The side tables that suit detached family homes are sturdy, easy to clean and generous enough to be genuinely useful, with rounded edges and stable bases that cope with children, pets and visitors. Solid wood, durable veneers, toughened glass with a strong frame and easy wipe high gloss all work well. Nesting sets and tables with storage earn their place in busy rooms, while a pair of matching tables helps a larger living room feel organised rather than scattered.
Detached homes tend to have bigger living rooms, more than one reception space and furniture that is seen from all sides, which changes how side tables should be chosen and placed. Our collection of modern side tables UK sale includes designs in every material and size, and this guide explains how to choose the right ones for family life.
In a family home, a side table rarely holds just a lamp. It carries mugs and juice cups, phones and tablets, a remote control, homework, a board game in progress or a plate at teatime. It gets bumped by people running past and leaned on by toddlers learning to stand. It needs to cope with all of that and still look calm when visitors arrive.
That means three qualities matter more than style alone: stability, durability and ease of cleaning. Style still counts, of course, but a beautiful table that wobbles or marks easily will be a constant irritation in a busy household.
A detached living room can easily swallow small furniture. A single slim side table placed beside a large corner sofa often looks lost. In bigger rooms, choose tables with a little more presence: a top of around 50 to 60cm across, a drum or block shape, or a pair of tables used symmetrically.
Large rooms also tend to have furniture floating away from walls, with the sofa facing a fireplace or TV and sometimes backing onto a dining area. In that layout, a side table at each end of the sofa anchors the group, and a console table behind it gives a neat edge to the space. Think about how the arrangement looks from the doorway and from the dining side, since people will see the backs and ends of furniture as well as the fronts. Browsing our wider range of living room furniture UK can help you plan tables, consoles and storage as one scheme.
Corner sofas are common in family homes because they seat everyone at once. They do, however, leave an awkward inside corner where nobody can reach a table. Place side tables at the open ends of the sofa rather than trying to fit one into the corner itself. A large corner sofa often benefits from a coffee table that everyone can reach, with side tables used for the seats at either end.
In open plan kitchen, dining and living spaces, side tables help define the lounge zone. Choosing tables in the same material as your coffee table or TV unit draws the zone together visually, even when the room is very large.
If you have babies, toddlers or young visitors, a few simple choices make side tables much safer.
Avoid placing tall, heavy lamps on very light tables in a room where young children play. Lower, broader lamps or wall lights may be the more sensible option during the toddler years.
Wood is forgiving. Small marks blend into the grain, and solid wood can be lightly sanded and refinished over time. Oak and walnut finishes bring warmth to larger rooms. A matt or satin lacquer resists water rings better than a raw oil finish, which is worth considering where cold drinks are common.
High gloss is easy to wipe clean and reflects light, which helps larger rooms with deep floor plans feel brighter. Fingerprints show more readily than on wood, but a quick wipe removes them.
Glass keeps a busy room feeling open, and it shows clearly when it needs cleaning, which some families appreciate. Choose toughened glass with a sturdy metal or wood base.
Marble brings a sense of permanence and is very stable thanks to its weight. It can mark if acidic drinks such as fruit juice are left on the surface, so coasters are essential. In a family room, marble often works best on a table used mainly by adults, such as one beside a reading chair.
Powder coated metal frames are tough and slim. Paired with a wood or stone top, they offer durability without visual heaviness.
Family living rooms collect things. Side tables with a drawer, a lower shelf or a hidden compartment help keep that clutter out of sight. Drum tables with a lift off or hinged top are a neat way to store remote controls, chargers, colouring books or a few small toys. A table with a lower shelf can hold a basket for everyday odds and ends.
If you want flexibility, a nest of tables is a very practical choice for a family home. It takes up the space of one table most of the time, and you can pull the smaller tables out for games, crafts, snacks during a film or extra surfaces when relatives visit. Our modern nest of tables UK range comes in glass, wood, high gloss and marble finishes.
Side tables look most settled when they relate to the coffee table, TV unit and sideboard in the same room. They do not have to match exactly, but sharing a material, colour or shape helps. For example, oak side tables with an oak coffee table and a white high gloss TV unit can work well together, as long as the oak is repeated.
When planning a whole room, it is often easiest to choose the coffee table first, as it is the larger piece, and then pick side tables to suit. Our modern coffee tables UK sale collection is a good place to begin. If you are still deciding on seating, our guide to choosing a sofa for UK homes with children under three covers fabrics, shapes and layouts that suit young families.
Detached homes often have more rooms that benefit from a side table.
Using related finishes across these spaces helps a larger house feel coherent from room to room.
Family needs change quickly. A table that suits the toddler years, low, rounded and almost empty on top, may feel too simple once children are older and the living room becomes a place for homework, games consoles and teenage friends. Choosing a classic design in a durable material means the same table can adapt as the household does.
In the early years, keep tables clear of anything fragile and position lamps out of reach. As children grow, a table with a drawer becomes useful for game controllers and chargers. Once they are teenagers, a nest of tables gives them their own surfaces when friends visit, without permanently adding furniture. Thinking ahead in this way helps you choose pieces you will keep for many years rather than replacing them at each stage.
It is also worth involving older children in the choice. A table they like is a table they are more likely to look after.
A little routine care keeps tables looking good. Encourage coasters for drinks. Wipe sticky spills promptly with a damp cloth and dry the surface. Avoid abrasive cleaners on gloss and glass, which can leave fine scratches. For wood, check the maker’s guidance on suitable cleaning products. Felt pads under lamps and ornaments protect the surface from small scratches.
We hope this helps you choose side tables that work for everyone at home. You can explore our full range at Furniture in Fashion, with free delivery to most UK mainland postcodes. Returns are available up to 30 days.
In larger rooms, a top of around 50 to 60cm across or a solid drum shape often looks more in proportion than a small slim table. Pairs of tables help anchor a large sofa.
Wood and high gloss are both practical. Wood hides small marks well, while high gloss is very easy to wipe. Choose rounded edges and stable bases whichever material you prefer.
Toughened glass with a strong frame can work well. Rounded corners and a stable base add reassurance in a room where children play.
Place them at the open ends of the sofa, where people can reach them easily, and use a coffee table to serve the seats in the middle and corner.
Sharing a flat changes how you think about furniture. The living room has to work…
Metal and high gloss side tables can both look modern and last well, but they…
A reading corner needs only a few things: a comfortable chair, good light and somewhere…
Open plan living is sociable and bright by day, but without walls to define each…
C shaped side tables and lamp tables both sit beside your seating, but they do…
Choosing side tables for a detached home is less about squeezing furniture into tight corners…
This website uses cookies.