Pair a leather sofa with a side table that sits roughly level with the sofa arm, is close enough to reach without leaning, and contrasts with the leather in material. Glass, marble, metal and pale wood all work well, because they break up the solid surface of the hide. Match the side table to the style of the sofa rather than its colour: slim and modern for a contemporary design, warmer and more substantial for a traditional one.<\/p>\n
Side tables are small, but they decide whether a sofa is comfortable to live with. A cup of tea, a lamp, a book, a phone: all of it needs somewhere to go. Our modern side tables UK sale<\/a> range covers every material mentioned below, so you can follow these guidelines and find something that fits your room.<\/p>\n Height matters more than anything else. A side table that sits too low makes you reach down awkwardly. One that sits too high looks out of proportion and can be knocked over.<\/p>\n The simplest rule is to choose a table with a top that sits level with the arm of your sofa, or a little below it. If the sofa has no arms, or very low ones, aim for a height close to the seat cushion plus a few centimetres. Measure your sofa arm before you shop. Leather sofas vary considerably, from low, sleek modern designs to tall, rolled arm Chesterfields.<\/p>\n If you are placing a table lamp on the side table, the height of the lamp shade matters too. The bottom of the shade should sit roughly at eye level when you are seated, so the light falls on your book without shining into your eyes.<\/p>\n Place the side table close to the sofa arm, with only a small gap between the two. You should be able to reach the table comfortably while sitting back. If the sofa is deep, a table that slides slightly under the arm or a C shaped table that tucks beneath the seat brings the surface closer.<\/p>\n The depth of the table should be similar to, or a little less than, the depth of the sofa arm. A table that projects well beyond the front of the sofa will catch knees and get in the way of anyone walking past.<\/p>\n Leather is a dense, solid looking material. Pairing it with another heavy material of the same colour can make a room feel dull. Contrast is usually the answer.<\/p>\n Black leather sofas look sharp beside glass, chrome, brushed brass and white or grey marble. Pale oak also works well, softening the contrast and adding warmth. Avoid very dark wood next to black leather, which can merge into one heavy block.<\/p>\n Warm browns pair naturally with wood, particularly oak and walnut, but choose a tone that is clearly lighter or darker than the leather. Black metal frames, smoked glass and travertine also look good with brown leather.<\/p>\n Tan leather is bright and warm, so it suits pale woods, white marble, rattan and matt black metal. Brass and bronze finishes complement its golden undertones.<\/p>\n Cooler leathers suit glass, chrome, white high gloss and light grey stone. A natural wood table adds warmth and stops a grey or white scheme feeling clinical.<\/p>\n Whatever the colour of your sofa, browse it alongside other pieces from our modern living room furniture UK<\/a> range to see how the finishes work together across the room.<\/p>\n A common mistake is to buy a side table in the same colour as the sofa, assuming they will match. The better approach is to match the style and contrast the shade.<\/p>\n A contemporary leather sofa with clean lines and slim legs suits a side table with a similarly simple outline: a round glass top on a metal base, a slender marble cylinder or a minimal wooden stool. A traditional leather sofa with deep buttoning and rolled arms suits something with more presence, such as a turned wooden pedestal, a drum table or a table with a lower shelf.<\/p>\n If your sofa sits between the two, as many do, you have more freedom. Look at the shape of the sofa legs and arms and echo one detail in the table, such as a tapered leg or a curved edge.<\/p>\n Round side tables soften the strong, straight lines of most leather sofas and are easier to walk past without catching a hip. Square and rectangular tables suit boxy modern sofas and offer more surface area for a lamp plus a drink.<\/p>\n Think about visual weight as well as size. A glass or open framed table looks light and suits a smaller room. A solid wooden or marble table looks heavier and needs more space around it. A large leather sofa can carry a more substantial side table. A compact two seater looks better with something slender.<\/p>\n A pair of matching side tables at each end of a sofa creates a balanced, symmetrical look that suits formal living rooms and traditional schemes. It also gives everyone on the sofa a surface within reach.<\/p>\n A single table at one end feels more relaxed and suits smaller rooms. If one end of the sofa sits near a wall or doorway, a single table at the open end is often more practical.<\/p>\n You can also mix two different tables, provided they share something in common, such as height, material or colour. A round marble table at one end and a small wooden stool at the other can look effortless when they sit at similar heights.<\/p>\n If you entertain often or have limited space, a nest of tables is a practical choice. One table sits beside the sofa day to day, and the others slide out when guests arrive. Our nest of tables UK<\/a> collection includes glass, wood and high gloss sets that tuck neatly beside a leather sofa.<\/p>\n C shaped tables, which slide under the sofa seat, also work well in smaller rooms. They bring a surface over your lap for a laptop or plate without taking up much floor.<\/p>\n Corner sofas create a different challenge. The open end usually needs a side table, but the corner itself is often hard to reach. A tall, narrow table or a lamp placed in the corner behind the sofa can fill that awkward space. Alternatively, a corner wedge table designed to sit in the angle provides a surface for lamps and drinks.<\/p>\n If you are unsure about terminology when shopping, our explainer on side tables, end tables and lamp tables in UK homes<\/a> sets out the differences clearly.<\/p>\n A side table beside a leather sofa usually carries a lamp, so plan the two together. The lamp base should take up no more than about half of the table top, leaving room for a mug, a book or a phone. A tall, slender lamp suits a small round table. A wider ceramic base needs a larger square surface.<\/p>\n Beyond the lamp, keep the arrangement light. A small tray gathers loose items such as remote controls and coasters, and stops the table looking cluttered. One decorative object, perhaps a small plant or a ceramic bowl, is enough. If everything on the table is functional, the sofa area feels calm and easy to use.<\/p>\n Tables with a lower shelf or a small drawer are useful in busy rooms. They hold magazines, chargers and reading glasses out of sight while keeping them within reach of the sofa. In a family room, this kind of hidden storage keeps the top surface clear for drinks.<\/p>\n A side table also links the sofa to the rest of the furniture. Repeating its material elsewhere, such as a glass side table with a glass coffee table, or an oak side table with an oak sideboard, makes the room feel coordinated. You do not need everything to match, but one or two repeated finishes help a scheme look intentional.<\/p>\n Side tables sit right beside the sofa, so a few precautions are sensible. Use coasters for hot and cold drinks, since condensation can mark both the table and the sofa arm. Make sure table lamps have a stable base and that their cables are tucked away. If your table has sharp corners, keep a small gap between it and the sofa so the edge does not rub the leather.<\/p>\n The right side table makes a leather sofa more comfortable and more attractive. Get the height and reach right first, then choose a material that contrasts with the leather and a style that suits the sofa’s shape. Whether you choose one table or two, glass or wood, the aim is a surface that is easy to use and looks like it belongs. You can see the full range of tables and sofas together at Furniture in Fashion<\/a>.<\/p>\n Aim for a table top level with the sofa arm or slightly below it. If your sofa has no arms, choose a table a little higher than the seat cushion.<\/p>\n It should suit the sofa’s style, but it does not need to match its colour. A contrasting material usually looks better beside leather.<\/p>\n Glass, chrome, brass, marble and pale wood all work well with black leather. Avoid very dark wood, which can make the arrangement look heavy.<\/p>\n Not always. Two tables create symmetry and convenience. One table suits smaller rooms or sofas placed near a wall or doorway.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Side tables are small pieces, but they decide whether a leather sofa is comfortable to live with day to day. In this guide, we explain how to choose a side table that works both practically and visually. We begin with height, the single most important…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":4,"featured_media":83736,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[3334],"tags":[1202,937,1403],"class_list":["post-83734","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-how-to-guide-for-your-home","tag-leather-sofas","tag-living-room-styling","tag-side-tables"],"acf":[],"post_mailing_queue_ids":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.furnitureinfashion.net\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/83734","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.furnitureinfashion.net\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.furnitureinfashion.net\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.furnitureinfashion.net\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/4"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.furnitureinfashion.net\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=83734"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.furnitureinfashion.net\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/83734\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.furnitureinfashion.net\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/83736"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.furnitureinfashion.net\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=83734"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.furnitureinfashion.net\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=83734"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.furnitureinfashion.net\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=83734"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}Get the Height Right First<\/h3>\n
Depth, Reach and Position<\/h3>\n
Choosing a Material to Suit Your Leather<\/h3>\n
Black leather<\/h3>\n
Brown and chestnut leather<\/h3>\n
Tan and cognac leather<\/h3>\n
Grey and white leather<\/h3>\n
Match the Style, Not the Shade<\/h3>\n
Shape and Proportion<\/h3>\n
One Table or Two?<\/h3>\n
Nests of Tables and Flexible Options<\/h3>\n
Corner Sofas and Side Tables<\/h3>\n
What to Put on the Table<\/h3>\n
Thinking About the Whole Room<\/h3>\n
Protecting the Leather<\/h3>\n
Bringing It Together<\/h3>\n
Frequently Asked Questions<\/h3>\n
How high should a side table be next to a leather sofa?<\/h3>\n
Should a side table match the sofa?<\/h3>\n
What material side table goes with a black leather sofa?<\/h3>\n
Do I need side tables at both ends of the sofa?<\/h3>\n