The best side table for a book lover has a lower shelf for the books you are currently reading, a top large enough for a lamp and a cup of tea, a height level with the arm of your reading chair and a solid frame that will not wobble under the weight of a hardback stack. Get those four things right and the table will make every reading session more comfortable.
You will find designs with open shelves, cubbies and drawers among our modern side tables UK sale, in wood, glass, metal and high gloss. Here we look at the details that matter for readers and how to build a reading corner that works.
Most readers have a few books on the go at once: a novel, something for the book club, a reference book and perhaps a magazine. A shelf beneath the tabletop keeps these within reach without crowding the surface.
Check the clear height between the top and the shelf. Many hardbacks stand around 24cm tall, and larger art or cookery books can be 30cm or more. If you like to stand books upright, look for at least 25cm of clearance. If you stack them flat, which is often easier, 15cm to 20cm is enough for a handful of books.
Shelf depth matters too. A shelf of 30cm or more will hold most books comfortably, including larger formats laid flat. Very shallow shelves can leave books overhanging, which looks untidy and makes them easy to knock off.
Readers ask a lot of a tabletop. It needs to hold a lamp, a hot drink, the book you are reading when you put it down, a bookmark and perhaps reading glasses. That calls for a top of at least 45cm across.
Square and rectangular tops make the most of the space, as a lamp can sit in one corner while the rest of the surface stays clear. Round tops are kinder in tight spots where people walk past, though they offer slightly less usable area. A small raised edge or lip can stop a pen or bookmark rolling off.
When planning a whole reading area, it helps to think about how the table fits alongside other pieces in your living room furniture UK, such as the chair, a footstool and nearby shelving.
A reading table should sit level with the arm of your chair, or just slightly below it. That way you can reach for your tea or put your book down without twisting or leaning.
Measure the arm of the chair you actually read in. Wingback chairs and traditional armchairs often have higher arms than modern lounge chairs. Most reading chairs have arms between 55cm and 65cm, so a table in a similar range usually works.
If you read in bed as much as in a chair, apply the same thinking to your bedside table. It should sit around the height of the top of the mattress so you can reach it while sitting up.
Books are heavier than they look. A stack of hardbacks on a lower shelf, plus a lamp and a mug on top, adds up quickly. Choose a table with a solid frame and sound joints, and check whether the shelf is fixed firmly rather than resting loosely.
Four legged designs with a shelf connecting them tend to be the most stable, as the shelf braces the frame. Pedestal tables can look elegant but may wobble if the top is heavily loaded on one side. If you prefer a pedestal style, choose one with a wide, weighted base.
A reading table gets daily use. Mugs are put down, pages turned, elbows rested. The finish should cope with all of that.
Whatever you choose, use a coaster for hot drinks. Heat and moisture from a mug are the most common cause of marks on reading tables.
Readers accumulate small items: bookmarks, reading glasses, a pencil for notes, a booklight, perhaps a notebook. A shallow drawer keeps these together and stops the tabletop filling up.
A table with both a drawer and an open shelf gives you the best of both: small things hidden away, current books on display. Check that the drawer opens fully without hitting the arm of the chair.
Good light is essential for comfortable reading. A table lamp on your side table should cast light down onto the page from slightly behind and to the side. The bottom of the shade should sit at around shoulder height when you are seated, so the bulb is not in your eye line.
Choose a warm white bulb that is bright enough for reading but not harsh. Adjustable lamps with an angled head are useful, as you can direct light exactly where you need it.
If your table is small, a floor lamp behind the chair can free up the whole tabletop. An arched or swing arm floor lamp positioned over your shoulder throws even light across the page and leaves the table free for your tea and books.
Think about the wider room as well. Reading by a single lamp in an otherwise dark room can tire your eyes, as they keep adjusting between the bright page and the shadowy space around it. A second, softer light source elsewhere in the room, such as a wall light or a lamp on a shelf, reduces that contrast and makes long reading sessions more comfortable.
The table and chair work as a pair, so plan them together. Place the table on the side of your dominant hand, close enough that you can reach it without stretching. A gap of a few centimetres between the chair arm and the table is about right.
Natural light is a bonus. A chair angled towards a window, with the side table between the chair and the wall, gives you daylight for reading and keeps the table out of walkways. In the evening, the lamp takes over.
Corners are often ideal reading spots. A chair angled into a corner, with a side table beside it and shelving on the walls around, creates a cosy, enclosed nook even in a busy living room.
A side table holds your current reading. The rest of your collection needs a home too. A bookcase near the reading chair keeps everything close by and makes the corner feel like a dedicated reading space.
Our range of modern bookcases UK sale includes tall, narrow designs that fit beside a chair as well as wide units for larger collections. If you prefer a more open look, our shelving units UK can hold books alongside plants and decorative objects.
Coordinating the side table with the bookcase, either by matching the wood tone or the metal finish, makes the corner look intentional. A contrasting table can also work, especially if it picks up a colour from the book spines or the chair.
A side table for books can quickly turn into a teetering pile. A few habits keep it in check.
Limit the shelf to the books you are actively reading, perhaps five or six at most. Return finished books to the bookcase. Stack books flat with the largest at the bottom, which looks neater and is more stable. A pair of small bookends on the shelf can keep upright books in line.
If you are unsure whether you need a side table, end table or lamp table for your reading corner, our explainer on UK side table and lamp table terms clarifies the options, and our survey based article on how UK households use floor lamps looks at how people light their reading spots.
A reading corner also benefits from a footstool or ottoman. Raising your feet while you read is more comfortable over long sessions, and a storage ottoman doubles as a place to keep blankets or the books waiting their turn. Keep it close enough to the chair that you can rest your feet without sliding forward in the seat.
You can browse our full range at Furniture in Fashion, with free delivery to most UK mainland postcodes. Returns are available up to 30 days.
A table with an open lower shelf is the most practical, as it keeps your current books within reach. A drawer is a useful addition for bookmarks, glasses and small items.
For upright hardbacks, allow at least 25cm. If you stack books flat, 15cm to 20cm is usually enough for a small pile.
Level with the arm of your reading chair or slightly below. For most armchairs, that is between 55cm and 65cm.
For a small collection or the books you are currently reading, yes. For a larger collection, pair the side table with a bookcase or shelving unit nearby.
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