I think it depends on your style of furniture. I guess you don't have your sofas yet?

Also, take into consideration... will you be putting your feet up on the coffee table?

Personally, I tend to prefer rounded corners to coffee tables. It's a practicality thing... fewer corners to bang my shins on, lol...

It would help us if you could post photos of what you have, and what you'd LIKE to have.

Is that possible?

mcclarke - I will see what I can post up on here. My problem is I like too many things ! I can't make a darn decision! It is so hard when you are doing this all by yourself. When I was married, my dh had wonderful taste and really helped me w/furniture, drape, color decisions.

Will get back to you with more info

I also prefer round coffee tables, for practicality, but also because I tend to choose round things over square things every time. They just feel better to me. (Not sure what that says about me)
Dee

It really depends on the space and the circumstances. For example, In some rooms, there's an excess of hard geometry (square and rectangles) that would benefit from the softness of a round shape. In some rooms, a rectangle coffee table might be a space saving issue.

If we could see your space, I bet you would get some good recommendations.

I like to balance what's going on in a room. If there are very clean square lined pieces of furniture I like to counter balance w/ a round or oval table and vice verse. But that's surely not a hard and fast rule that I follow.

Currently I have a rectangular coffee table w/ a shelf underneath that I paid $2 for at a thrift shop. I got it to use instead of the 42" round banana leaf table that I was using. The rectangular table works well for us at this time because of the kids and crazy small size of the room but I can't wait to break out my round table again! I also store a basket of childrens books on the shelf of the current table. I'm desperatley hoping that when I get a smaller scale sectional that my round table will fit better.

We have so many rectangular and square pieces in our LR and DR which adjoin one another, I chose a round cocktail table for LR. It was just what the room needed. My room isn't huge, but I do think you need to have a bit more room in the LR to handle a round coffee table.

Any pics?

We also have lots of rectangular and square furniture pieces and objects in our home and chose a round cocktail table and end tables. They've worked out really well - provides more space around our sectional and softens all the angles.

I would never decide ahead of time if my room "needed" a round or a square table...
Go shopping for a table and see what floats your boat....
I am constantly amazed that so many admire the "aquired" style of decorating worry about things like the basic shape of a coffee table.
It's the table....not the shape that really matters.
Linda c

Linda c, there are so many facets to design that don't just involve "acquiring" items. While I love pieces that make me happy, I also want the room to be pleasing to the eye.

Design is an art form and with that I follow both principles and elements of design that were part of my formal education in design school. These are more scientifically based and exists through all genres of design.

In this case of coffee tables, we explore the concept of Variety. If there is lack of variety, then a space feels flat and when a space has too much variety, then it lacks unification.

I know that it's really dissecting the elements but I think that when people pay closer attention to these subtle nuances, then I think their space reflects it.

To conclude, I also want to say that each individual has their own goals when it comes to design. Some people don't need their homes to look professionally designed and some are not as analytical. Some just want a beautiful-to-them space. I see nothing wrong with that. I think in the end that we have to respect that there is diversity.

Definitely round or oval, I prefer round. I have a perfect square one because my design has lots of curves in the furniture, it's all in the balance.

I had square most of my life and then I tried a round and I hated it.
I just find the sqaure shapes flow and coincide so much better with the angles of the couches.

I am having the same dilemma how can I post pics and get advice?

I always choose square because functionality trumps form in my main living area. I like to be able to put my feet (no shoes of course!) on the coffee table when I watch tv, so a square shape makes that much easier. Softness and curves I leave to other parts of the room.