Coffee Tables

A coffee table sees more of your life than almost any other piece of furniture. It's there for quiet Sunday mornings and the busiest Saturday nights. Finding the right one matters.

At Early Settler, we've been helping Australians find the right living room furniture since 1985. We carry coffee tables to suit different homes, rooms and budgets. Whatever your space, there's a table here that fits.

A coffee table is the central surface piece in a living room, positioned in front of the sofa to anchor the seating arrangement. It ties the rug, the seating and the wider room together into something that feels deliberate.

The right coffee table makes the whole room feel considered. Early Settler's Melbourne design team creates coffee tables for rooms that get lived in. That approach shows in every piece, and in the rooms that end up with one.

Coffee table size should be roughly two-thirds the length of your sofa. For a 2.4m sofa, that means 140-160cm, with at least 40cm between the table and the sofa. Coffee table height should sit between 40-45cm, level with or just below most sofa cushions.

Small coffee tables and low profiles keep things feeling open. In small spaces, compact or nesting coffee tables under 80cm are the go-to. If scale is hard to judge at home, Early Settler's 54 stores across Australia let you try pieces in person.

Shape has a direct impact on how a room flows. The right one depends on your sofa type and the way you use the space.

– A round coffee table works best in smaller rooms and open-plan layouts. The curved edge improves traffic flow and eliminates sharp corners.
– A rectangular coffee table suits longer sofas and larger rooms, anchoring a wide space where a round would get lost.
– An oval coffee table gives you the softness of a round with more usable surface area. It's the right call when you want flow but need more room on top.
– A square coffee table works best with L-shaped or modular sofas, where equal access from multiple sides matters.

Every surface behaves differently when life happens around it. Early Settler's coffee table range spans timber, stone, metal, glass and more, each suited to a different home and level of upkeep.

Each material has its sweet spot:

• Wooden coffee tables in oak or teak bring warmth and longevity. Early Settler carries reclaimed teak aged up to 100 years.
• Marble coffee tables or travertine tops suit formal rooms and stand up to daily use.
• Stainless steel and metal frames suit contemporary styling and keep their finish with minimal upkeep.
• Bone inlay works best in rooms where the table needs to carry some decorative weight.
• Timber veneer delivers the timber look at a lower price and suits lower-traffic rooms best.
• Glass coffee tables open up a room visually and wipe clean easily, though they show fingerprints.
• Ceramic coffee tables are hard-wearing and water-resistant, a practical choice for family homes.
• MDF table tops are the most affordable option and suit lower-traffic areas well.

For most Australian households, a coffee table with storage earns its spot faster than a surface-only piece. Drawers work best for smaller items and a tidier look, while open shelves suit books and baskets. A lift-top handles bulkier items you'd rather keep out of sight.

A good storage coffee table looks just as considered as a statement piece. Because Early Settler sources directly, you get the same design without paying a premium for the added function.

Coffee tables are very much still in style. Modern coffee tables in organic, natural forms and solid timber have replaced glass and chrome as the dominant look. Travertine surfaces, oval shapes and earthy tones are the coffee table ideas Australians are actually acting on.

The range at Early Settler reflects both directions well. Pieces with a classic, coastal feel come in natural timber with warm, earthy tones. Contemporary designs in travertine, stone and metal sit at the other end of the range.

Whether it's a sleek mocha rectangle or a circular marble top, every coffee table has its own care needs. A little regular attention goes a long way:

• Solid wood – Wipe with a damp cloth for everyday cleaning and re-oil occasionally to keep the grain in good shape.
• Marble – Wipe spills immediately and keep acidic liquids away from the surface.
• Rattan/Wicker – Dust regularly and keep it out of prolonged direct sunlight to prevent drying out.
• Lacquered finishes – A damp cloth is all you need to keep the surface looking clean.

Beyond the day-to-day, every Early Settler coffee table comes backed by a 12-month warranty, so if something isn't right, it's covered.

Find the right coffee table, and the rest of the room starts to make sense. Browse Early Settler's range online and shop side tables, sofas, rugs, outdoor coffee tables, lighting and home decor while you're there. Or visit one of our stores to see pieces in person.

Oh, and one more thing before you start browsing. Home Club is free to join and gives members early access to new ranges and member pricing, so it's worth signing up first.

Start with a tray to anchor the arrangement, then layer two or three objects at different heights. A plant, a stack of books or a sculptural object grounds it. The table should feel in scale with the sofa, not crowded.

Nesting coffee tables are a set of two or more tables designed to stack or sit together, then separate when you need more surface space. They work especially well in smaller living rooms where flexibility matters more than a fixed centrepiece.

A coffee table sits in front of the sofa and anchors the seating arrangement. A side table sits beside a chair or sofa and serves a more personal function, like holding a lamp, a drink or a book. The main difference is position and scale.

Round and oval coffee tables make a room feel more open because their curved edges don't interrupt the eye or block sightlines. Glass tops work the same way, creating the illusion of more floor space. An open or slender-legged base helps, too.