Being the wife of a former U.S. Navy sailor, I think I can definitively say that I have a lot of experience moving my household from home to home. One of the most daunting parts of that task, in my estimation, is finding creative ways to make furniture fit into new places. Of that, I think the worst is finding the right table to fit into small spaces.  And it’s not just homes, people starting out a new business in a small storefront, teens moving into their first dorm room; there are all sorts of tricky situations in which we can struggle to find space for our stuff! Well, you can stop gnashing your teeth and yanking your hair out (it makes you look scary!) Instead, may I suggest a few tips for finding the right tables to help you make the most out of your small spaces.

You can do multiple things at once; why not let your furniture multitask too? A drop leaf table is the ultimate in transforming furniture. Its dropped sides hang flat down, so when it’s not operating as a dinner table, it can be a sofa table, a hallway table, a little shelf tucked against the wall holding knick-knacks. Then, when the door-bell rings and your in-laws are standing on your front step, you can just pull it out, set the table, and seat four to six people!

Nesting tables are also a fabulous way to save space while still having a table at hand when needed. End tables are a super convenient place to set your phone, a glass of wine, or even your TV remote. But when it’s just you at home, do you really need two or three tables hanging around, taking up space? With nesting tables, however, you can use the tallest one primarily, with the smaller one or two underneath. And when the guys are over to watch the game on tv, pull out the rest of the set and put your party trays out.

My favorite multitasking piece is the coffee table trunk. It’s just what it sounds like, coffee table with a hinged lid in which you can store all the stuff you want in your living room without having it all over your living room. Controllers, books, candles; keep these things inside the trunk for storage without cluttering up your home. Clutter is, after all, the enemy of the small space

Hunting for furniture for a small room is quite the task. It’s interesting to note that most people, when trying to figure out how to furnish a small living room, focus on the sofa, the TV stand, the recliner. Then, once all those things are placed just where you want them, you sit on your sofa and breathe a sigh of relief, only for that sigh to be cut short as you realize: AH! I forgot the table! Where on earth am I going to put that? Here are a few tips on choosing the right coffee table for your smaller place.

First, take a good look at your current furniture. What style is it? If your cushions are big and comfy looking, try to go with a solid wood table. Traditional or feminine couches should be paired with a traditional, rounded table. Modern? Try glass and iron to complement. Keep in mind that nothing creates more of an eyesore than clashing styles. Discordant decorating can make a room feel smaller and more cramped than it really is.

Also, it’s always a good idea to try to use furniture that has more than one purpose. Coffee tables can come in many styles, one of the most useful of which is the storage table. Find a table that can open up and be used to store items you use every day. Clutter is the enemy of the small space, so being able to keep items in your table will reduce the feeling of cramped space. There are many different styles of coffee table that can fulfill this need; you can find a trunk style, with a single large space to place blankets, books, any miscellaneous items you may require. For the more detail-oriented person, there are tables that open up into drawers with different nooks for your smaller items. These tables provide multiple functions and can create an interesting focal point in your room.

Lastly, try to find a table that doesn’t take up all the median space in the room. You want to be able to walk around without knocking your knees and shins on that unforgiving piece. Make sure to get a feel for the size of the space in your living room where you would place the coffee table, remembering to keep in mind how much space you’ll need between the table itself and the other furniture. It’s also a good idea to get a feel for what shape of table would best suit your needs, and begin your search with these thoughts in mind.

All in all, just because you live in a smaller space, that doesn’t mean you need to forego certain pieces of furniture. With careful consideration and a little planning, you can come up with the perfect coffee table upon which to place your book, your remote, or even (don’t tell mom!) your feet after a long day.

If you are in the decorating process you are probably finding out how difficult it is to match the theme of a specific room with the furniture you are currently using. If you are working with an interior designer and you are taking on the task on your own there will be some things you may want to take into consideration before deciding how to choose a small coffee table to accent the entire room. It is normally more difficult to choose a small piece of furniture for a room than a larger piece of furniture.

Many of us tend to focus on different areas such as couches, easy chairs, painting, refinishing, and other areas instead of focusing on the main item we are trying to select and that is choosing a small coffee table. In order to choose a small piece of furniture you will more than likely want to match it with some of the existing furniture in the home or in that particular living space. You will want to match the type of material, color, and functionality. For all intensive purposes if the coffee table does not serve a purpose you will probably end up ruling it out.

The coffee table will need to match some of the other furniture you have in the room in respect to the color and most importantly the material. The height of the table will also need to be taken into consideration as well as the table’s ability to sit properly on a wood floor, or carpet. You will find that all of these areas will play a huge factor in determining the type of coffee table you will choose. It will need to actually fit the theme of the room which in some cases will make it a little difficult however this can be overcome.

When choosing a coffee table you will have many different selections to choose from such as glass surfaces, wooden surfaces, rectangular tables, smaller roundtables, as well as different types of wood, ceramics, plastics, or metals. Understanding how to choose a small coffee table will allow you to match everything else in the living space.