10 Questions to Ask Before Buying a Side Table

Before buying a side table, ask yourself ten things: what it will hold, where it will sit, how high it needs to be, how much floor space you can give it, whether you need storage, which material suits your household, how stable it is, whether it matches the furniture around it, how it will get into your home, and how you will look after it. Answer those honestly and the right table usually becomes obvious, because most poor choices come from buying on looks alone.

Side tables are small, so it is easy to treat them as an impulse decision. Yet they are among the most used pieces in a living room. Our modern side tables UK sale range covers a wide spread of sizes, materials and styles, and working through these questions will help you narrow it down quickly.

1. What will it actually hold?

Start with function, not appearance. Picture an ordinary evening. Is there a lamp on the table? A mug of tea? A phone on charge? A book? A glass of wine? A plant? Each item takes up space and has its own needs. A lamp needs a stable surface and access to a socket. Drinks need a top that tolerates moisture or a habit of using coasters. A phone on charge benefits from a drawer or a shelf to hide the cable.

If the table has one job, such as holding a lamp, a smaller top is fine. If it has several, choose a larger surface or a design with a second tier.

2. Where exactly will it sit?

Stand in the room and decide the precise spot. Beside the sofa, between two chairs, at the end of a bed, in an alcove, near a window? Each location has its own constraints. A table by a window may face strong sunlight, which can fade wood. One beside a radiator may be exposed to dry heat. One near a door may be knocked as people pass.

Thinking about placement in the context of all your modern living room furniture UK helps too. A side table is part of a group, and it should relate to the sofa, coffee table and shelving around it.

3. How high should it be?

Height is one of the most overlooked details. As a guide, a side table beside a sofa or armchair is most comfortable when its top sits roughly level with the arm or slightly below it. Too high and it looks awkward and blocks the view along the sofa. Too low and you have to reach down for a drink, which leads to spills.

Measure the arm height of your sofa or chair before you shop and keep the figure to hand. If the seat has no arms, aim for a height close to the seat cushion plus a little extra.

4. How much floor space can you give it?

Many UK living rooms are compact, and every piece of furniture competes for space. Measure the gap where the table will sit, then subtract enough room for comfortable movement. You need space to stand up from the sofa without bumping the table and to walk past it without turning sideways.

Round tables have softer edges and are easier to move around in tight spaces. Slim legs and pedestal bases show more floor, which makes a small room feel less crowded. Rectangular tables fit neatly against walls and between furniture.

5. Do you need storage?

Open side tables look light, but they offer no hiding place for clutter. If your living room collects remotes, chargers, glasses and post, a table with a drawer or shelf will make a real difference. A drawer conceals small items. An open shelf below the top holds books and magazines. A cupboard hides bulkier things.

If storage is a priority and you are flexible on format, it is also worth looking at end tables UK homes use at the end of a sofa, since many of these include drawers and slightly larger footprints.

6. Which material suits your household?

The right material depends as much on who lives with it as on how it looks.

• Wood is warm and durable but can mark from heat and moisture. Lacquered finishes are more forgiving than oiled ones.
• Glass is light and easy to keep stain free, but it shows fingerprints and has hard edges that may not suit very young children.
• High gloss is easy to wipe and reflects light, though scratches are more visible on its surface.
• Marble and stone are heavy and characterful but porous, so they need sealing and quick attention to spills.
• Metal is strong and slim, which suits small spaces and contemporary rooms.

Homes with pets, young children or frequent guests will usually be happier with tougher, wipeable finishes.

7. How stable is it?

A side table often holds a lamp and hot drinks, so stability matters. Look at the base. A wide footprint or a weighted pedestal is steadier than tall, thin legs on a small base. Check whether the table will sit on a rug, since thick pile can make slender legs rock slightly.

If you have young children who might pull themselves up on furniture, choose a low, broad design and avoid tall, top heavy shapes.

8. Does it work with what you already have?

A side table rarely sits alone. Consider the materials, colours and shapes nearby. You do not need to match everything, but there should be a connection. That might be a shared wood tone, a similar metal finish or a repeated curve. If your coffee table is round, round side tables often look settled. If your sofa is angular, a curved side table adds contrast.

Think about scale against the sofa too. A delicate table beside a large, deep sofa can look lost, while a bulky one beside a slim sofa can feel heavy.

9. How will it get into your home?

This question matters more than people expect. Check the route from your front door to the room: stairs, narrow hallways, tight turns. Most side tables are small enough to pass easily, but larger stone or solid wood pieces can be heavy. Find out whether the table arrives assembled or flat packed, and whether you are comfortable building it yourself.

If you live in an upper floor flat without a lift, the weight of a marble or solid oak table is worth considering for both delivery and future moves.

10. How will you look after it?

Finally, be honest about maintenance. Oiled wood needs occasional reapplication. Marble needs resealing. Glass needs regular wiping. High gloss benefits from a soft cloth to avoid swirl marks. If you would rather not think about care, choose a lacquered, metal or gloss finish that only needs a damp cloth.

Simple habits such as using coasters and putting felt pads under lamps make every material last longer.

It is also worth asking how long you expect to keep the table. If you rent, or plan to move within a few years, a lighter and more adaptable design will travel more easily and suit a wider range of rooms. If you are furnishing a home you intend to stay in, investing in a solid, well made piece in a timeless finish makes more sense, because it will outlast several changes of cushions, paint and rugs.

Putting the Answers Together

Once you have worked through the questions, write the answers down in a short list: height, maximum footprint, storage needs, preferred material and any safety requirements. It sounds formal for a small table, but it makes browsing far quicker. You can rule out most options at a glance and focus on the handful that genuinely fit. It also stops you being swayed by a striking design that would be too tall, too deep or too delicate for the way your room is used.

A Few More Considerations

If you want flexibility, a set of nesting tables gives you two or three surfaces in the footprint of one, so you can pull them out when guests arrive and tuck them away afterwards. Our selection of modern nest of tables UK sale pieces includes designs for small and larger rooms.

It also helps to know what you are looking for by name. Terms such as side table, end table and lamp table are often used loosely, and our guide to side table, end table and lamp table terms explained for UK buyers sets out the differences clearly.

Taking ten minutes to answer these questions saves a great deal of second guessing later. When you are ready, you can explore our full range of modern furniture at Furniture in Fashion, with free delivery to most UK mainland postcodes. Returns are available up to 30 days.

Frequently Asked Questions

What size side table do I need?

Choose a top large enough for the items you will place on it every day, and a height roughly level with your sofa arm. Leave enough floor space to move around it comfortably.

Should side tables match the coffee table?

They do not have to match exactly. A shared material, colour or shape is enough to make them feel connected.

Is it better to have one or two side tables?

Two side tables either side of a sofa create balance and give everyone a surface. In smaller rooms, one well placed table beside the most used seat is often enough.

Which side table material is easiest to look after?

Lacquered wood, metal and high gloss finishes are generally the easiest, needing only a damp cloth. Marble and oiled wood need more care.

Can a side table be used as a bedside table?

Yes. Many side tables are a similar height to bedside tables and work well in a bedroom, particularly designs with a drawer or shelf.