How to Style Side Tables in a Mid-Century Modern Interior

To style side tables in a mid century modern interior, start with a warm wood such as teak, walnut or oak, choose a simple shape on slender tapered or splayed legs, and keep the top sparse: a sculptural lamp, one ceramic piece and perhaps a book. Leave space around the table so its legs and silhouette can be seen. The aim is a room that feels open, warm and considered, not a recreation of a period set.

The right table does a lot of the work. Our wooden side tables UK include many of the shapes this style relies on, and the advice below shows how to build a room around them.

The Principles Behind the Look

Mid century design grew out of a belief that furniture should be honest about its materials, comfortable to use and light enough to let a room breathe. Those principles translate directly into how side tables should look and sit.

• Visible legs: furniture raised on legs lets light pass beneath and makes rooms feel larger.
• Natural materials: wood is the foundation, often paired with brass, glass, cane or ceramic.
• Organic shapes: soft curves, rounded corners, kidney and oval tops sit alongside crisp straight lines.
• Restraint: fewer, better objects on each surface.

Keep these in mind as you plan the wider room. A side table is only one part of a scheme, and it helps to see how it sits within your modern living room furniture UK as a whole, from the sofa to storage.

Choosing the Right Wood

Teak and walnut are most closely associated with the era. Teak has a warm golden tone that deepens over time; walnut is richer and darker, with a more pronounced grain. Oak, particularly lighter oak, gives a Scandinavian take on the style that suits rooms with less natural light.

You do not need every wooden piece to match. In fact, a room where everything is the same shade can look flat. Instead, keep the undertones consistent. Warm woods sit well together even if one is lighter than another. Mixing a warm teak with a cool grey oak tends to look less settled.

Shapes That Feel Right

Round and oval tables

Round side tables on three splayed legs are one of the most recognisable mid century forms. They suit corners beside a lounge chair and soften a room with a lot of straight lines.

Two tier tables

Tables with a lower shelf were common in the period and remain practical, giving somewhere for magazines or a record or two without cluttering the top.

Square tables with rounded corners

These bridge the gap between geometric and organic, and work well at the end of a long, low sofa.

Tables with a drawer

A small drawer with a simple wooden pull or recessed handle keeps the look clean while hiding remotes and chargers.

Whichever shape you choose, check the legs. Tapered legs that narrow towards the floor, or legs set at a slight angle, give that characteristic sense of lift.

Where to Place Side Tables

Mid century living rooms were often arranged around conversation, with seating facing inward and low furniture keeping sightlines open. Side tables play a supporting role in that arrangement.

Beside the sofa

A low, long sofa is central to the style, and a side table at one or both ends anchors it. Choose a table that sits at or just below the arm height, often lower than you might expect, since many mid century sofas are low slung.

Next to a lounge chair

A lounge chair with a round side table and a floor or table lamp creates a reading corner that captures the spirit of the era. Keep the table close enough to reach without leaning.

Between two chairs

A small table placed between a pair of armchairs creates a conversation spot, particularly in a bay window or by a fireplace.

Avoid pushing tables tight against walls. A little space around each piece is part of the look.

Lamps and Lighting

Lighting is where a mid century side table really comes alive. Look for lamps with sculptural bases in ceramic, glass or brass, and shades in linen, paper or opal glass. Mushroom shapes, globe shades and slim column bases all suit the style. Our table lamps UK sale include shapes that pair naturally with wooden side tables.

Keep the scale balanced. A small table needs a lamp that leaves room for a cup or a book. A rough guide is for the lamp base to take up no more than about a third of the tabletop.

Warm white bulbs suit this style far better than cool white. The aim is a soft pool of light that brings out the grain of the wood.

Accessories: Less Is More

A mid century side table should never feel crowded. Choose one or two objects with interesting shapes or textures, and leave the rest of the surface clear. Pieces that suit the period include:

• Studio pottery vases in muted glazes such as mustard, olive, rust or teal.
• Glass or ceramic bowls with organic, slightly irregular forms.
• A small trailing plant or a single stem in a bud vase.
• Art and design books stacked horizontally.
• A brass or wooden object with a simple geometric form.

Rotate accessories with the seasons rather than adding more. It keeps the look fresh and stops the table becoming a dumping ground.

Bringing in Colour

Mid century interiors used colour confidently but in measured amounts. Mustard, burnt orange, teal, olive and deep green all feel at home. Introduce them through a lamp base, a cushion on the nearby chair or a ceramic on the table, and let the wood remain the main event.

If your walls are pale, a coloured lampshade or a single bold vase can carry the scheme. If your walls are already a strong colour, keep the table styling neutral so the room does not feel busy.

Rugs, Floors and the Space Beneath

Because mid century side tables stand on slender legs, the floor beneath them is always on show. That makes the rug and flooring part of the styling. Warm wooden floorboards suit the look naturally. If you have carpet, a flatweave or low pile rug in a geometric or abstract pattern helps define the seating area and gives the legs of the table a crisp outline.

Try to keep the area under the table clear. Baskets, cables and stacked magazines on the floor hide the very lift that makes these tables appealing. If you need extra storage nearby, a two tier table or a low sideboard is a tidier answer.

Linking Side Tables to Other Furniture

A mid century room feels most coherent when the side tables share something with the larger pieces around them. That might be the same wood, the same leg shape or a similar handle detail. A low, long sideboard is often the anchor of the room, and choosing side tables that echo its tone ties the space together. Our modern sideboards UK include walnut and oak designs that work well alongside wooden side tables.

The same thinking applies to media furniture. A TV unit on tapered legs keeps the line of the room consistent, and our guide to mid century modern TV units for UK homes explores how to choose one that fits.

Mixing Old and New

You do not need genuine vintage pieces to create a mid century room. In many homes, the most successful schemes combine a few older finds with modern furniture designed in the same spirit. A contemporary side table in walnut can sit happily beside a vintage chair, as long as the proportions are similar.

The risk to avoid is a themed look, where every element is from the same era and the room feels like a set. Introduce a few contemporary touches, such as a modern rug, a piece of current art or a simple linen sofa, to keep things grounded in the present.

Adapting the Look for Smaller Rooms

Mid century style suits compact UK living rooms well, because its furniture tends to be low and raised on legs. To keep a small room feeling open:

• Choose one side table rather than a matching pair.
• Opt for round tops, which take up less visual space than square ones.
• Pick a lighter wood such as oak if the room has limited daylight.
• Use a wall light or floor lamp instead of a table lamp to free up the surface.

Two tier tables are particularly useful here, giving you storage without adding another piece of furniture.

A Simple Styling Formula

If you want a starting point, try this: a round walnut or teak side table with tapered legs, a ceramic lamp with a linen shade, one small vase in a muted glaze and a short stack of books underneath or on a lower shelf. Place it beside a lounge chair with space around it. From there, adjust to suit your room and your own collection of objects.

You will find wooden side tables, sideboards and lighting to build this look at Furniture in Fashion, with free delivery to most UK mainland postcodes.

Frequently Asked Questions

What wood is most typical of mid century modern furniture?

Teak and walnut are the woods most associated with the style, though oak is widely used in Scandinavian interpretations and suits lighter rooms.

Should mid century side tables match the coffee table?

They do not need to match exactly. Keeping the wood undertone and leg style similar is usually enough to make the pieces look related.

How high should a side table be next to a low mid century sofa?

Aim for the tabletop to sit level with or slightly below the sofa arm. With low slung sofas, this is often around 45cm to 55cm.

Can I use a glass side table in a mid century room?

Yes. Glass tops on wooden or brass frames were used in the period and help keep a room feeling light, especially in smaller spaces.