Living Room Tables and Accent Table Plans

Save money and build your own living room tables.  Here's dozens of free DIY Project tutorials for accent tables including console table, side table, end table, and coffee table plans.

Living Room Tables Every Home Needs

There are a variety of designs to consider when it comes to living room design and layout. Create the perfect accent tables for your home, with our free plans. We have many different styles, from farmhouse, to modern, contemporary design or rustic, we have many options in our plan catalog.  Our designs will help to add style and functionality to your home. 

Coffee Tables: A coffee table is a low table, strategically placed in a central seating area. Their flat tops make setting items such as beverages, books, remotes, devices, snacks, or decorative items on, convenient for household members or guests. The height of a coffee table will be lower than the other accent tables in the room. For small living rooms, our plans make it easy to modify for size as well as options to add drawers or shelves for more storage.

Console Tables or Entryway Tables: Console tables can be used throughout the house, not just in the living room. They are also used in a hallway, entryway, behind a sofa or pushed up against the wall throughout the house. Console tables are taller and narrower and are super versatile for any room. You will see console tables used as decorative tables where their decor will change with the holidays or seasons. They are also used to display pretty decor items that show off your personality. Items like lamps, baskets, florals or other decoratative items. They can double as a drop zone for the entryway with extra shelves and storage drawers to keep it neat and tidy!

End Tables: An end table will have a smaller tabletop surface area and provide a convenient platform to set things on, like books, beverages, snacks, small lamps or remote controls. The height of an end table is generally the height of a sofa's arm or arm chair and is generally used against a larger piece of furniture. End tables can have open shelves or drawers to provide extra storage. 

Side Tables: A side table will have a larger surface area than an end table and can be pushed up against, or near a piece of furniture, like a sectional, sofa or arm chair. They will also be placed out in the open, or grouped together, to create an even bigger usable surface. Side tables are an essential piece of furniture to make a living space more comfortable. Side tables will be used in bedrooms to keep items close for bedtime convenience or in the living room to provide a surface to rest a drink, device, favorite book, accent lighting, family photos and more. Shelves and drawers are also used in side tables to create more function. 

Shape and Style Options

Coffee tables are the foundation of a living space. Start by selecting the best shape of coffee table for your room, and then the side and end tables will play a supportive role to the coffee table. It's fine to mix and match shapes. As we talked about earlier, the coffee table sets lower to the ground and the accent tables will be higher to match the sofa's arm. If you mix and match styles, try to keep the accent tables similar in height to each other. 

Rectangle - Rectagle is the most common shape for a coffee table. This shape works well for smaller rooms. If your main seating area is a standard sofa (or an extra-long sofa with chaise) a rectangular table works well, so everyone can have easy access to their snacks, beverages, game pieces etc. It's also a great choice if you're working with a narrow space with minimal walk-around clearance.

Square - Square tables are good for large seating areas, such as large sectionals, a large sofa or loveseat. Square coffee tables fit perfectly in an L-shape nook. Ottoman tables are also a great option for the living room and can be pushed together to make a larger surface or work double and triple duty, adding storage or seating!

Round - For starters the soft curves of a round accent table make round tables more kid friendly. Great for anyone living in a small space. Rounding off the corners gives a small space a more open look, and works well with sectionals or a sofa with chaise to create a little nook in the middle.  

Oval - Same as the round table, the oval shape is kid friendly. Oval tables accomplish the same task as rectanglular coffee tables. If there is a lot of foot traffic in a smaller room, the oval shape is longer and narrower and helps with the visual flow as well as traffic flow to easily maneuver around the space. Oval coffee tables work well with standard or traditional sofas and chaises. The elongated shape lends an style of elegance, while maximizing the space. 

Shapes and Style Options

Proper layout is essential for the flow of a living space. The goal is to make placement of the accent tables more convienient, functional, beautiful and inviting. 

Coffee Table- The general rule of thumb is to place the coffee table between 14"-18" away from the sofa, which makes it close enough to reach something, but far enough for leg room and to walk between the two. 

End Table - The end table should be within two inches, plus or minus, of your sofa's arm height, and placed within easy reach to set a beverage or book. End tables can be placed on each side of a couch or loveseat with an equal distance on each side to make it look symetrical. End tables also work great in a corner of 2 sofas, when a room has furniture in an L shape format. If you're going for an asymetrical look, consider mismatched accent tables. An end table will also work well between 2 chairs to share. 

Side Table - End tables and side tables follow the same guidelines. Side tables work great as an accent piece or mix matched to bring some style and personality to a space!

Console Table - Most commonly used in the entryway or foyer, console tables can also be used throughout the home, or in a large family room where there is a blank wall. They are also seen in a living room behind a sofa. A sofa table is to be placed against the back of the sofa, It is generally a narrower piece of furniture, which helps turn an unused space into something useful. 

These living room tables are essential to create a home that works. 

Before you start building the perfect living room tables, consider this guide before choosing the right plan for your home.