Side and Console Tables

What is the difference between a side table and a console table?

A side table is small and roughly square or round, and it sits beside a sofa, chair or bed. A console table is long and narrow, usually 100 to 150 cm long and only 30 to 40 cm deep, and it stands against a wall or behind a sofa. Side tables serve the person sitting next to them; console tables serve the room, holding lamps, decor and the things you put down as you walk in.

A bedside table is a side table with a specific job, and an end table is simply another name for a side table at the end of a sofa.

Sizes at a glance

Our consoles run from about 120 cm (47 inches) to 140 cm (55 inches) long, which suits most entrance walls and the back of a three-seater sofa. See side table sizes and heights for more detail.

How high should a side table be?

A side table should be within about 5 cm of the arm of the sofa or chair beside it. Slightly lower is fine; noticeably higher feels awkward because you have to lift your elbow to put a cup down. Measure the arm height of your sofa first. Many modern sofas have arms of 55 to 65 cm, but low-arm and track-arm designs can be as low as 50 cm.

For a sofa with no arms, or a sectional end without an arm, match the table to the seat height plus 10 to 15 cm. Beside the bed, keep the top level with the mattress or up to 5 cm above it, so a phone or glass of water is in easy reach when you lie down. If your bed is from our beds collection, tell us the mattress height and we can suggest a table height.

Where side tables work best

• At the sofa arm: one at each end for balance, or one on the side where you usually sit.
• Between two chairs: a small round table between two accent chairs creates a conversation corner. Read accent chair placement ideas.
• In a reading corner: a table with a shelf or drawer for the current book and glasses. See reading corner ideas.
• In place of a coffee table: two side tables at the sofa arms leave the floor clear for children to play or for morning yoga.
• Beside the bed: two matching tables give a calm, hotel feel; two different ones feel more relaxed.

Console tables: four useful places

At the entrance

In most Indian flats the main door opens into the living room or a short passage. A slim console gives keys, mail, sunglasses and masks a home, and a mirror above it lets you check yourself on the way out. Put a basket or a small bench underneath for shoes. Our article on entryway furniture ideas shows layouts for narrow and wide entrances.

Behind a sofa

When a sofa floats in the room with its back to the dining area, a console behind it hides the sofa back, holds lamps and gives you a place to put a drink down from the dining side. Keep the console at or just below the height of the sofa back. See floating a sofa in the middle of a room.

Under a TV or mirror

A console can stand in for a TV unit in a small room or a bedroom, if you do not need much storage. Check the depth is enough for the set-top box. For larger screens and more storage, see our TV units and sideboards.

As a small desk

A console of 40 cm depth or more can work as a standing or sitting desk for occasional laptop use. Most consoles are shallower, so measure your laptop and check before you plan around it. Read setting up a home office in the living room.

Shapes and bases

Round side tables on a single pedestal or drum base are compact and easy to walk around, which suits tight spaces beside a sofa. Three-legged tables never wobble, even on uneven floors. Square tables line up neatly with a sofa arm and suit straight-lined rooms. Drum and fluted bases look solid and often hide a storage compartment. On a console, four legs give the most stability; a solid base or cabinet-style console holds more.

Wherever small children run around, choose a heavy base or a wide footprint so the table cannot tip when someone grabs it.

Materials in this collection

• Sintered stone: heat- and stain-resistant, so hot cups and oily snacks will not mark it. A black top looks crisp next to light upholstery.
• Travertine: warm, textured natural stone. Use coasters, as it can stain if liquids stand on it.
• Fluted wood: vertical grooves give depth and a crafted look. Dust the grooves with a soft brush.
• Oak and rustic wood: warm and easy to live with; a natural fit for consoles and entrances.
• Cane: light and airy, suited to relaxed, coastal and Scandinavian rooms. Keep it out of strong sun.
• Upholstered: a fabric-wrapped console softens a hard entrance or bedroom wall, and works well in a quiet room where it will not be knocked.

Side tables with storage

A small table with a drawer, a shelf or a hidden compartment keeps the top clear. Beside a sofa, it holds the remote, chargers and coasters. Beside a bed, it holds medicines, a torch for power cuts and the book you are reading. A storage console with drawers at the entrance hides keys, spare masks and the bill folder. If you need more storage than a small table can give, consider living room storage ideas.

Bedside tables in small bedrooms

In many city bedrooms the bed nearly fills the width of the room, leaving only 40 to 50 cm on one side. A round side table of 40 cm across fits where a boxy bedside cabinet will not, and its curved edge is gentler on shins in the dark. If space is tighter still, use a wall-mounted reading light so the table only needs to hold a phone and a glass of water. Where both sides of the bed are free, a pair of tables with a drawer each keeps everyone's things separate. Leave at least 5 cm between the table and the headboard, so the bed can be made without moving the table.

Side tables for elderly parents

Older relatives often use a side table as something to steady themselves on when getting up from a chair. For them, choose a heavy, wide-based table that does not rock, at the height of the chair arm, with rounded edges and nothing breakable on top. A drawer for spectacles, medicines and the TV remote saves trips across the room. Avoid tables with thin legs or glass tops in the room they use most.

Lamps and side tables

A side table is often there to hold a lamp, so plan them together. The bottom of the lampshade should sit roughly at eye level when you are seated, about 100 to 110 cm from the floor, so the light falls on your book without glare in your eyes. That usually means a lamp of 50 to 60 cm on a 55 to 60 cm table. Check that a socket is within reach, or plan a neat cable route along the back of the sofa. See living room lighting ideas for more.

Mixing and matching

Side tables do not have to match each other or the coffee table. Two different side tables at the sofa ends, linked by a shared colour or material, look collected over time. If you want a set, nesting tables give you two or three related pieces that can be split around the room when guests arrive. A good rule is to vary the shape or material from the coffee table: a stone coffee table with wooden side tables, or a round coffee table with square side tables.

What changes the price

Stone tops cost more than wood, and natural stone like travertine needs careful finishing. Drawers, compartments and doors add hardware and joinery. Fluted, drum and sculpted bases take more hand work than straight legs. Longer consoles use more material and need stronger frames. Each product page shows a starting price, and we confirm any change before production.

Mistakes to avoid

• A table higher than the sofa arm. It looks wrong and is awkward to use.
• A console too deep for the passage. Keep at least 90 cm of clear walkway in front of it.
• Light tables near children. Small tables tip easily if grabbed; choose a heavy base.
• Forgetting the socket. A lamp with a long cable across the floor is a trip hazard.
• Too many small tables. Three or four small surfaces in one room look cluttered.

Checklist before you order

1. Measure the sofa arm, bed mattress top or wall where the table will go.
2. Decide what the table must hold: a lamp, a cup, keys or decor.
3. Check walkway clearance, especially for consoles in passages.
4. Choose a top that suits daily use: stone for cups and snacks, wood or cane for decor.
5. Note where the nearest socket is.

Made to order, delivery and care

Because each table is made after you order, we can often change the height, length or finish to fit a particular sofa arm, bedside or niche between two doors. Send us measurements and a photo on WhatsApp, and we confirm the size on a drawing before production. Side and console tables are small enough for most lifts; stone tops are packed carefully and travel separately where needed. Wipe stone with a soft damp cloth, dust wood and fluting with a soft brush, and keep cane and wood away from damp walls during the monsoon. Browse all our tables for matching pieces.