Coffee Table Dimensions: Standard Size and Height, With 9 Real Tables Measured
Short answer
A standard coffee table is 16 to 18 inches tall: level with the sofa seat or a little lower. Size it to about two-thirds the length of the sofa, so 56 inches for an 84-inch sofa. Most of the rectangular tables we measured are about 35 to 51 inches long and 22 to 31 inches deep, and the round ones 27½ to 29½ inches across.
16–18″
standard height
⅔
of the sofa’s length
14–18″
from the sofa
Contents
Standard coffee table size
There isn’t one standard size, because the table is sized to the sofa. Living Spaces and Pottery Barn both give the same rule: the table should be about two-thirds as long as the sofa.
| Sofa length | Table length (⅔) |
|---|---|
| Loveseat, 58″ | 39″ |
| Compact sofa, 72″ | 48″ |
| Standard sofa, 84″ | 56″ |
| Long sofa, 90″ | 60″ |
Treat two-thirds as a guide, not a limit. In a small room a shorter table leaves easier paths around its ends, and in a small place Living Spaces suggests side tables and an ottoman may be enough.
9 real coffee tables, measured
These are the sizes IKEA lists for its coffee tables, length by width, with the height:
| Table | Shape | Size | Height |
|---|---|---|---|
| IKEA BORGEBY | Round | 27½″ | 16½″ |
| IKEA VITTSJÖ | Round | 29½″ | 17¾″ |
| IKEA TRANERED | Square | 35⅜×35⅜″ | 16⅛″ |
| IKEA LACK | Rectangle | 35⅜×21⅝″ | 17¾″ |
| IKEA HOLMERUD | Rectangle | 35⅜×21⅝″ | 15¾″ |
| IKEA ÖRTRÄSK | Rectangle | 43¼×26¾″ | 13¾″ |
| IKEA LACK, large | Rectangle | 46½×30¾″ | 17¾″ |
| IKEA UGGLERUM | Rectangle | 51⅛×25⅝″ | 16⅞″ |
| IKEA STOCKHOLM | Rectangle | 70⅞×23¼″ | 15¾″ |
Eight of the nine are 15¾ to 17¾ inches tall. The low one is the ÖRTRÄSK at 13¾ inches, which sits 3¼ to 4¼ inches below a typical 17 to 18 inch sofa seat.
How tall should a coffee table be?
Living Spaces gives 16 to 18 inches as the standard height. What matters more is your sofa: the table should be the same height as the seat cushions or slightly lower (Pottery Barn), within an inch or two of the seat (Living Spaces). Then you can reach a cup without leaning down.
So measure your sofa’s seat height first. The IKEA KIVIK’s seat is 17¾ inches, the same as the LACK. The GULLVALLA’s is 16½, which suits the 16½-inch BORGEBY or the 16⅛-inch TRANERED.
Which shape suits a small room
- Rectangle or oval: works in a long, narrow room and has less impact on traffic than a square or round table (Living Spaces).
- Round or square: suits a smaller room (Living Spaces). The round VITTSJÖ is 29½ inches across.
- Glass, acrylic or mirror tops: look lighter and help a small room feel more open (Pottery Barn, Living Spaces).
- Storage or a lift top: a shelf or drawers hold the remotes, and a lift top raises the surface for eating or working from the sofa (Living Spaces).
How much room a coffee table needs
Set the table 14 to 18 inches in front of the sofa seat (Living Spaces). Its depth then adds straight to the depth of the seating area: a 35-inch-deep sofa, a 16-inch gap and a 21⅝-inch LACK take 72⅝ inches from the wall before you count the path beyond the table. Our guide to coffee table distance from the couch works through the gap, the path to the TV and three plans for a 10×12 room.
Free tool
Check a table against the space you have: the furniture size finder lists typical sizes for 36 pieces and marks what fits a width and depth you enter.
Questions people ask
What is the standard coffee table height?
16 to 18 inches (Living Spaces). Match it to your sofa: level with the seat cushions or slightly lower.
What is the standard size of a coffee table?
It depends on the sofa: about two-thirds of its length. Most of the rectangular IKEA tables above are about 35 to 51 inches long and 22 to 31 inches deep; the round ones are 27½ and 29½ inches across.
How big should a coffee table be for an 84-inch sofa?
About 56 inches long, two-thirds of 84. A shorter table is fine in a small room: it leaves more space to walk around the ends.
Is a round or rectangular coffee table better for a small living room?
Living Spaces suggests a round or square table for a smaller room, and a rectangular or oval one for a narrow room or a long sofa.
Should a coffee table be higher or lower than the couch?
Level with the seat or slightly lower (Pottery Barn). Living Spaces says within an inch or two of the seat height.
Sources
- Average Coffee Table Dimensions for Every Space (Living Spaces): standard height 16–18″, average about 17″; within 1–2″ of the seat; two-thirds of the sofa’s length; 14–18″ from the sofa; shapes, materials, lift tops
- The Coffee Table Buying Guide (Pottery Barn): two-thirds of the sofa’s length; same height as the seat cushions or slightly lower; glass looks lighter in a small space
- Coffee tables (IKEA US): product pages for the BORGEBY, VITTSJÖ, TRANERED, LACK, HOLMERUD, ÖRTRÄSK, UGGLERUM and STOCKHOLM