Small End Tables For Living Rooms: How to Find Them and What to Look For

Believe it or not, there are so-called small end tables.

And just like sofas, there are certain features you can look for to get that space saving look.

The product line of end tables are a great example of a large portion of furniture on the market today.

They’re universal. They work in just about every type of home there is—small or large…

You’re not required to avoid them in search of a selection tailored specifically for small living rooms. Instead, it’s just a matter of knowing what features to look for when you’re faced with selecting a set of end tables.

Save Space with the Pass-Through

The best way to give your living room the impression of more space with end tables is to focus on simplicity. Otherwise known as negative space, and what I like to sometimes call pass-through.

It’s likely that you will naturally choose a small end table (set) when you’re hunting for furniture for your small living room. However, it never hurts to explain exactly what to look for in great detail, by some chance you might be overlooking something.

It will help you be more attentive to your needs.

As I was saying, you’re going to want to focus on simple looking small end tables with a lot of pass-through. In case you’re wondering what pass-through is, the quickest way to tell you is to show you…

So let’s get a clear understanding of what it is…

Pass-through is the negative (empty) space that is above, below and sometimes along the sides of an end table. It’s basically all of the empty space that the table doesn’t take up.

The less positive space an end table takes up, the more negative space it will have around it. This results in simple looking end tables that don’t obstruct the view.

End tables that offer a lot of negative space will either end up saving you actual space or provide the illusion of space saved.

What Kind of End Tables Could Work Against a Small Living Room?

Having explained what pass-through is, the type of tables that tend to obstruct your view and may contribute to making a small living room feel even smaller than it is are…

Well, let me show you…

See what I mean?

So we can understand—an end table that has very little pass-through, typically works against small living rooms feeling as open and spacious as possible.

But stop. Before you cross off end tables (like the one above) altogether, you should know that these end tables may be invaluable in a small home.

So, it doesn’t mean you should avoid them because they obstruct the view and you have a small living room. So before you form any specific thoughts against them, let’s talk about those reasons right now.

Consider that you might need the extra storage. If you haven’t noticed, almost all end tables that have the look and feel to them (like in the picture above) look like this for a specific reason…

…And that is to offer you storage space or provide you with some other multipurpose feature, such as additional lighting, more book space, extra space for magazines, multimedia items and so forth.

In certain circumstances you might find this far more beneficial than getting an end table that is more simplistic in appearance. And let’s also remember that sometimes too much simplicity isn’t a good thing.

So maybe you’ll simply want these type of end tables because you know that they would look best in your living room and really bring out the beauty and intimacy in it.

Good, Better, Best; Never Let it Rest…

Have you ever heard the saying…

“Good, better, best; never let it rest ’til your good is better and your better is best.”

—Unknown Author

My sixth grade teacher taught us that in school. It’s a good phrase to remember in any situation and we’re going to apply it here.

There are several different types of small end tables you can choose from. We just talked about end tables that obstruct your view but we’re going to talk about small end tables that offer pass-through again.

Let’s discuss the three choices that you have…

the good
the better
and the best

On an individual standpoint there is always a choice the stands out among the rest as the best choice. However, keep in mind that what I point out as the best choice in this discussion is what would be considered the best choice from a general standpoint—not from an individual one.

The choice that I choose as best may not be the best personal choice for you due to many reasons that go beyond the scope of this discussion.

But you’re going to need a place to start. You’re going to want to know what is a common top choice and why. It keeps things from getting confusing.

So let’s do this!

I’m going to show and tell again. First let’s show…

Good	Better	Best
Winsome End Table	Malmo End Table	Four Tier End Table

Now let’s talk.

I think the reasons why I chose what I chose are fairly obvious, but let’s not assume anything and talk about why.

The Good
The Winsome End Table symbolizes all four-legged small end tables that have a bottom shelf or some sort of lower shelf.

So basically, any four-legged end table with a bottom shelf is considered a “good” choice. The reason it is only considered a “good” choice is because you can do better in terms of simplicity and pass-through.

Although the table offers a lot of pass-through itself, the bottom shelf may obstruct the eye and serve as a visual hinderance.

Having a four-legged table without a bottom shelf would make it a more simplistic design and give you more pass-through. That would result is appearing as though you’re saving a bit more space and allowing the eyes to follow through past the table (to the wall).

The Better
The Malmo End Table symbolizes all four-legged small end tables. It is a slightly “better” choice than the above choice because it doesn’t have the bottom shelf and offers your living room a bit more illusionary space.

The reason it’s only it’s not the “best” choice is because in terms of appearances, there’s still more pass-through space that can be offered.

The Best
The Four Tier End Table symbolizes all (round) pedestal-style small end tables that are typically supported by a bottom base, pole in the center and a flat surface at the top.

It is the “best” choice because it allow the eyes to flow through it seamlessly. There is a load of pass-through going on. You can easily see the wall behind it. The construction is light, airy and carefree and yet it still serves its purpose.

The curves and circular shapes are also a plus in my eyes, as I feel that curvy tables often look a lot less intrusive and bulky. They also simply “look” lighter in weight.

What About Other Choices?
Having said all of that, those aren’t the only choices you’ll come across when you’re looking for end tables. There are other selections, but the tables above serve as the 3 basic shapes that you’ll run across the most.

Other small end tables of different shapes are similar enough in construction, that you can use the 3 shapes above to sub-categorize them under as good, better or best.

Features Can Make all the Difference

We’ve talked about pass-through, obstruction and small end tables that would generally be the best choices for a small living room. Now, let’s talk about features worth considering.

The first, best and most obvious feature that will often make a living room look and feel more spacious is glass end tables. Or any type of small end table that mimics the look of a glass end table. It can be made out of plastic or something else. As long as it’s transparent or translucent, you get the same benefits.

Glass end tables are perfect because they offer visual pass-through. Since you can see right through them, even the positive space that they take up doesn’t obstruct the eyes from seeing behind them.

This feature can make almost any end table worth considering.

I’ve already also said that round or circular features, in my opinion, can also give the impression of having more space. Circles and curves of nearly the same size as square and rectangular shaped tables often don’t seem as big and bulky.

Tables with curves even look lighter, like they weigh less, if you ask me. Whereas tables with angles look heavier.

And what about colors and stains?

I don’t think that anyone can argue with the fact that light paints and stains look and feel happier and darker ones tend to give a more brooding impression. And most of us have heard that painting walls with light (cool) colors can make a room feel bigger.

But what about end tables? Couldn’t that also apply to them?

Is it possible that end tables painted white or coated with lighter stains may actually allow the eyes to pass over them much easier? And is it possible that end tables with darker colors and stains tend to obstruct the view more?

Could be. Perhaps this is true for everyone or simply subjective and only pertains to each individual experience.

Having said that, it could also be true that even though lighter colored furniture looks happier and lighter, sometimes it doesn’t look as expensive as darker furniture. And I could also say that even though darker furniture may look heavier and more intense, it could also feel cozier and more intimate.

So, it’s pretty clear it’s just a matter of each person’s taste and interests. No one choice is wrong. It’s simply a matter of making the choice that’s best for you.

So What Does This Mean to You?

We talked about tables that are most likely to accentuate a small living room and tables that are prone to work against your small space. We covered what to look for so that you can empower yourself as a small space enthusiast and not be left questioning what’s best.

And in spite of the fact that some small end tables may not be generally considered the best choice, it’s always important to remember what’s best for you may not always be what’s generally thought of as the best choice.

As I said above, there’s no wrong answer. Accentuating your small living room is important, but you’ll remember I mentioned that too much of a good thing isn’t always good.

Yes, small end tables of simplistic style and design are great but so are bulkier side tables that offer additional benefits of storage or some other advantageous feature.

There are no die-hard rules. Just observations you can choose to apply to a situation if they suit the circumstance.

Bookmark this page...