There are at least five major categories for coffee tables these days. They all serve a unique purpose and bring a highly specific look and feel to the room you’ll be placing them in. It is always a good idea to first decide what kind of décor you’re going for with your entire room before choosing a coffee table.

Remember, coffee tables are accent pieces but they also serve a higher purpose. They can act as foot rests, tables, or hidden storage places. You aren’t just selecting any old forgotten junk furniture here; you’re defining the entire room with one signature piece.

Here are the five main coffee table categories as the Coffee Table Blog sees them:

•    Lift-Top Coffee Tables

The lift-top coffee table design is a relatively new take on our old friend the coffee table. It harkens back to the good old TV-dinner days where friends and family would sit comfortably in front of the television watching Johnny Carson while munching on plates of steak and potatoes.

The basic concept of the lift-top design is in the utility of the piece. The top of the coffee table is detachable and it can be raised or lowered in order to adjust the height of it as a table. Some tables allow full mobility and can be adjusted to move the top of the table anywhere. These tables are great for eating in front of the television or working on your laptop as you don’t have to sit on the floor or crouch forward to access the contents of the table. It moves seamlessly to you.

These lift-top coffee tables used to have a more utilitarian look to them. They were ugly pieces usually were purchased to serve their dinner table use. However, today the designers have gotten a hold of these great functional tables and turned them into elegant pieces of furniture.

•    Glass Coffee Tables

The glass coffee table was once revered as a luxury. You wouldn’t see anyone with these fine pieces of furniture unless they were well above the upper crust of society. However, as the furniture industry evolved it became far easier to construct these coffee tables and therefore much more affordable. Now they are everywhere.

The great thing about glass coffee tables is their refined look. You can turn any sort of object into a beautiful and elegant piece of furniture by placing a carefully cut piece of glass on top of it. For instance, my family owns an antique New England lobster trap that we turned into a coffee table by placing a pane of glass on top of it.

The glass coffee table can work well in any décor and it offers a wide variety of shapes and sizes as the glass can be custom cut to match any space. Just watch out for sharp edges and be careful not to slam anything down on these pieces, they aren’t exactly durable and have been known to shatter.

•    Square Coffee Tables

Diversity is the name of the game with the square coffee table. Tables have been coming in square shapes since the beginning of furniture and by now those coffee table makers really know what they’re doing. Just be careful when selecting a square coffee table so as to make sure that it fits the style of your room.

The square coffee table will come in a multitude of textures and designs and it is a common mistake to choose a square coffee table that doesn’t match with the rest of your décor. Generally the square coffee table will be made out of a type of wood. A contemporary glass table won’t look very good amongst ornate living room furniture and an Asian style square coffee table certainly wouldn’t match a Nautical theme.

•    Round Coffee Tables

Much like the square coffee tables the round style table comes in a variety of textures, materials, colors, and sizes. The best placement of a round coffee table would be in a sparse room with little furniture and bright colors. Kids rooms are usually great for round coffee tables as they usually have that cartoonish child-like feel to them.

•    Modern Coffee Tables

The coffee table has been taken over by furniture artists and designers a like and the pieces that come from that wealthy of creativity have been labeled as modern coffee tables. These tables are ones that aren’t going to yell out “coffee table” at you. They are in all different awkward shapes and sizes and will splash color here and there.

If you’re going to choose a modern coffee table design for your room be really sure that the room can handle that much design. These tables have a tendency to over accentuate and cause havoc when there is no need for that much flare.

Take your time when choosing your coffee table and make sure you pick a type of coffee table that is right for you. Have fun with it, these are great pieces of furniture and they serve both in function and in aesthetic appeal.