below is another non-tray type round coffee table. With gold foot covers, it has a more retro and modern feel.
There is also an irregular coffee table like the one below from West Elm, which can be moved to the side and used as a side table.
The key point when using this type of coffee table is: never pile too many small things on the table.
Where to buy:
Eames coffee table:
http:///26vpIA
White round coffee table:
http:///26vqD2
If you can't find a pink mutto coffee table, this irregular combination is worth a look:
http:///26vrBR
A bit like the West elm irregular coffee table, with a solid wood tabletop:
http:///26vs9M
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Classic combination 3: contoured coffee table + square modern sofa
The Gus Modern sofa with stainless steel legs that I mentioned last time is paired with a contoured coffee table.
L-shaped sofa + square table is also a universal match
You can also use black or gold. In the post about how to choose a sofa (reply [ sofa ] to see it), Sister Zebra introduced the following solid wood black frame coffee table, which is a versatile match! A match for all ages!
Black outline + solid wood veneer is a basic style that you can buy with your eyes closed.
Gold is of course shinier
Nowadays, a coffee table with storage space and that can be used as a desk is very popular. The key is that the hardware inside must be exquisite.
Where to buy:
Square coffee table with stainless steel legs:
http:///26w3nA
1. Black Square Coffee Table:
http:///26w60L
Distressed wooden coffee table:
http:///26w6np
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How to choose an American coffee table? Do you go directly to Red Star Raptors to pick one? Nonono, you must first know what kind of American style you want.
Sister Zebra once wrote a popular post about American home furnishing brands, Visit Channel: What are the home furnishing brands worth visiting in the United States? Here are some selected
In general, there are rural American style, New England classical American style, modern American style suitable for small apartments, slightly retro American style mixed with industrial style, and the Nordic American style (Mid century modern) from the 1950s and 1960s...
A relatively simple and rough way to judge is: the heavier the coffee table feels, the more rural it is; the lighter the sense of volume, the more modern it is.
For example, the coffee table produced by Pottery Barn, which focuses on American country style, is basically like putting a big box in the middle of the living room, as if solid wood is free.
But as an American brand, CB2 (Crate Barrel's young sub-brand) makes a completely transparent plastic coffee table that you can't see.
Pottery Barn Box Coffee Table
CB2 transparent coffee table
Classic combination 1: wooden table with drawers + rolled edge sofa
This kind of coffee table with drawers and storage is practical and unpretentious, and can also display the materials used.
This kind of leather stool, which can be sat on and placed on the bottom, is also a common American country-style coffee table, and it must feel good on the feet.
This coffee table itself is also country style, but it is paired with a modern sofa and lamp.
Using wooden boxes as coffee tables is also a common style in American country style
Where to buy:
You can definitely buy it in a physical store, it's a very common style
Classic combination 2: modern sofa + surfboard style
This is a common combination in the light retro American style, and I personally love it.
The style of this type of coffee table is mainly determined by the material. For example, a teak-colored solid wood surfboard coffee table is very suitable for matching with MCM; the classic Eames surfboard coffee table is retro and modern; if it is made of glass, painted or marble, it will have a special flavor when matched with a classic sofa.
The one above is a coffee table made from an authentic surfboard turned over. It can be used to put your legs up, haha, and has a hippie feel.
The ubiquitous Eames couple designed a classic surfboard coffee table, which looks like this:
This kind of thin legs was also a trend back then, and it was quite futuristic.
If you want something more homely, choose the dark teak color above, which has a retro feel.
Marble material + V-shaped feet, with classic piping sofa, is also very good. It is better to spray the feet with gold spray paint. The more classic the sofa is, the more CP sense it has with the modern marble/glass/mirror coffee table.
Of course, you have to look at IKEA for a civilian version of a storage surfboard coffee table.
IKEA's Stockholm coffee table
Purchase link:
Surfboard style eames coffee table:
http:///26wbXb
1. Marble top gold V-leg coffee table:
http:///26wlXY
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Classic Match 3: Almost all-match modern American round coffee table
In the more contemporary American style, the white coffee table of the style below is also widely used.
The coffee table in this space has little presence, but the golden side tables and the highly recognizable retro lamps suddenly make an ordinary space less boring.
The round coffee table is more tolerant of styles than the square coffee table.
RH's signature sofa, paired with a marble coffee table, is very textured.
For more natural elements, use wood veneer
Golden round glass coffee table, paired with neoclassical sofa
The legs are thicker and have wheels, which means they are more industrial.
The golden round coffee table is very useful whether you want a Nordic fresh style or want to go back to the Gatsby era by contrasting it with the domineering president's sofa.
Purchase link:
1. Round Gold Coffee Table with Marble Top:
http:///26wkEd
This one is not gold, but marble, and it is worth a look:
http:///26wn5Z
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Classic combination 4: Domineering CEO sofa + special-shaped coffee table
When talking about special-shaped sofas, we have to mention Isamu Noguchi’s glass coffee table.
Isamu Noguchi is an American artist who is half Japanese and deeply influenced by Japanese philosophy. His life is very legendary. He was a disciple of Qi Baishi and married Li Xianglan. I will tell you about him next time I have the chance.
He has designed many popular furniture and lamps. This coffee table is one of them.
Matching domineering president sofa
Minimalism can also hold
In fact, the Howard couple in "The Big Bang Theory" also use this coffee table designed by Isamu Noguchi. This coffee table may look plain, but it is very impressive and can be matched with anything.
The premise is: no piles of snacks and mugs.
Howard's house is actually quite retro, a bit like IKEA from the 1960s.
There is also a kind of special-shaped coffee table that is used a lot. It is block-shaped, similar to this:
Several combinations, some can be moved around as seating
This is also smooth enough
Zaha Hadid's sofa is in the same style as the house she built
Where to buy:
Isamu Noguchi coffee table:
http:///26wgUY
White irregular coffee table:
http:///26wfPv
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The above are some basic coffee tables. But in general, you can be creative with coffee tables.
For example, if three tea tables are stacked together, they can be used as coffee tables. If two side tables are placed, they can also be used as coffee tables. If there is no coffee table, can't two footstools be placed? That's perfect.
There is a Hong Kong artist's home, and in the center of his living room is a museum collection cabinet, the kind with several layers of drawers, each layer of drawers is used to store exhibits. It is very high and does not look like a coffee table. You cannot cross your legs on it because the blood will flow backwards.
But the highlight is that when guests come, they can open the layers one by one to appreciate the paintings, which is quite interesting.
If it were me, I would pile up snacks layer by layer and let guests look at them but not let them eat them.
This one in the middle is pretty cool.