The golden rule for how tall a side table next to a sofa should be - according to design pros

For most of us, a side table is an absolute staple in our living room setup. Whether you use it to house a lamp or a spot to rest a cup of tea. But what is the perfect height for a side table next to a sofa?

For starters, yes, your living room needs a side table. But with so many side table out there, from smart cocktail tables to petite nestled tables, it can be tricky to work out what the ideal height for a side table next to a sofa should be. Too small or too big, a side table can instantly throw off the balance of your living room ideas.

Interior designers and stylists pay attention to a golden rule that dictates the ideal height between a sofa and a side table, which will save you from making that mistake ever again. Of course, it will involve a little bit of measuring on your part, but trust us when we say that it will be well worth taking a few seconds to get the tape measure out instead of having to worry about returning and reordering a side table that doesn’t work for your space.

First and foremost, the most important thing to take into consideration is the height of the arm of your sofa. You need to measure the exact height of yours before you even think about buying a side table or bringing one home.

According to Ethan Fox, Furniture Expert at Furniture World, ‘it is typically advised when choosing a side table for your sofa that the height should sit within 5cm of the height of your sofa's armrest. This allows a practical and aesthetically pleasing height for your side table.’

Ideally, you’re looking for the side table to be sitting at around the same height or slightly lower than that of your sofa’s armrest. And ‘depending on the height of your sofa, this will typically mean a side table with a height of somewhere between 20-24 inches (50-61 cm),’ says Lucy Mather, Interiors Expert at Arighi Bianchi.

Not only will this height ‘complement your sofa’s proportions and enhance the overall balance of the room, but it also allows easy access to necessities without having to reach up or down awkwardly,’ Lucy continues.

Most of the experts agree that, while of course you’ll want a side table that you like the look of, function is the most important attribute to consider and by choosing one that is at the right height you’ll be able to get the most out of it.

King Living's Design Development Manager, Tanya Rechberger, sums it up best. ‘A side table acts as an extension of your sofa. Because of this, it should be level to the armrests, allowing you to easily place objects without stretching up or down to reach the surface.’ Essentially, you want to ‘avoid choosing a table that’s too tall or short for the couch, as this can result in an unflattering, unharmonious appearance,’ Sam Deeble, Furniture Specialist at Woods Furniture, proposes.

If you intend on placing a lamp on your side table and having that be its main function, there is some leeway when it comes to having the side table be around two inches higher than the arm of your sofa, according to the experts. But any higher could cause some issues.

Basically, ‘if the side table is too low or high in relation to the sofa, the user will have to stretch over the arms to reach the table, adding unnecessary strain on their body and the sofa,’ Tanya reveals. And the last thing we want to be doing, when we’re trying to relax at the end of a long day, is to put any additional strain on ourselves.

FAQs

What else should you consider when buying a side table for your living room?

While the height of a side table is obviously important, you’ll also want to think about the shape, size, material and – as we mentioned earlier – functionality of it. As you start to think about what type of side table would work best for you and your household, what will its primary purpose be? For example, if it’s just to display a lamp or vase of flowers, a specific style might be better, compared to one where you’ll regularly be picking up drinks, food, remotes and more, from it.

James Sheldon, Furniture Expert and Owner of Online Sofa Shop, notes a few things you might want to take into consideration: ‘a round side table creates a softer, more relaxed seating area. Whereas, in contrast, sharper square or rectangular side tables create a more structured and formal interior design.’

When it comes to the material, ‘a marble side table evokes luxury while a wooden side table creates a warming environment, perfect for winter. Meanwhile, a glass side table creates a more contemporary or modern interior,’ he continues. You might even want to make your side table a statement piece in your living room, by picking out one in a bold colour or pattern, while natural tones can carry on a cohesive and calming look.

If you’re looking for a sleeker finish, you might not want one with storage, but given that we can always utilise more storage options in our home to keep things organised, we would personally recommend selecting one with a drawer or magazine holder to blend style and function.

Here are a few of our top picks…