Coffee tables are a common

Coffee tables are a common but often ignored type of home furnishing.  This is unfortunate since they are often the central piece of furnishing in living rooms and can be a great way to affect your design preferences.  Coffee tables come in so many styles that no home owner should complain that they can’t find one to fit in with their other furnishings.  From glass-topped tables to rustic wood ones, the options are endless.  This sometimes makes picking a coffee table difficult but if you approach the topic with a sense of fun, it shouldn’t be so hard.  One question you might ask yourself is what kind of purpose you want your coffee table to serve.  Will it mainly be a decorative coffee table for a sitting area or will you and your guests be using it to set drinks, play games or eat dessert? If you will be using the table often, you may want to stay away from sensitive materials like delicate woods and thin glass tops.  If you would like a more functional glass coffee table, pick one that has a sheet of thick, scratch resistant glass set in a wood or metal frame.  Distressed wood is also a great material for coffee tables that are going to get a lot of use.  Small scratches and stains won’t be so apparent in a wood that is made to look as if it has already been put to a lot of use.  Whatever you choose, make sure it fits your lifestyle or you may end up with an impractical, high-maintenance coffee table.