When you have just bought a home, the side tables worth choosing are the ones that will move with you between rooms as your plans change. Look for a versatile size of around 40 to 50 cm, a height close to your sofa arm, durable materials such as solid or veneered wood, metal or tempered glass, sturdy construction that does not wobble, and ideally a drawer or shelf for everyday clutter. A neutral finish that suits more than one room gives you the most flexibility while you settle in and work out how you actually use the space.
New homeowners face a long list of purchases, and side tables can seem like a minor detail. In practice, they are among the first pieces you will reach for each day. At Furniture in Fashion, we see many first time buyers start with our modern side tables UK range, as a good side table is useful from day one. Here is what to consider.
It is tempting to furnish every room at once. A more measured approach is to begin with one or two well chosen pieces and live with the space for a while. A side table is a sensible early purchase because it adapts. It can sit beside the sofa, by the bed, in a hallway or next to a reading chair, and it can move as you learn where natural light falls and how you use each room.
Once you have a sense of the house, you can plan the wider scheme. Looking at our modern living room furniture UK collection alongside side tables helps you choose a finish that will sit comfortably with the sofa, TV unit and storage you add later. If your new hallway needs a landing spot for keys and post, a slimmer surface from our modern console tables UK sale range can follow the same finish.
If you are not yet sure where a table will live long term, a medium size is the safest choice. Around 40 to 50 cm across and roughly 50 to 60 cm high suits most standard sofas and many beds. Very small tables can feel lost in larger rooms, while very large ones limit where they can go.
Measure your sofa arm and bed height before buying. If the two are similar, a single table can move between rooms without looking out of place in either.
A first home sees plenty of activity: deliveries, decorating, guests and the general wear of settling in. Durable materials pay off.
A side table should feel steady when you press down on a corner. Joints should be tight and the top should sit flat. If the table requires assembly, look at how the legs attach; bolted or dowelled fixings tend to hold better over time than simple screws into board.
Pay attention to the base. A wide, well balanced base resists tipping when someone leans on it, which matters if you have pets or children, or simply a busy household.
New homes often lack small, everyday storage until furniture fills out the rooms. A side table with a drawer gives remote controls, chargers, keys and notebooks somewhere to go. An open shelf can hold books, magazines or a basket.
Storage also makes the table more useful elsewhere. A side table with a drawer can serve as a bedside cabinet in a guest room. If the bedroom is your priority, our bedside cabinets UK range offers designs with more drawer space, and our practical bedside table checklist for UK bedrooms explains what to look for there.
When you are still deciding on paint colours and flooring, a neutral finish reduces the risk of a clash later. Natural oak, walnut, black metal, white and soft grey all sit happily in most schemes. If you love colour, consider bringing it in through the lamp or accessories on the table rather than the table itself, at least until the rest of the room comes together.
Think about the existing fixtures. A home with oak floors, brass door handles or a dark kitchen offers clues to finishes that will look at home.
Side tables, end tables, lamp tables and occasional tables are often used interchangeably, which can make browsing confusing. Understanding the differences helps you search more effectively. Our guide to UK side table, end table and lamp table terms explains what each one usually means and where it tends to be placed.
The obvious place, beside the sofa or an armchair, for drinks, a lamp and the remote.
Before you invest in a full bedroom set, a side table can stand in as a bedside table.
A narrow side table by the front door gives keys, post and a small lamp a home. Check that it leaves enough width to pass comfortably with shopping bags or a pushchair.
A table near the back door is handy for a morning coffee in the sun or a place to set down plants and gloves.
A side table beside a desk holds papers, a printer or a plant, keeping the main work surface clear.
Many new homeowners find that their plans change after a few weeks of living in a house. The sofa that seemed right against one wall works better facing the garden. The corner that looked dark in the viewing turns out to catch the evening sun. A spare room becomes a place to work. Giving yourself time to notice these patterns leads to better decisions about furniture.
During those first weeks, a single side table is a useful tool. Move it around. Try it beside the sofa, by the window, at the end of the bed. Notice where you naturally put a mug down, where you charge your phone and where you would like a lamp. Those observations tell you where permanent tables should eventually go, and what size and storage each one needs.
It also helps to photograph each room from the doorway at different times of day. Looking back at those images makes it easier to judge the light, the scale of existing pieces and the gaps that a side table could fill.
Good habits early on keep furniture looking its best. Use coasters on wood, marble and painted surfaces. Wipe up spills promptly. Keep tables away from radiators and direct, constant sunlight where possible, as heat and strong light can affect some finishes over time. A soft, slightly damp cloth is usually all that is needed for routine cleaning.
New homeowners often ask what to buy first. Generally, seating and beds come first, as they define how each room is used. Side tables follow closely, because they make those spaces work day to day. Storage, rugs and decorative pieces come next, once you understand the light, the layout and your routines.
Buying in stages also gives you time to think about how the house flows. You might find that the room you planned as a dining room becomes a snug, or that a spare bedroom becomes a study. Versatile side tables adapt to those changes easily.
Measure doorways, stairs and landings before ordering larger items. Side tables are usually compact, but heavier stone or solid wood designs need a little care on narrow stairs. Add felt pads under the feet straight away to protect new floors, particularly freshly sanded boards or new laminate.
We offer free delivery to most UK mainland postcodes, which can help when you are coordinating several purchases in your first weeks. Keep packaging until you are happy with each piece. Returns are available up to 30 days, so you have time to see how a table works in your space.
A good side table can last many years and several homes. Choosing a well made, adaptable design now saves replacing it as your style evolves. Classic shapes, durable finishes and practical storage tend to remain useful long after trend pieces have been swapped out.
Enjoy the process of settling in. A home comes together gradually, and the small pieces you choose carefully often become the ones you value most. You can explore side tables and the wider collection at Furniture in Fashion.
Not necessarily. A pair suits a symmetrical living room, but single, versatile tables can be easier to move between rooms while you settle in.
Yes, if the height is close to the top of your mattress. A drawer makes it more useful in a bedroom.
Wood is the most adaptable, suiting modern and traditional rooms alike. Metal and glass are good choices for contemporary or smaller spaces.
Start with one or two for the living room, then add more for bedrooms, hallways and reading corners as you discover how you use each space.
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