Scandinavian Coffee Table

What each model offers

Manora Table Basse Ronde

78cm Diam. x 43cm H · Oak

This Scandinavian table measures 78 cm across and 43 cm high: a round, two-tier oak top, with a low shelf that works as storage as much as a display spot for a vase or books. The wood grain stays visible under a matt varnish, in keeping with the look. The trade-off: the round, two-tier shape takes up more floor space than a simple flat top, so check the clearance around it before ordering.

around £70 View on Amazon

The largest tabletop

GOPLUS Table Basse Marbre Faux 2 Niveaux

105x55x46,5CM · White

This Scandinavian table measures 105 cm long by 55 cm deep, and 46.5 cm high: this white table plays on the contrast between a faux-marble top and a black iron frame, a mix that strays a little from pure Scandinavian style but keeps the low shelf typical of the genre. The iron structure holds weight well. Faux marble, unlike real stone, scratches more easily if you slide an object across it.

around £70 View on Amazon

The cheapest

POSNORD Table Basse Ronde Ø75 cm

75x75x50,5cm · Olive

This Scandinavian table measures 75 cm across and 50.5 cm high, standing on three beech legs: it keeps things simple, with no drawer or shelf. The MDF top wipes clean with a sponge and doesn't show fingerprints. The trade-off of this minimalist choice: with no storage, it doesn't suit anyone looking to hide remotes and magazines under the top.

around £60 View on Amazon

Menzzo Table Basse scandinave Bergen Blanc & Bois Clair

95 · Wood/White

A pairing of white and light wood that stays within the expected tones of Scandinavian style, with several discreet drawers for tucking away remotes and small items instead of leaving them on the top. The manufacturer doesn't give a usable length figure: check the product listing before ordering if floor space is your main concern. Once full, the drawers add weight overall and slide less smoothly over time.

around £90 View on Amazon

Table Basse Tibor Style scandinave Design Vintage Nordique Table de Sa

90 x 36 x 60 cm · White

This Scandinavian table measures 90 cm long by 60 cm deep and 36 cm high: this rectangular solid-pine table combines two drawers and two open nooks, so you can split what gets put away from what stays within reach. The white stain lets the wood grain show through underneath, a detail that sets it apart from a plain lacquered white finish. Solid pine is softer than oak: avoid setting a sharp object directly on the top.

around £100 View on Amazon

Viosimc Table Basse Salon Chêne Craft & Blanc

90 cm x 60 cm x 45 cm · Oak - White

This Scandinavian table measures 90 cm long by 60 cm deep, and 45 cm high: the craft-oak-and-matt-white pairing sits on crossed X-legs that free up a middle shelf you can reach without bending down. It's the most open structure of the six, designed for putting magazines or baskets on show rather than hiding them away. That open shelf, precisely because it's open, needs more regular tidying than a closed drawer if visible clutter bothers you.

around £140 View on Amazon

What Scandinavian style really involves

Light wood and slim legs aren't just a matter of taste: they visually lighten a room in a way a dark, solid top never quite manages. Outside the Scandinavian palette, tables with a sleek finish chase the same visual lightness through plain colour rather than pale wood. Our pick of vintage finds proves a darker table can still work well in a small, bright living room. That's why this style shows up so often in small living rooms, where every square metre counts double.

In exchange, light wood shows marks and wear more than a dark top. A coaster or a table mat under hot items avoids marks that show up faster on pale oak than on walnut.

Also check the type of finish: a stain lets the wood grain breathe, while a glossy varnish protects it better but chips more at the corners over time. If raw metal appeals more than pale wood, the industrial or Scandinavian coffee table comparison is worth reading first. On the models on this page, lacquered white finishes need the same care as a lacquered kitchen: a soft cloth, never an abrasive sponge.

Key point On the models on this page, lacquered white finishes need the same care as a lacquered kitchen: a soft cloth, never an abrasive sponge.

The right height for your sofa

A coffee table should never sit higher than your sofa's seat, which usually falls between 45 and 60 cm. Above that, putting down a glass means lifting your arm rather than simply reaching out, which breaks the comfort you're after. Once the height works, shape becomes the deciding factor, and our design coffee table selection shows what a stronger silhouette does to a plain living room.

All six tables on this page stay under that limit, but the gap between them matters: a few centimetres more or less feels different depending on whether your sofa is low or deep-seated. Take a tape measure to your own sofa before deciding — the table further down gives the exact height of each model.

Also leave 40 to 50 cm of clearance between the table's edge and the sofa, so you don't knock your knees sitting down or standing up a little too quickly.

Key point Also leave 40 to 50 cm of clearance between the table's edge and the sofa, so you don't knock your knees sitting down or standing up a little too quickly.

Open or closed storage: a real choice

Tables with drawers hide everything, but a full drawer eventually sticks if you cram in too many heavy items. Open-shelf models, on the other hand, force you to keep what's on show neatly arranged, or the clean, pared-back Scandinavian effect disappears quickly.

Before choosing, think about what you actually want to store: books and a throw work well on an open shelf, while remotes and chargers are better off disappearing into a drawer. For cleaner, more contemporary lines, the modern or Scandinavian coffee table comparison is worth a look. A two-tier table, like some on this page, lets you do both: the drawer for clutter, the shelf for what's on display.

Key point A two-tier table, like some on this page, lets you do both: the drawer for clutter, the shelf for what's on display.

The sociable spirit of Scandinavian style

Scandinavian style isn't just about looks: it comes from a way of living in the living room centred on natural light and simple materials. A light-wood coffee table reflects more daylight than a dark top, a real advantage in a north-facing or low-light living room.

The colours that go with this style stay understated: white, light grey, natural wood. If your sofa is already a strong colour, a discreet Scandinavian table avoids visually overloading the room. Conversely, in a living room with neutral walls, a table with a darker top, like the olive model on this page, brings in the contrast that's missing.

If a more sculptural top tempts you, the Scandinavian or design coffee table comparison is worth reading too. One last pointer before ordering: the table's length should cover roughly two-thirds of your sofa's, no more and no less, to keep the room feeling balanced.

Key point One last pointer before ordering: the table's length should cover roughly two-thirds of your sofa's, no more and no less, to keep the room feeling balanced.

Slim legs, delicate floors: precautions to take

Scandinavian style relies on tapered legs, often in solid wood or slim metal, which concentrate the table's whole weight onto a small area of floor. On delicate parquet or tiling, that concentration marks the surface faster than a wide base would.

A set of felt pads under each leg fixes the problem in a few minutes and protects laminate flooring as well as older tiling. It's a simple step, often forgotten at delivery, that prevents years of small scratches you'd never notice at first glance.

For a more rustic, worn-in look, the Scandinavian or rustic coffee table comparison is worth reading. On models with castors or sliding feet, also check that the living-room rug, if there is one, stays thick enough to stop the table shifting slightly at the smallest knock from a knee.

Key point On models with castors or sliding feet, also check that the living-room rug, if there is one, stays thick enough to stop the table shifting slightly at the smallest knock from a knee.

Choosing between the six models for your living room

A small living room benefits from favouring the round, compact tables on this page, which leave more open visual space than a large rectangle. A more generous living room, on the other hand, can take a two-tier table without the whole thing feeling overloaded.

If you often have guests, a model with closed drawers keeps the living room presentable with one quick tidy before people arrive, while an open shelf means planning your tidying a little earlier in the day.

If an older, character-filled piece appeals more than clean Scandinavian lines, the Scandinavian or vintage coffee table comparison is worth a final look. Finally, think about the colour of your floor: a light parquet pairs easily with a white or olive top, while a darker floor shows off the natural oak grain seen on several models in this selection.

Key point Finally, think about the colour of your floor: a light parquet pairs easily with a white or olive top, while a darker floor shows off the natural oak grain seen on several models in this selection.

The table that decides

Model	Price approx.	Dimensions	Finish
POSNORD Table Basse Ronde Ø75 cm	£60	75x75x50,5cm	Olive	View on Amazon
GOPLUS Table Basse Marbre Faux 2 Nivea	£70	105x55x46,5CM	White	View on Amazon
Manora Table Basse Ronde	£70	78cm Diam. x 43cm H	Oak	View on Amazon
Menzzo Table Basse scandinave Bergen B	£90	95	Wood/White	View on Amazon
Table Basse Tibor Style scandinave Des	£100	90 x 36 x 60 cm	White	View on Amazon
Viosimc Table Basse Salon Chêne Craft	£140	90 cm x 60 cm x 45 cm	Oak - White	View on Amazon