All about round coffee tables plus 15 I love
In my opinion, choosing a round coffee table is always a good idea. Round coffee tables have become my go-to over the last ten years, for a few major reasons.
The big one is that they’re one of the more kid friendly coffee table options out there because they don’t have sharp edges. (This is also a plus if you have a small space and constantly find yourself bumping into your coffee table. It’s a godsend for the shins).
I also love the contrast between a round shape and all of the boxy, square shapes that tend to occur in living spaces. Think about it: your sofa, your TV, your fireplace, your console table, they’re all big rectangles. A round coffee table breaks it all up a bit.
And finally, I love that I can place a pair of round coffee tables (or one round coffee table and a smaller round end table or ottoman) together to better fill a space. True, you can do that with square coffee tables or even rectangular ones, but I prefer the aesthetic of the circular coffee tables side by side.
If you’re considering a round coffee table for your space, read on for more about this classic choice, plus a roundup of my favorite round coffee tables I’ve seen recently.
Just want to shop? Here’s a roundup of my favorite round coffee tables.
Where to use a round coffee table
Round coffee tables can really work in spaces of all sizes: small, medium, and large.
As I mentioned, they’re great for small spaces because they’re easier to navigate around than a table with lots of sharp corners.
At the same time, they also work for larger spaces. While you could just buy one extra-large round coffee table (I love huge leather ottomans in the center of a casual room), you can also purchase two smaller tables and place them side-by-side to fill out a longer, more narrow space where you might typically put a large rectangular coffee table.
How to style a round coffee table
The one drawback to round coffee tables is that they can be harder to style than square of rectangular ones, which offer lots of obvious configurations for coffee table books, trays, and catchalls.
With a round table, you have two options for styling.
The first is to concentrate objects in the center. This is great if you prefer more minimalist decor, or if you have lots of small children and want to keep decor away from the tables edges (and small prying hands). So, for example, maybe you have a large rectangular tray, with a few coffee table books stacked on top, and a candle as your final layer.
If you like a more layered look, think about arranging your objects in a triangle. Choose objects of various heights and diameters (so a small, medium, and large option) to keep the look interesting and not too cluttered. A large, wide vase or planter, a small tray, and a medium-sized pillar candle work well, for example.
How big should a round coffee table be?
One of the most important elements to get right about your round coffee table is its size. If the table it too big, it’ll hinder your ability to walk around it, and look out of place. If it’s too small, it will look insubstantial and cheap.
So how do you choose the right size coffee table? In general, coffee tables should be about 2/3 the length of your sofa. However, with round tables, you can get away with something slightly smaller because the table is the same length and width, so round tables look more visually substantial, and take up more physical space than rectangular or oval ones.
Let me try to explain that more! If you have a 90″ sofa and were choosing a rectangular or oval table, you’d want a coffee table that was around 60″. But, because a 60″ round coffee table is 60″ across both ways, a table of this size can feel too big for some spaces.
If you have the room for a 60″ coffee table, for example if you’re looking for a table to fill the space between two sofas that are perpendicular to each other, then go for the larger table.
But, if you don’t have room for a coffee table that’s 60″ wide and 60″ deep, you have two options. First, you can choose a coffee table half the length of your sofa will work, so something 45-48″ in diameter. OR, you could choose a pair of smaller tables and place them side by side, so you get to use round coffee tables, but get the effect or a table that’s rectangular.
I did this in my own home. I have a pair of these coffee tables in my living room, which I placed side-by-side, and I love them. (Side note: They’re durable, they’re easy to clean, and they’re super budget-friendly, but they look more expensive than they are. Win all around.)
Here are a bunch of beautiful round tables I’ve had my eye on!