Coffee table: 5
rules for choosing

The coffee table is an essential piece of furniture, often used to house books, magazines, ornaments or to create a cosy and comfortable atmosphere in one’s living room. But how do you choose the right coffee table, tailored to your individual needs? In this article, Bontempi Casa presents 5 rules for choosing the perfect coffee table.

Harmony of space and form

The first rule to consider when choosing a coffee table is size. It should in fact be proportionate to the size of the living room to avoid weighing down the room or inconveniencing guests, in the case of a mini-sized table. The shape of the coffee table is also crucial. It needs to be consistent with the style of the furniture: if the living room is furnished in a modern style, a round or oval coffee table will prove to be the right choice, while if the living room is furnished in a classic style, a rectangular coffee table might be more appropriate. Like Karol, a rectangular coffee table with a lacquered steel frame and decorative details. It is characterised by a glass and wood veneer top. The brainchild of designer Nick Rennie and part of Bontempi’s 2023 Home Living Collection, Karol features an X-shaped geometric structure in painted metal that emphasises its modern, minimalist design.

Selection of raw materials

The coffee table can come in different materials, such as wood, glass, metal or stone. The choice depends on the furnishing style and functional requirements. If the living room has wooden furniture, a solid wood or veneer coffee table might be the best choice. If you prefer a modern, minimalist look, a glass or metal coffee table might be the ideal solution. In addition, the coffee table can be matched to the other surfaces in the room: if the walls are in cream or biscuit tones, a transparent smoked glass coffee table in anthracite could create a pleasant contrast. The perfect example is Pagoda, coffee table with lacquered steel frame with two tops, upper glass top and lower top in scratch-resistant glass, SuperCeramic and SuperMarble. Yoshino Toshiyuki designed it and his vision has resulted in an object with a modern, sophisticated design and a solid, durable painted steel structure available in various finishes, including matt white, matt black, matt anthracite and brushed bronze.

Height, for home living within your expectations

The height of the coffee table is also a crucial aspect to consider. A coffee table that is too high or too low in relation to the surrounding seating could in fact be visually unpleasant, disturbing the balance and harmony of the surroundings. This is why it is advisable to choose a coffee table with a height between 40 and 50 centimetres above the floor to ensure good ergonomics and a pleasant, harmonious appearance. If you choose a coffee table with shelves or drawers, it is also important to ensure that their height is suitable for the needs of the home living space.

Functional Charm

The coffee table is not only a decorative element, but also a functional one. When purchasing, it is indeed important to consider its practicality. For example, if the coffee table will mainly be used to hold books and magazines, it might be useful to select a model with shelves or drawers to keep your material organised. This often requires Scandinavian models, which combine the need for style and functionality through creative and minimalist ploys. A result clearly visible in furnishing objects designed by Marco Corti and signed Bontempi Casa such as Pattern, a coffee table and magazine rack with curved aluminium plates or Tiffany, coffee table with solid wood frame, lacquered steel top and optional tray.

Style: yours

But the choice of a coffee table depends mainly on taste, style, and the emotions one wishes to arouse with the room’s décor. For minimalist home-living, capable of enclosing male and female energies in a single space, the best choice is Yang, a coffee table with structure and decorative details, top in SuperMarble and veneered wood designed by Pocci & Dondoli and inspired by the principle of Chinese philosophy, Yin and Yang, according to which harmony is only possible through the union of opposites.

For those seeking an artistic, refined and innovative spirit in their living room furniture, the solution is H2O, a coffee table designed by F & B Studio for Bontempi and made of hand-blown glass. With its green DNA, it comes to life with fire and, with the intense magic of its colours, represents a hymn to vitality.