Dining, Coffee and Side Tables

Which table should you buy first?

For most households the dining table comes first, because it is used three times a day and decides how the family eats, works and hosts. The coffee table comes next, because it anchors the sofa and holds tea, phones and the remote. Side and console tables are the finishing pieces: smaller, easier to change later, and best chosen once the big pieces are in place.

If you are furnishing a new flat on a budget, a sensible order is dining table and chairs, then a sofa with a coffee table, then side tables and a console as the months go by. Our guide to planning furniture for a new flat goes through the whole home in that spirit.

The four kinds of table at a glance

Each type has its own detailed guide: dining tables, coffee tables and side and console tables.

How high should each table be?

A table should be measured against the seat beside it, not against the floor. That one rule solves most height problems.

• Dining table: 28 to 32 cm above the chair seat. Standard chairs are 45 to 47 cm high, which is why most dining tables sit at about 75 cm.
• Coffee table: level with the sofa seat or up to 5 cm lower. A low lounge sofa needs a lower table.
• Side table: within about 5 cm of the sofa or chair arm, so a cup can be put down without reaching up or bending down.
• Bedside table: level with the top of the mattress or slightly higher.
• Console: roughly at hip height, so keys and bags land on it naturally as you walk past.

See side table sizes and heights and coffee table sizes for more detail.

How much space does each table need?

The table itself is only part of the footprint. A dining table needs about 90 cm behind each chair so people can pull out and sit down; 75 cm is the minimum against a wall. A coffee table needs 40 to 45 cm between its edge and the sofa, close enough to reach but far enough for knees. Main walkways through a living room should stay at least 75 cm clear.

A quick test: lay newspaper or masking tape on the floor in the shape of the table, add the chairs, and walk through the room carrying a tray. If you turn sideways anywhere, the table is too big or in the wrong place. Our dining table size guide works through this for different room sizes.

Table tops compared

The top decides how a table copes with daily life, from hot tea glasses to turmeric and pickle oil. Here is how the main materials in our range behave.

For a family that cooks Indian food daily and eats at the table, sintered stone is the most forgiving dining top. For a coffee table that sees fewer meals, marble, travertine or wood are all practical with coasters. Read our comparison of dining table materials for the finer points.

Round, rectangular or oval?

Shape matters in every type of table, and the same logic applies to all of them. Round tables are easier to move around in tight rooms, have no corners for children to bump into, and bring people closer together. Rectangular tables fit long, narrow rooms and seat more people along their length. Oval tables sit between the two: the length of a rectangle with softer ends that free up walking space. Square tables suit square rooms and the crook of an L shape sofa.

In a typical Mumbai 2 BHK, where the dining area is part of the living room, a round or oval dining table and a round coffee table often make the flow easier than two rectangles. Our article on round vs rectangular coffee tables compares the two for the living room.

Should your tables match?

No. A home where the dining table, coffee table and side tables are all the same wood and the same design can feel like a showroom. It works better to repeat one thing and vary the rest. You might choose a walnut dining table, a coffee table with a stone top and a walnut base, and a cane side table. The repeated walnut ties them together; the stone and cane add interest.

Keep wood tones within the same family (all warm, or all cool) or make the contrast deliberate. If you already own a dark sideboard, pick a dining table a shade lighter or clearly different rather than an almost-match, which tends to look like a mistake. Our article on mixing old and new furniture has more on this.

Tables for small flats

Several designs in this range are made with compact homes in mind:

• Extendable dining tables seat four every day and six or eight when guests come for Diwali or a family lunch.
• Round pedestal dining tables fit four chairs into a corner without legs in the way.
• Storage coffee tables with drawers or a lift-up top hide remotes, chargers and board games.
• Nesting coffee tables slide apart when you need more surface and tuck away when you do not. See nesting tables for small homes.
• Slim consoles give an entrance a landing spot in a passage only a metre wide.

For ideas across the whole room, read small dining room ideas and space-saving furniture for Mumbai homes.

Pairing tables with seating

A table is only as comfortable as the seat beside it. Choose dining chairs at the same time as the dining table, checking that the chair arms (if any) slide under the table edge. For a breakfast counter or kitchen island, use bar or counter stools instead. In the living room, the coffee table follows the sofa: a long table for a straight sofa, a square or round one for an L shape sofa.

When the dining table is also the desk

In many flats the dining table doubles as a work desk, a homework table and a sewing table. If that is your home, a few details make a difference. A depth of at least 90 cm lets a laptop sit on one side while someone eats on the other. A matt or honed top shows fewer fingerprints and reflects less light from a window than a glossy one. A base set in from the edges keeps a chair from bumping a leg when you pull in close to type. And a socket within reach of one end saves a cable stretched across the floor. For a dedicated corner, see a home office in the living room.

Tables for homes with children and elderly parents

In a joint family, the right table is steady, rounded and easy to hold. Rounded or softened corners prevent the bumps toddlers get at head height on coffee tables. Heavier bases, such as stone tops or solid pedestals, are hard for a child to tip. For older relatives, a table they can lean on while getting up should not rock, so avoid very light side tables beside their favourite chair. Glass tops are best avoided where small children play, and a firm ottoman or rounded wooden table is often safer in front of the sofa.

What changes the price of a table

Size is the obvious factor, but the top material usually matters more. Stone tops cost more than wood finishes, and larger slabs cost more again because they are harder to cut and move without breakage. Extending mechanisms, drawers, lift-up tops and hidden compartments add hardware and workshop time. Sculptural bases, fluting and curved shapes take more hand work than four straight legs. Each product page shows a starting price, and we confirm any change before production.

Mistakes to avoid

• Buying the dining table without the chairs. A table that suits the room can still be too short for six chairs.
• Ignoring the base. A pedestal or U-shaped base decides where knees and chair legs can go.
• Choosing marble for a busy family table. Lemon, tamarind and vinegar etch it.
• Coffee tables that are too small. A tiny table in front of a big sofa looks lost and is hard to reach.
• Forgetting the floor. Heavy stone tables are difficult to move to clean underneath; use felt pads to protect tiles.

Made to order

Because we build each table after you order, many designs can change in length, width or height, or move to a different top. If your dining area is 10 cm too narrow for a standard size, or you want a console to fit exactly between two doors, send us the measurements and a photo on WhatsApp. We confirm everything on a drawing before production.

Delivery in apartment buildings

Most tables arrive with the base and top separate and are assembled in your home. Stone tops are crated and are the heaviest single piece, so check the lift cabin size, including the diagonal, and tell us about any stairs before the lift. For a large dining top, the lift door width and the turn from the corridor into the flat matter most.

Caring for tables in humid weather

Wood moves with moisture, so keep wooden tables away from wet walls and out of direct afternoon sun, and do not leave wet glasses standing on them. Wipe stone tops with a soft cloth and mild soap, not acidic cleaners. In the monsoon, run the AC or a dehumidifier now and then and check drawers for sticking. For a full routine, read monsoon furniture care in Mumbai.