A simple coffee table has the ability to elevate the visual setting of your living room. Positioned at the center of the room, it acts as the visual anchor that helps to balance the furniture arrangement in the room.
To select the right coffee table in Kenya according to the vibe of your room, you need to understand the spatial layout of the room, the Kenyan climate, to maximize the durability of the coffee table, and balance functionality with the lifestyle needs.
Key Takeaways
- A well-chosen coffee table effortlessly elevates a living room from dull to an elegant one.
- Whether to buy a round, oval, or rectangular-shaped coffee table depends on the spatial layout of your apartment.
- You can use your coffee table for multiple purposes, such as a storage, a study table, or a work station.
- You should select the material of the coffee table according to the climate of your living area.
What Are The Things To Keep In Mind While Selecting The Right Coffee Table For Your Home?
1. Understanding the Core Proportions: Height, Length, and Clearance
To ensure physical comfort, natural movements around the house, and prevent spatial clutter, you need to understand the height, length, and clearance of the coffee table before choosing one.
The Golden Rule of Coffee Table Height vs. Your Sofa
According to interior designers, your coffee table needs to be 2.5 to 5 cm lower than your sofa’s seat cushion.
Determining the Ideal Length for Balance
To ensure the visual and physical comfort, your coffee table should be two-thirds of your sofa. For example, if the length of the sofa is 240 cm, the length of the coffee table should be 160 cm.
Maintaining “Legroom” and Clearance in Kenyan Sitting Rooms
Many Kenyan apartments have very compact living rooms. While you sit on the sofa, keep the coffee table at a position so that you can comfortably keep your legs. The legroom between the sofa and the coffee table should be 40 to 50 cm to ensure you can move easily and have spacious legroom.
2. Choosing the Best Shape for Your Spatial Layout
You should choose a coffee table based on the shape and size of your living room.
Round Coffee Table
Round coffee tables have universal appeal. However, you need to choose the shape that looks best for your place.
Since round coffee tables have no sharp edges, if you have children or a pet at home, you should go for a round or oval coffee table.
Rectangular Coffee Table
If your living room consists of minimal furniture, rectangular-shaped coffee tables will look good. They go well with linear and large sofa sitting arrangements. A slightly large rectangular table can maximize the space of your living room, but if the room is already congested with furniture, it will make the room look more compact.
Nesting Tables
Nesting tables are a set of two or four tables of progressively smaller sizes, designed to nest one underneath another.
Nesting tables go well with compact and small living areas because of their space-saving, multipurpose, and versatile qualities.
3. Matching Durability with Kenya’s Regional Climates
When you are buying a coffee table from a furniture store in Kenya, to ensure its durability, choosing the right material matters because Kenya has a very hot and humid climate.
Solid wood such as mahogany or Mvule, tempered glass, or powder-coated metal, and stone are the common materials of furniture that Kenyan people opt for.
Solid Wood
Wooden furniture has a timeless appeal and adds texture to your interior design.
However, they can be sensitive towards warping, swelling, and peeling. If you are choosing a wooden coffee table, make sure the material is properly finished; otherwise, it can absorb moisture and grow mold over time.
Tempered Glass
A glass coffee table offers transparency and is considered the epitome of sophistication. They are not prone to moisture, stains, or mold.
However, they need to be regularly cleaned to maintain the visual aesthetics.
Stone
A coffee table made with stone offers a luxurious appeal to your living room and can instantly elevate the elegance of your space. Unlike other elements, they are highly durable and can last for generations if maintained properly.
However, they need high maintenance because if you spill tea, coffee, or wine on the stone surface and do not wipe it immediately, it can create a permanent stain on it. Also, sharp objects and acidic liquids can ruin the edges and texture of the stone slab.
4. Balancing Functionality with Lifestyle Needs
In a modern, Kenyan apartment, having a coffee table means it will be used for multiple purposes, not only to serve coffee.
Storage
Some coffee tables have built-in drawers. You can store your essentials like some books, TV remotes, keys, pens, and notebooks for easy and quick access.
Lift-Top Design
If you are a working-from-home person or a student, you can use the coffee table’s lift-top design to transform it into a study table or workstation. A lift-top design means you can raise the tabletop upward and work accordingly.
5. Styling The Coffee Table
To elevate the aesthetic of your living room, styling the coffee table properly is important.
- Keep something alive, like a small indoor plant in a colorful pot, or a bowl of fresh fruits, to add texture and color.
- You can use a scented candle or diffuser to elevate the ambience.
- If the table is round or oval-shaped, keep a tray at the center to anchor the design, and then keep your essentials, like books, candle holders, and small sculptures, there.
The right coffee table can transform the overall vibe of your room. So, before you invest in one, do your research properly and then make your purchase.
Planning To Buy A Coffee Table?
If you are thinking about buying a coffee table for your living room, buy from a reliable and well-reputed furniture shop to get the best-quality furniture.