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Home Decorating

How to size/scale a sofa table?

15 years ago

I am finally actively searching for a sofa table to back my nondescript dark chocolate leather couch. While I know what I want, I have no idea how high or long it should be. I know that this was an issue a while back, but I couldn't find any hard rules.

If scale matters, I want a rectangular, very frail-lined, metal/glass console table. Color doesn't matter because I want to spray it gold. Target has a end table that would be perfect in console size, but (of course) they don't carry the console size.

Also, are there any guidelines to accessorizing such a frail lined table? I worry that "stuff" will make it look top heavy.

Any rules or advice would be appreciated! : )

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Comments (8)

jillyjax
15 years ago
I think the height of the table depends on the seat height and length of your sofa.

How much do you want to lean over? Do you want a low sleek look?

I think the length also depends on the other furniture in the room. I envision a 1 to 1.5' space on each end of the sofa. But that might leave you with a very small table. Look at magazine photos to see what you like for scale. Then measure that out in newsprint in your room.
paint_chips
Original Author
15 years ago
My couch is 6'7". The back is 32", but if you include the back of the pillows, it is 37" tall.

So something around 4 feet long would work? How tall? As tall as the couch or the pillows?

I don't want sleek and low slung, but I am not sure how to describe. This is a picture of the table I love, but it needs to come in a console size.

Here is a link that might be useful: If only it was a console!
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Nancy Adamopoulos
15 years ago
What about this one at CB? it's a bit more expensive though.

CB console

or this one at CB2(better priced)? you can paint this one...

CB2 console

This one is at home decorators...

Homedecorators glass console

Here is a link that might be useful: Crate and Barrel Console table
parma42
15 years ago
Please excuse the old pic. We've actually made progress since I snapped it.

The two bunching tables by in front of my sofa were from Overstock.com. We spray painted them in a hammered metal finish.

Now I see in PB's catalogue, that they are showing the same look in tables. :(

I just checked and OS has the matching sofa table. You'd really want to paint them because the finish they come in is kind of yucky.

Here is a link that might be useful: Overstock
paint_chips
Original Author
15 years ago
Lishaana, I really like that C&B table. I had been looking for something without a shelf so I could eventually slide a bench underneath it, but now I am reconsidering. I also worry about spraying something that is a bit more expensive.

Parma, I am so glad that you sprayed yours and that it worked so well. You know, I always looked at your living room and thought your tables had to be PB. I would have never guessed OS! The original metal colors are pretty drab. Against my brown couch, anything other than gold/bright brass would get lost.

That C&B one is 29.5" tall. I know that there is a problem with sofa tables being too tall, but would that be too short? Am I supposed to match the height of the couch back or the pillows?
nanny2a
15 years ago
This looks similar to the one at Home Decorators, but has a better price, if your interested.

Here is a link that might be useful: Southern Enterprises console table
paint_chips
Original Author
15 years ago
Thanks, Nanny. I thought I had looked ~everywhere~ online, but I had never seen that site before. They have some stunning things, but I am still hesitant about committing to something that could be the wrong size.
Lou and Rose Costa
3 years ago
I have the same question - what height of sofa table with a frame height of 33 in and pillow height of 38 in?

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