The humble coffee table has become part of the living room decor staple of many living rooms. A gathering place for family and guests, the living room, and the coffee table in particular, should be a place of comfort and relaxation. Often filled with large screen televisions, home theater systems and other electronic gadgetry, many of today’s living rooms can be full of visual distractions.

The coffee table has been a stable of American living rooms for decades. Decorative and practical, coffee tables serve multiple purposes. Whether used as a place to display knickknacks or simply a convenient place to sit a beverage, the coffee table is here to stay. From plain to ornate, the coffee table can take many forms.

A number of different tables were once considered coffee tables and were loosely defined as any table used near the sofa. The sofa table as we know it is found in the back of the sofa. Usually quite long and narrow in width, the modern coffee table serves as more of a decorative piece. Coffee tables come in many styles, from the contemporary to the baroque.