How to choose a side table: what to consider

A side table does one small job well, and the details decide whether it does. These are the things worth settling before you choose one. The numbers are common rules of thumb, not fixed rules.

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Height

A side table is commonly about the same height as the arm of the chair or sofa, or a little lower, so you can reach it without leaning.
Beside a bed, the top is commonly about level with the mattress or slightly above it.

Top and footprint

Decide what goes on it: a cup and a book need a smaller top than a lamp, a plant and a tray. A top around 40-50 cm across is common.
A pedestal or a wide base steadies a tall table; a slim leg is lighter and easier to move but tips more easily.
Rounded corners are kinder in tight spaces and near children.

Stability

Press down on the edge of the top. A table that wobbles or tips when you rest a hand on it is a table you will stop using.
Uneven floors and soft carpets affect stability; look for adjustable feet.

Materials

Solid wood can be refinished; stone and ceramic resist heat and scratches but are heavy; metal can dent or scratch; glass shows marks.
Whatever the top, use a coaster under hot cups and wipe standing water.

With a lamp

A lamp on a side table needs a stable surface, space for its base and a route for the cable that does not run across the walkway.

Questions worth asking the maker

What are the exact height and top dimensions? What is the top made of and how is it finished? Are there adjustable feet? What are the delivery and return terms?

Sources and further reading

A label covers one aspect of a product, such as where the wood came from or which chemicals are in a textile, not its whole footprint. These pages explain what each covers; they are not endorsements, and Formground does not rate products.

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