There’s nothing like relaxing on the reclining sofa after a long day at work, propping up your feet, and setting your beverage of choice on the coffee table as you watch your favorite show.
Whether you’re buying furniture for your first home or a seasoned homeowner who wants to get the furniture arrangement right, you may be wondering where a coffee table with a reclining sofa should go.
You don’t want to wait until you’re struggling to reach the coffee table from the sofa or bumping your knee on a table that’s too close to the sofa to figure out the ideal ratio.
Luckily for you, we’ve figured out where a coffee table with a reclining sofa should go and we’ve shared our insights below.
Where should a coffee table with a reclining sofa go?
The best place to put a coffee table with a reclining sofa is the living room or den, where these pieces of furniture will see the most use. Family members and friends can gather on the sofa and set their drinks or books on the coffee table. A coffee table is also a great place to play games or keep remotes or game controllers for easy access.
In terms of where the coffee table should go around the reclining sofa, there are some rules to keep the coffee table from getting in the way of living room traffic or becoming a hassle instead of a convenience.
In an article by blog.modsy.com, experts explained that “What makes sectional sofas extra tricky is finding a coffee table that fits nicely into that little nook of space in front.” So ideally, decorators and homeowners alike should try their best to place a coffee table in the space in front of a reclining sofa.
Putting a coffee table behind the reclining sofa can create problems. For example, if you try to recline, you might bump into the coffee table and even break the table or the sofa. You might also accidentally squish household members who are enjoying the coffee table as you are relaxing on a recliner.
Neither of these outcomes is ideal and they are both avoidable with some planning.
A reclining sofa should be a comfortable, relaxing piece of furniture. If you have to worry about reclining too far and damaging the sofa or the coffee table, you may want to move the coffee table to the front or side of the couch. Alternatively, you can opt for a smaller coffee table that avoids colliding with the reclined sofa.
Related: Recliner vs Office Chair
Can you put a coffee table with a reclining sofa?
The short answer is that a coffee table and a reclining sofa usually make a good match for furniture that is functional and aesthetically pleasing. A coffee table can be a functional place to put food, drinks, or entertainment favors when you have guests over. It can also add an element of style to a living room if you choose an artistically crafted or unique coffee table.
What’s more, a coffee table is a great place to display your interests by placing large books on your favorite topics on the coffee table. It can be a good place to park a guestbook when entertaining or hosting guests.
A coffee table can go beside a reclining sofa for easy access, but it doesn’t have to stay there.
As trung-nguyen-online.com points out, “A coffee table is one of the most popular table structures in the workplace. If you want your furniture positioned behind a couch, a low coffee table may be an appropriate option. Alternatively, you can pull it out to provide another table space as needed.”
If you just want a space to place your drinks or reading glasses that are close to your recliner, you might want to consider an attached mini-table that sets on the arm of the recliner. A wooden armrest has all of the perks of a coffee table without the hassle of figuring out the dimensions or style that best matches your recliner.
Of course, when you live with multiple people or entertain, a coffee table might be the better solution.
Can you use a coffee table with a reclining sofa?
You can use a coffee table with a reclining sofa. When trying to match a coffee table with a reclining sofa, you may want to consider how the size of the coffee table matches the size of the reclining sofa. It’s a little more complicated than pairing a coffee table with a non-reclining sofa, but it is not an impossible task.
As an article on comfortstyled.com says, “Dimensions are important, most especially for a living room with a reclining sofa. The recliner takes up (a) little bit more space by elevating the footrest; hence, you need to accommodate that extra space with a suitable dimension of coffee table.”
Additionally, comfortstyled.com states that “Ideally, you would want your coffee table to be around 1 – 2 inches above or below your reclining sofa.” When it comes to functionality and looks, the height of the coffee table can make a huge difference.
A coffee table that falls below the ideal height will make the person relaxing on the recliner stretch to reach the table or stoop to its level.
When you’re comfortably sprawled out on the recliner, you probably won’t want to contort yourself or inconvenience yourself to reach your can of soda. A little planning and measuring before your purchase can save you this kind of trouble down the road.
