The coffee table is considered an essential piece of furniture in many living rooms and dens. Normally constructed so that the top of the table is level with the seat cushions of surrounding sofas and chairs, the coffee table serves as a convenient place for serving coffee or tea to visitors. A coffee table is also an excellent means of providing a spot to set down a beverage and a book when relaxing in the room. While the traditional coffee table tends to be short and rectangular in dimensions, there is a wide range of designs and enhanced functions for the coffee table in today’s home decorating styles.

The exact origins of the coffee table are some what obscured. One school of thought places the origin of the table with the days of the Ottoman Empire. Other sources place the first coffee tables as originating in Great Britain in the latter half of the 19th century. Regardless of the origins, the coffee table was firmly established an important piece of furniture by the middle of the 20th century.

Coffee tables come in a wide range of styles. Many companies offer a basic set of a coffee table with two end tables for the sofa. Typically, these sets are designed to fit into several decorating styles with relative ease, although some end table and coffee table sets are specifically geared more toward either traditional or modern design. The coffee table may be created with a number of materials, ranging from wood to metal or even hard plastic.

While the main function of a coffee table continues to be providing a convenient tabletop for persons sitting on the sofa, it is not unusual for the table to also be designed to allow for storage. Some coffee tables include compartments or drawers below the tabletop, while other models may include a simple shelf arrangement. Several manufacturers produce hinged top coffee tables that allow for the tabletop to be adjusted along a range of heights. This allows the coffee table to serve as a low table for coffee or tea, or be a taller table that is the right height for creating a cozy spot to enjoy a meal.

In recent years, a number of different devices have come into use as a coffee table. Low chests, a set of round Ottoman’s, kitchen tables with shortened legs, and even old trunks have found new life as a coffee table in a living room or den. Designers often use these alternatives to either add a hint of whimsy to a space, or to supply the homeowner with some additional storage within the room.