I’ve definitely made my fair share of mistakes when buying furniture and accessories. Most of them had to do with choosing something that wasn’t the right scale for my space (the ginormous “Dr. Spock” chair that I bought for the small family room in our first house comes to mind…). Luckily, I’ve since figured out some tried and true tips that make it easy to get it right. So if you’re shopping for your family or living room and wondering how high your end tables should be or how large a rug you should buy, check out these must-have tips! (post contains some affiliate links – disclosure statement available {here})
What Size Coffee Table Should I Use With My Sofa?
- The ideal height for a coffee table is the height of the sofa’s seat cushions or 1-2″ lower
- The perfect length for a coffee table is ⅔ the length of the sofa
- Position the coffee table so that there’s 12-18″ of space between the sofa and coffee table
How High Should My Living Room End Tables Be?
- Side/end tables should ideally be within 2″ of a sofa’s arm height. My personal preference is for them to be 1-2″ lower than the sofa arm.
- Side tables should be no deeper than the depth of the sofa
How Tall Should a Console Table Be When It’s Placed Behind a Sofa?
- Console tables behind a sofa should be the same height as the back of the sofa or up to 1-3″ lower
How Large of a Rug Should I Choose For My Room?
- Area rugs should be large enough that at least two legs of each furniture piece are on the rug.
- For rugs that cover most of the room, a good rule of thumb is to leave between 12-18″ of bare floor between the edge of the rug and the walls of the room. For small rooms, you may wish to leave less bare floor while for especially large rooms you may wish to leave more.
And what about hanging art? Those tips are worthy of a post all their own – you’ll find all of my rule of thumb measurements for hanging art {here}.
Shari W. says
I am very good with decorating, painting, ragging, transforming old furniture to be stylish with the furniture I have in my home, sometimes change it all season to season, I have a small 2/2 condo and live alone, I do this for me, it’s my sanctuary ❤️Can not wait for tips, info and ideas other than my own!
Shelley R Williamson says
Where should I position the front of my end tables with respect to my sofa,
Shayla Cademis says
Thanks for your suggestion of having side/end tables one or two inches lower than the arm of the sofa. I’m remodeling my front room this month and have been trying to think of different ways to freshen up that area. I hope I’ll be able to find great end tables and pieces to decorate them with.
Brenda Nono says
Should a side tabe be on the area rug or the wood floor?
I need help asap! 🙁
Thanks!!
Bre Nono
Kris Jarrett says
Honestly it depends upon what else is going on in the room – most of the time I prefer for them to be on the rug!
Sarah says
What proportions do you suggest when buying a coffee table for a sectional?
Rachael says
Few…I passed with full marks…
Amanda says
I just found your website and am falling in love!! I am trying to figure out how to put large furniture in a small living room. My husband is 6’6″, so all the furniture I purchase has to “fit” him. We have a large movie sofa (108x40x48) and large man recliner (44x46x54). I am having trouble arranging them to “fit” the room.
Stacy Bosh says
Those are great tips , especially about the two legs of the couch on the rug . Your living room looks great !
Ellen says
Great tips! Exactly what I was taught in design school. I am excited about your idea for the series. I found you from Simple Details, so I am off to check out the rest of your blog.
Carol says
This suggestions are a treasure so thank you. Hoping you can give us your thoughts on appropriate chandelier size based on the size of the dining room and the table. Again, thank you!