A coffee table is a pretty important piece in the grand scheme of your living room. It’s both utilitarian and a chance to make a style statement. The biggest problem when shopping for a coffee table, though, is that the truly unique ones often cost an arm and a leg. So I tasked myself with finding 12 that come in under $500 and offer way more stylistically than your standard wood or open frame table. Cool budget-friendly coffee tables are out there, folks, and this isn’t even counting secondhand sources. A handful are even under $250, so get to clicking.
Coffee tables don’t often drive the design of a room, but they can be a statement piece instead of an afterthought. Equally important as the style you choose, the shape and proportion of your coffee table will make sure it’s a functional team player in your living or sitting room. Here are 10 standouts to help start your search.
Here’s why I propose everyone have at least one cocktail ottoman in their lifetime (and why I should take my own advice): Every night, I sit down on my sofa and I put my feet up on my wood coffee table. It’s hard as a rock, and it certainly does not offer a comfy spot to cushion my heels which leads me to clear the table top to make room for a pillow so I can finally be comfortable. Just imagine if I were to instead buy a coffee table that is also an ottoman and therefore already has a plush, pillowy surface for me to kick back, relax, and rest my feet? And it can serve as additional seating when I need it to? Win-win. (Contrary to popular belief, your guests shouldn’t sit on your coffee table. But they can sit on your coffee table if it’s also an ottoman.) Here are a few top contenders if you’re in search of a cocktail ottoman like I am.
Recently, we shared our expert tips on
. The table we used specifically, though, was rectangular, and some readers chimed in to request help with how to arrange a round coffee table. Though most of the same principles apply no matter what shape you’re working with, I’ve rounded up takeaways and inspiration for round tables.
