Guest Picks: Standout Side Tables

I’m having a love affair with side tables at the moment. I have a new extension to furnish, and there are so many innovative and interesting designs that I wish I could make a case (and have the space) for collecting about a dozen! I can work in only about three with ease, placing these compact wonders in open corners, at the ends of my modular sofa and doubled up in place of the still-absent coffee table. The key is adding pieces one at a time, carefully considering the right design for your existing decor. Despite their designation, side tables can make great feature pieces, and they are ideal for adding color, texture and dimension to a room. This ideabook is full of covetable, practical side tables that are sure to grab attention and up the style factor of your living space. — Denise from The Swelle Life

Norm Flip Around Chair to Table, Black/Light Wood$199.95 · More ColorsNot only does this table look cool and unusual with its contrasting black plastic top and ash stand, but it’s also two useful pieces in one. The top flips to turn it into either a tray or stool. And the lightweight design makes it ideal for moving to any room, which is particularly handy for entertaining during the holidays.


Hollow End Table, Amber Top, Natural Bamboo$495 · Only 5 LeftThose magazines that are cluttering your space but not yet ready for recycling can find a place to rest in this gorgeous bamboo end table. Its clever design allows you to file away reading materials, and you can even keep your page by placing your magazine or book over the outer lower edge. You can also hide away remotes here if you like to keep things super tidy.


Alessi Blow Up Table$359 · Only 4 LeftIf you like sculptural features but are short on space, this eye-catching design will do double duty as table and art piece. With a base that’s like an abstract nest of steel and a glass top, it would be especially stunning by a window that gets lots of natural light. I think I’d have to invest in a special coffee mug and coasters if I were to even think of resting my drinks on it!


Classic Side Table, Walnut$680 · Only 5 LeftThe warm walnut and clean lines of this design offer a lighter, more contemporary version of a midcentury modern piece — and with storage to boot. Keep colorful coasters, books and magazines inside or on top to create a bright, modern feature in your living room or den. This would also make an ideal bedside table for those with minimalist inclinations.


Baxton Studio Acrylic Black End Table With Magazine Rack$107This glossy black acrylic table is so fun and cool, but it’s also clever. The zigzag legs curve upward to create two magazine racks, and you could also use this as a stool. It’s a great piece for giving some punch to a tired space.


Yeh Wall Table, Moss Green$129.95 · Only 8 LeftIngenious design allows this compact side table to balance on two front legs while resting at a 90-degree angle against the wall, making it ideal for small spaces. It would also be great as an out-of-the-way place to lay down mail and keys in the entrance. I could see its handiness warranting a second table in another color for elsewhere in the home.


Hudson Table With Walnut Inlay, Orange$460 · More StylesWalnut and orange combine to create this retro 1970s look — yet this piece still feels contemporary, making it great for eclectic decor. I like the way the inlay feature in the tabletop carries through to the intersecting lines of the legs, creating the illusion of movement.


Gus Modern Glacier End Table$650Would I dare rest a drink on this super-cool table? It may resemble a slickly finished glacier, but at sofa-seat height, it’s a useful piece to have nearby. In brushed stainless steel, it would be right at home in a minimalist, monochromatic space.


Tokyo Storage Side Table With Swivel Top$452 · Only 2 LeftThis side table reminds me of a swivel stool — and it actually does swivel, but just the top. The lid opens to reveal a storage compartment that’s handy for hiding remotes and things, all in a glossy white finish on a chrome stand. How perfect would it be sitting on a shiny resin floor?


Eurostyle Radinka Side Table, Yellow Printed Glass/Stainless Steel$103 $135.38Any space will benefit from one bright yellow piece. This one is translucent, so natural light will reveal different shades of yellow throughout the day, through the tempered glass top and base. Yellow pops best against white and works well with other brightly colored accessories.


Zio Side Table, Black Oak$309 · Sold OutWho would guess that there’s a secret drawer hidden in this simple, C-shaped design? It’s tiny, but perfect for keeping coasters handy. This would also work well as a minimalist pedestal for sculpture or plants.


The Bayer Nesting Table Set$1,171 $1,464.00 · Only 5 LeftThis is the nesting table set for lovers of color and simple design. It works as an eye-catching feature when all the tables are together, or you can separate the set and place the tables wherever they’re most useful. I love the combination of the light wood and colored glass defined by the black sides.


Bundle Side Table, White Corian Top With White Oak Legs$479 · More StylesThere’s a nod to nature here, but it’s a refined one. The smoothly finished oak branch legs are bundled and topped with Corian, and the natural and manufactured elements work together to keep the structure sturdy. Friction fitting takes the place of hardware to keep the piece harmonious and streamlined. I see whitewashed pine plank floors underneath.


Van Faux Horn/Iron/Glass Side Table$960This is such an interesting piece: a curious mix of materials in a contemporary redesign of the midcentury two-tiered table. Although it’s eclectic enough to work in many types of decor, I would have to stay true to the table’s aesthetic roots. Ideally, it would sit atop a terrazzo floor, maybe a light one with multicolor chips to play off the subtle tones in the faux horn inlay. Or go dark to carry through the stormy appeal of the main surface.


Eames Wire-Base Table$199 · More StylesEvery home needs at least one iconic piece, and this ash and wire Eames table is an affordable way to get a coveted design into your space. In true iconic form, it looks as fresh today as it did in 1950, making this small and portable table perfect for any contemporary or midcentury modern decor.


Eontic 2-Piece Nesting Tables, Red-Orange$149.99 · More ColorsThis nesting set of tables delivers everything a small space needs: color, an airy yet bold design and a second piece to move about wherever you need it. I’ve yet to find a home that doesn’t have a use for a second side table, no matter how small!


Marble & Walnut Cube$595 · Only 5 LeftNow here’s a curiously luxe open-cube table. Constructed mostly in walnut, it features one contrasting inner surface inlaid with Italian Calacatta Gold marble that you can display in whichever configuration suits your space. It will add a touch of polish to a rustic decor, or could complement other rich surfaces in a minimalist space.


Eurostyle Carmela Square Side Table in Walnut$189 $248.42The classic slatted shelf table has been updated with a more elegant design. But this one it still delivers the warm nostalgia of the 1970s teak end tables that were once a part of so many American living rooms. It would look great beside a streamlined sofa with wood-accented armrests.


Magnussen Cordoba Rectangular End Table with Glass Top$349.99Tiered glass going one way and reeded hardwood going the other make this table a great piece for adding dimension to a minimalist decor.


Journey Side Table, Clear Glass$449A truly unique and smile-inducing piece, this nearly invisible side table is like a tempered glass friend obediently perched to wait on you. Its clever, fluid design creates different looks depending how the table is positioned. I’m partial to the one that looks like a gestural dog.

Next: 12 Things Side Tables Can Do for You

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