Which Coffee Table for an Elegant Look?

Elegance comes down to small details

A slim gold metal leg radically changes how a coffee table reads, even on an otherwise simple model. That same attention to detail also shows up in the top itself, and the tiled-top section is built entirely around it. It's often this detail, more than the size of the top, that gives the impression of a polished living room rather than one furnished at the bare minimum. Nothing shows off a slim metal leg better than a see-through top, as our pick of the best tempered glass coffee tables demonstrates.

The catch: these more elaborate finishes generally cost more than a plain wood or simple metal model, and need more careful upkeep to stay flawless.

A wood or glass coffee table comparison is worth a look if you're weighing up the top material. A dry microfibre cloth, run over the gold parts every week, stops the build-up of marks that quickly dulls this kind of finish.

Key point A dry microfibre cloth, run over the gold parts every week, stops the build-up of marks that quickly dulls this kind of finish.

Real marble or marble-effect

Real marble stays cold to the touch, very heavy, and costs noticeably more than printed marble-effect glass. It does, however, tolerate direct heat from a dish, which glass never accepts without risking a crack.

The dedicated glass tabletop collection range narrows things down further. For a living room mostly used for a cup or a book, marble-effect glass is more than enough and eases the budget without visually betraying the look you're after.

Key point For a living room mostly used for a cup or a book, marble-effect glass is more than enough and eases the budget without visually betraying the look you're after.

Where to place an elegant table for the best effect

A table with gold legs or a bevelled glass top makes the most of natural light: placed near a window, it catches the reflections that give it its visual appeal in the first place. Tucked in a dark corner, that same chic effect goes almost unnoticed.

A walnut coffee table brings a similar polish in a warmer wood tone. A nearby lamp brings back that play of reflections in the evening, a detail many overlook when choosing but which really changes how the piece reads once night falls.

Key point A nearby lamp brings back that play of reflections in the evening, a detail many overlook when choosing but which really changes how the piece reads once night falls.

The real cost of an elegant coffee table over time

Beyond the purchase price, often higher than for a basic model, these tables need more regular care to live up to their look: more frequent cleaning of gold parts, extra care with glass or marble to avoid knocks.

A rattan coffee table offers a more relaxed elegance with far less upkeep. This extra upkeep time stays modest — a few minutes a week — but it's part of the deal: a neglected elegant table quickly loses its appeal, while a simpler table tolerates more neglect without it showing as much.

Key point This extra upkeep time stays modest — a few minutes a week — but it's part of the deal: a neglected elegant table quickly loses its appeal, while a simpler table tolerates more neglect without it showing as much.

The models, one by one

The most compact

Ginhow Table de Salon avec Effet marbre

80x80x45cm + 60x60x45cm · White and Black

A marble-effect top in printed glass, 80 cm long, on gold legs. The marble look costs far less than real marble and weighs less too, but it can't take a hot dish placed directly on it, unlike stone.

around £90 View on Amazon

The cheapest

IDMarket, Table Basse Plateau relevable Chicago Coffre Effet Vieilli

100 x 55 x 40 · Multicoloured

A round table in smoked tinted glass, 100 cm across. The smoked tint softens the reflection of clear glass and hides dust better day to day, but it's still glass: a hard knock can always chip an exposed corner.

around £60 View on Amazon

The largest tabletop

VASAGLE Table Basse, Table de Salon Relevable

114 cm x 58 cm x 17.5 cm · White Snow

A model in buttoned velvet for the matching low seating, 114 cm long, with a gold wood frame. Velvet brings an unusual soft material to a coffee table, but it marks with repeated touching and needs regular brushing to stay crisp.

around £100 View on Amazon

Hzuaneri Table Basse, Table de Salon Relevable

100cm×50cm×45cm · Black

An oiled teak top on slim gold legs, 45 cm tall. The mix of wood and gold metal softens the overly cold feel of an all-metal frame, though teak still needs its yearly oil treatment to avoid greying.

around £100 View on Amazon