How to Choose the Right Side Table

Every piece of furniture plays a role in how a room feels—the sofa sets the tone, the rug defines the area, and lighting shapes the mood. But what often ties it all together is the side table. It’s the spot where your coffee sits, your lamp rests, and your daily essentials find a home.

A well-chosen piece brings order to a space. It connects furniture, adds function, and creates a sense of flow that makes a room feel complete. You’ll find the same balance throughout our side table collection, where scale, texture, and proportion are designed to work seamlessly with every style.

Here’s how to choose one that fits your space—in scale, style, and purpose.

A side table is often called an accent piece, but “accent” undersells it. It’s the connector—the element that bridges furniture, fills negative space, and decides whether the room reads as intentional or improvised.

Designers use side tables as rhythm points—little moments of pause that keep furniture groupings from floating. When chosen thoughtfully, they turn dead corners into vignettes and seating areas into conversations.

RUTED Insight: In sensory-informed design, smaller furniture pieces are grounding tools. Their presence at body level, where the hand reaches naturally, provides orientation in space. The nervous system reads this as stability, even when you’re not conscious of it.

A side table doesn’t exist in isolation. Its job is to complement what’s beside it—the sofa, the chair, or the bed. The simplest rule of thumb: your table’s height should fall within two inches of the armrest of the furniture it serves.

If the table is too tall, it feels intrusive; too low, and it disappears. The goal is dialogue, not dominance. Rounder tables soften boxy silhouettes, while angular forms balance curved furniture.

A light-finished piece such as the Lovisa side table works beautifully next to plush, upholstered seating. Its reclaimed pine top keeps proportions feeling airy while still holding presence—the kind of balance that feels intuitive once in place.

Matching everything—wood tones, heights, shapes—can make a room feel flat. Instead, aim for visual weight. A slim metal frame can offset a heavy sofa, while a solid wood pedestal grounds a lighter chair.

The material of your side table decides both its visual temperature and its tactile energy. A metal table adds sharpness and precision; wood introduces warmth and grounding. Stone, glass, and mixed materials each bring their own rhythm to the composition.

Wood is the most forgiving material to live with. It ages gracefully, absorbs light instead of reflecting it, and carries irregular grain that keeps the eye engaged without overstimulation. The hand-finished surface of a piece like the Nellie rustic side table is a perfect example—the kind of texture that quietly grounds a room and invites touch.

RUTED Insight: Research in neuroaesthetics (Higuera-Trujillo et al., 2021) found that natural, irregular textures reduce stress by mimicking patterns in nature. This makes wood ideal for living spaces where calm and connection matter.

When choosing wood, look for visible grain or variation in tone—that’s what gives a side table presence instead of polish.

Stone and marble side tables introduce contrast. Their cool, polished surfaces balance out heavy upholstery or warm-toned woods. Use them sparingly, though—too much shine can overstimulate the senses. A single marble-topped table beside a linen sofa adds refinement without tipping into austerity.

Metal-framed side tables offer structure without bulk. They work well in smaller spaces or minimalist interiors where transparency and negative space matter. A brushed or matte finish helps keep the mood soft.

Some of the best side tables combine materials—like wood and stone, or metal and glass. These blends bring dimension and make a room feel collected over time.

A beautiful table that doesn’t work is still a miss. Function defines whether your side table supports the way you actually live—not just how you want the space to look.

In living rooms, the side table’s job is proximity. It should comfortably hold a drink, a lamp, or a book without feeling crowded. Rounded silhouettes—like those seen in the Holger side table—allow movement around seating without sharp corners, making them ideal for tight layouts.

At the bedside, height matters more than width. The table should sit level with the top of your mattress for easy reach. Choose one with enough surface area for your lamp and nightly essentials, but not so wide that it dominates the frame of the bed.

A side table in a hallway or entryway acts more like punctuation—it’s there to set the tone. A smaller, organic piece instantly adds a natural touch to transitional areas, pairing easily with ceramic vases or woven baskets.

RUTED Tip: Every surface in the home serves two purposes: function and grounding. The closer it sits to hand level, the more it shapes daily rhythm.

Form is about shape, silhouette, and what that says about the room.

Round tables create flow and are ideal for small or organic spaces. Square or rectangular tables bring structure and complement clean-lined furniture. Pedestal or tripod bases add visual lightness—perfect for corners that need texture but not weight.

Curves relax the nervous system; straight lines sharpen it. Studies in neuroaesthetics show that rounded edges evoke safety and calm (Chatterjee & Vartanian, 2016). That’s why spaces full of angular forms can feel sterile—they lack visual softness.

RUTED Insight: If a room feels cold or uninviting, check the edges. Adding a round or organically shaped table introduces visual softness and helps regulate the sensory tone of the space.

The last step isn’t about cluttering—it’s about composing. How you style a side table determines whether it feels like an afterthought or an anchor.

A lamp gives the table purpose and structure. The height of the lamp should balance the surrounding furniture—about 1.5 times the height of the table itself.

Combine materials that play off each other. A light pine surface works beautifully with ceramics, linen, or stone—soft, natural textures that echo its warmth and keep the arrangement feeling lived in.

Don’t overfill. Leave portions of the surface open so the table still reads as architecture. Negative space is as important as the objects you add.

RUTED Tip: Styling isn’t about symmetry—it’s about sensory rhythm. Alternate heights and textures to keep the body relaxed while the eye moves naturally.

A side table might not be the first thing you notice in a space, but it’s one of the first things that makes it work. It holds the rhythm between comfort and structure, layering light, texture, and function in one small footprint.

When chosen thoughtfully, it becomes more than an accessory—it's architecture in miniature. The right side table grounds furniture, balances materials, and brings the nervous system into pace with the room itself.

See more designs in our side table collection—each one built to anchor, balance, and quietly hold everything that makes a space feel lived in.