How to Choose a Side Table: Height, Size and Where It Goes

Short answer: A common guideline is a side table with a top level with the arm of your sofa, or a little below it, so that you do not have to reach down for a cup. That is general advice, not a product specification. Our side tables run from 13.8 inches (35 cm) high for the Arca to 20.5 inches (52 cm) for the Eclipse, and our adjustable Solis goes from 20.7 to 30.7 inches (52.5 to 78 cm). Footprints range from 12.8 inches (32.5 cm) deep for the Solis to 21.7 inches (55 cm) square for the Arca.

A side table is the small piece you use all the time: a lamp, a drink, a phone, a book. It only works if the top is easy to reach from where you sit and if it does not crowd the space around it. The sections below cover height, size and placement, then the drawers, finishes and styles people ask about most.

On This Page

1. How high should a side table be?
2. Our side tables compared
3. Choosing a size for a narrow room, a sofa end or a bedside
4. Side tables with drawers and storage
5. Nesting tables and other ways to save space
6. Finishes that work with light-coloured sofas
7. Which table style suits an open-plan space?
8. Our recommendation
9. Explore our tables

How high should a side table be?

Start with the sofa or chair next to the table. Two numbers matter: the height of the seat and the height of the arm. A top between the two, closer to the arm, is easy to reach without lifting your elbow much. A top well above the arm blocks your view and feels awkward to use.

Seat and arm heights differ between our sofas, so measure the one you own or plan to buy. Our sofa seat depth and height guide explains how we measure seats. For reference, these are the seat heights of several of our collections, with arm heights where a single figure applies:

How high should a side table be?

Here is what that means for our tables:

• Neptune, Orian and Cassini: the seats are low, about 17 inches (43 cm). Side tables of 19.7 to 20.5 inches (50 to 52 cm) sit a few inches above the seat and, on the Orian, just under the arm.
• Ciello and Gaia: the seat is 21.3 inches (54 cm) high, so all of our fixed-height side tables sit below the seat cushion. That works for a drink you set down, but you will reach a little lower. The adjustable Solis can be raised to match.
• Low lounging: the Arca at 13.8 inches (35 cm) suits a floor-level or very low seat rather than a standard sofa.

Take the measurement yourself before you decide. Measure from the floor to the top of the arm and to the top of the seat cushion, then compare with the table heights below.

Our side tables compared

These are the overall dimensions as listed on our product pages. Oak and walnut are available on most of them, and the Mensa also comes in black wood.

Our side tables compared

Finishes and options can change, so check each product page before you order.

Choosing a size for a narrow room, a sofa end or a bedside

Where the table goes decides how big it can be. These are general guidelines, so adjust them to your room.

• Narrow room or tight walkway: the footprint matters more than the height. The Solis is only 12.8 inches (32.5 cm) deep, so it fits against a sofa without pushing into the walkway. A round table, such as the Eclipse at 19.9 inches (50.5 cm) across, has no corners to catch a hip. Keep about 30 to 36 inches (76 to 91 cm) clear where people walk.
• Beside a sofa or chair: leave a small gap so the table does not rub the arm, and keep the top within easy reach of your seat. On a sectional, put the table at the open end so you are not stepping over it.
• Beside the bed: a common guideline is a top close to the height of the top of your mattress, so that you can reach it lying down. Measure your mattress top and compare it with the table heights in the table above. Our adjustable Solis gives you the most range, from 20.7 to 30.7 inches (52.5 to 78 cm).
• Between two seats: a table around 20 inches (50 cm) square is large enough for a lamp and a cup without taking over the gap.

If you are also choosing a coffee table, read our guide to how to choose a coffee table and keep the two heights in proportion.

Side tables with drawers and storage

We do not make a multi-drawer chest-style side table, but several of our tables have a drawer, tray, shelf or built-in storage.

• Mensa: a compact side table, 19.7 inches (50 cm) square, with a drawer that pulls out. You can use it as a serving tray, a lap desk or open storage.
• Eclipse: a round side table with a removable top tray. The top rotates and lifts off, so it also works as a serving tray.
• Ombra: the side table has built-in shelf storage and an optional nesting ottoman for extra seating. The ottoman cover is removable and washable.
• Arca: the curved version has hidden storage and the fluted version has open storage.

Our guide to coffee tables with storage compares the same features in more detail. For larger storage, our living room storage guide covers shelves and cabinets.

Nesting tables and other ways to save space

None of our side tables is sold as a nesting or stacking set. What we offer instead are tables that save space in other ways.

• Ombra: the optional ottoman is designed to nest with the table, so you add seating only when you need it.
• Arca: two side tables connect with foot connectors to make one coffee table, so a pair can change roles.
• Solis: the 12.8-inch (32.5 cm) depth lets it sit close beside a sofa, which saves floor space.
• Matching pairs: two Tessella or Eclipse side tables can stand on either side of a sofa as a symmetrical pair.

For small and open layouts, see our guide to modular furniture for small and open spaces.

Finishes that work with light-coloured sofas

A light sofa shows contrast clearly, so the table finish changes the look of the whole corner. These are general guidelines, not rules.

• Oak: the lighter of our two wood tones. It keeps a cream or light grey sofa airy and calm.
• Walnut: the darker tone. It gives a light sofa a clear contrast and a more grounded look.
• Black wood: available on the Mensa. It makes a strong, graphic contrast against a white or cream sofa.
• Steel colours: the Solis comes in several steel colours, including dandelion, thyme and wave. A coloured table can be the one accent in a neutral room.

Pick one wood tone and repeat it across your tables so the room stays consistent. Our sofa colour guide helps you choose the sofa and the table together.

Which table style suits an open-plan space?

In an open-plan room, a side table has to look right from several angles and help define a zone. Simple shapes and a repeated finish tend to work best.

• Round tables: the Eclipse has no corners, so it looks soft from all sides and is easy to walk around.
• Clean rectangles and squares: the Tessella and Mensa have straight lines that match a modern sofa and keep sightlines open.
• Low tables: the Arca, at 13.8 inches (35 cm) high, keeps the profile low, which can help a large room feel open.
• A repeated finish: using the same wood tone on the side table and the coffee table ties the seating area together without a rug or wall to mark it.

Our recommendation

Choose by where the table goes, then check the height against your arm and seat.

• Beside a standard sofa: the Tessella side table at 20.0 inches (50.9 cm) or the Eclipse at 20.5 inches (52 cm).
• Narrow room or tight walkway: the Solis at 12.8 inches (32.5 cm) deep, or the round Eclipse.
• A drawer or tray: the Mensa side table, which has a pull-out drawer.
• A table that doubles as a seat: the Ombra side table with its optional nesting ottoman.
• Next to a higher seat or the bed: the Solis, with a range of 20.7 to 30.7 inches (52.5 to 78 cm).
• A low, floor-level look: the Arca at 13.8 inches (35 cm).

If you are unsure, our team can look at your room with you in a free design consultation.

Explore our tables

• Side tables
• Coffee tables
• Living room tables

Product specifications can change. Check the current dimensions on the product page before ordering.