11 Coffee Table Ideas For Every Style And Budget

Coffee tables are making a true style statement right now - and can give your sitting room a lift in an instant. The best thing of all this season? The options are limitless, and the rules are: there ain't no rules! As long as you love it and it serves its purpose you're all sorted! Here's my pick of 11 coffee table ideas for every style and budget.

1. Going boho (above) - the vintage chest in photographer Anna Malmberg's Stockholm home adds texture to the space and doubles up as storage! I'm sure it has plenty of stories to tell too!

2. On a high - Lauren MacLean rests her wares on a Superellipse Side table* from West Elm (the slim size makes it ideal for small spaces) in her Montreal apartment. For something a little lower, try the Superllipse coffee table*.

3. Vintage blues - queen of colour Sofie Amalie made her coffee table using a coloured laminate MDF board that she bought from a carpenter who had leftovers and attached it to some legs. "There are many great coffee table legs to be found online in places like Etsy," Sofie tells me. The table adds a pop of colour while balancing out the art work on the back wall in her wonderful apartment in the Danish capital.

4. Going Low  -all of the tables in Lovisa Häger's Stockholm apartment, including this 'barely there' low glass Lair coffee table, are her own fabulous design. 

5. Doubling up - Swedish photographer and visual storyteller Jasmina Bylund has combined a Menu Turning Table* with a By on design in her cosy Stockholm home (note - look for tables with different heights so they can overlap).

6. Keeping it clean - the super talented Katerina Dima has opted for a Menu plinth marble coffee table* in her minimalist Norwegian home, adding to the contemporary look and feel of the room.

7. A round-up - Laura & Nora of Design Tales and Our Food Stories fame have rounded up two lovely Frama Sintra Side Tables in their Berlin home. I love how they've combined black and white marble. Plus they can move them around depending on who's sitting where. Smart!

8. On a roll - Swedish photographer and stylist Karin Boo Wiklander has squared up with a FontanaArte Tavolo Con Ruote glass coffee table in her 'super snygg' West Coast Home. The shape works particularly well with an L-shaped sofa and large open space. Just make sure your kids keep their paws off, or there'll be a whole lot of polishing required!

9. Bench mark - I've been using a simple rustic bench as a coffee table in my living room for years and it's so handy. Not only is it extra long, it also doubles up as extra seating at the table and as a place for books and clothes at the end of my bed. These guys* sell similar (very beautiful) benches like this.

10. Cool Concrete - freelance interior stylist and CEO of Molge Decor Carla Sofie Molge has opted for a simple round Gallery Coffee Table from House Doctor, a contemporary, monochrome look which is perfectly in keeping with the rest of her soothing Danish home.

11. Feeling reflective -  and last but not least, perhaps one of the hottest trends right now, a Kristina Dam Mirror Table bounces light around in the heart of Sidsel Garsdel's elegant Copenhagen home.

Did you have a favourite look?

I love the mirrored ones - and I'll always have a soft spot for vintage!

Have a fabulous day friends!

Niki

Affiliated links marked with *

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I Found The Perfect Table and Chairs For Our Tiny cabin!

Paid partnership with  Skovby, all words and photos are my own and I only ever work with brands I love

Tjena! I hope you had a great weekend! We spent some time up at our little cabin and I'm really excited to share some snapshots of our new dining area with you. I can't begin to describe the feeling when we all sat down for our first family meal there (take-away pizza, so glam!).  

When it comes to furnishing a small space (30 m2 / 322 ft sq.) I've quickly learned that choosing less and choosing right is key, otherwise the space can quickly become cluttered.

These were the criteria I had in mind for our dining area:

1. The table needed to be small but still easily seat four

2. The table should be round to save space and avoid knocking into the corners

3. The table needed to be extendable for extra guests 

4. There should be extra seating which could be stacked to one side 

Danish brand Skovby has been a My Scandinavian Home partner for many years now - and I've always appreciated the high quality craftsmanship of their Denmark-made furniture (you might recall the glass cabinet, Per's desk, the coffee tables as well as countless other pieces). This little gem of a #120 dining table with white oil oak legs and a black laminate surface was the first to spring to mind for our cabin! 

The round table is a compact 102 cm in diameter and extendable with up to two leaves (available to buy separately), which means you can comfortably seat 6 or 8 people depending on how many leaves you add. Perfect! 

Chair wise, I chose the #807 dining chair in oak white oil. You know me, I love wood, it has such a warm feel, and the shell shape has some flex which makes it comfy. But if you want to go all out on the comfort, this model is available with upholstery for a soft touch, and the #802 version also comes with armrests.

I also picked up some #840 stools (in oak white oil) which can be stacked to the side when not in use (we've also already used them as a bedside table, sofa side table and a footrest!).  

I love that its sustainably made from leftover production wood (I first spotted it during my visit to the Danish Skovby carpenter workshop earlier this spring and picked one up there and then!). 

I hope you like the table and chairs as much as we do! In case you're interested in any of these pieces for your own small space, Skovby is available almost worldwide (find your nearest stockist here).

Incidentally, the table is available in 9 different finishes including oak white oil and white laminate tops - you can see all the variations here. 

In case you're wondering about the ladder, it can be removed and placed elsewhere when needed - but I guess someone could perch there too!

Give me a shout if you have any questions about anything in these pictures -I'd be happy to help! If you'd like to add any small space tips and tricks of your own, I'm all ears as the cabin is far from finished! 

I hope to be able to share a post about our kitchen - including all the details - soon (look closely and you'll see the knobs are missing). Watch this space! 

Wishing you all a great start to the week! 

Niki 

Photography: Niki Brantmark / My Scandinavian Home

Styling: Helen Sturesson

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Preparing for 'Fredagsmys' at the Cabin!

Kindly sponsored by Skovby 

One of the things I love most about being up at our cottage are all the local farm shops. A short cycle ride along the road will take you past honesty stalls selling locally produced delicacies such as potatoes, corn of the cob, honey, eggs, strawberries and all other kinds of goodies. It makes grocery shopping a pleasure!

To top off my raid, I always head to Myltes Blomfältet (flower field) to see what's in bloom! 

The flower farm always has the pick of the in-season blooms. This time round it was resplendent with dahlia, cosmos and gladiolas! Well-worth the hay fever induced sneezes! 

Once you've picked the flowers, you measure the thickness of the stems that make up the bouquet and leave the corresponding amount (you can even wrap up your bouquet and add a label to make the perfect gift!) - my girls love coming with me! 

Do you have something like this near your home?  

How pretty are the dahlias on the table? They are possibly my favourite blooms - and one day I've promised myself I'll grow my own, despite the faff! Do you grow Dahlia? 

A word on the table, after all, it is beautiful! The Skovby #33 dining table is Danish made. This particular version is an anniversary edition (Skovby has been producing beautifully crafted furniture for  90 years!) with an oak white oil base and a green laminate top. It's an incredible table aesthetically, but there's also more than meets the eye. 

It's extendable! The leaves are hidden within the plinth and with a few smooth, moves (there's a turn table underneath the table top which causes the top to split into three and reveal hidden additional plates which pop-up and fold out!) you can extend the table from 123 cm - 149 cm - providing space for 6 to 9 people! In a small space, this is a dream!

Perfect for guests in the late summer sun! 

You might notice that the chairs are also new! This fine oak and wicker #827 dining table chair was recently unveiled by Skovby and are already iconic. True to danish design, it's impeccably handcrafted crafted and made from really high-quality wood.  The rounded back makes it very comfy too - so Per's happy! 

And with that friends, it's time for 'fredagsmys' (cosy friday!). 

Thank you so much for stopping by this week and for all your kind words about my new book! I forgot to mention that the English version will also be available through Waterstones and Amazon in most countries at the end of December ( available to pre-order now). 

Have a cosy weekend! 

Niki

PS The beautiful Skovby #33 dining table and #827 dining table chair are available in many different versions and Skovby have retailers throughout the world. Find your nearest dealer here. 

Thank you so much to Helen Sturesson for your help with these pictures! 

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Two Danish Coffee Tables, One Hyggelig Sitting Room!

Sponsored by Skovby, all words and photos are my own and I only ever work with brands I love*

The blankets are unfurled, and the candles are lit. It must be November! Our sitting room really comes into its own at this time of year, and my family and I spend many a night right here sipping coffee (OK - maybe we exchange it for wine sometimes too, while relaxing and hiding from the cold!) - is it the same in your home? I was therefore super happy to have the excuse to hang out here for a whole day MID-WEEK to capture these beautiful coffee tables for Skovby (you'll likely recognise the name, I've been working with this wonderful danish brand for many years and have always loved their  passion for wood and fine craftsmanship). 

You might recall we usually have a long vintage rustic bench as our coffee table, so it was fun to see how a different arrangement might look. And actually, I realised that there's something very handy about using two tables instead of one. Read on to find out more and take a closer look at these fine specimens! 

So, what's the advantage of two tables? 

Well, firstly, opting for two instead of one (I've chosen the Coffee table #241/264 with a white HPL top and oak white oil legs and coffee table #241/265 in oak white oil) with two different heights, means you can nestle them into one another or pull them apart, which gives you greater flexibility depending on the size of the party. You can also separate them completely - using one as a side table and one as a coffee table. In a small sitting room this is worth its weight in gold! 

Incidentally, the round shape is also a small space saviour, and helps a space to feel softer and more  inviting (it's funny how that can happen). 

Our sitting room suddenly felt a whole lot more practical, user-friendly and sociable! Per will be very happy with this indeed! 

Oh, and there's another important advantage: if you chose two tables, you can get a little more creative with the design. For example, I have combined white with wood in order to create a greater visual impact. 

Incidentally, the Skovby coffee table series is made up of a load of different elements (designed by Danish designer Per Hånsbæk) and invites you to choose the shape, wood type and size of the tabletop -  as well as between classic wooden legs, an edge steel frame or an adjustable height base. So, you can be as creative as you like! 

Keep in mind that a coffee table should be around two-thirds of the length of your sofa. 

What do you think? Are you tempted to opt for two tables instead of one? Or perhaps you've gone for something completely different (ottomans, chests, suitcases - I've seen it all!). I'd love to hear more about your coffee table!

If you're curious about these, you can explore the entire Skovby coffee table series and find your nearest stockist here. 

You might also like some of the other fine specimens from Skovby. I've captured many of their items in my home in the past, including a desk and chair in Per's home office space, a serving trolley which I used to serve glögg last Christmas, bar stools in my dining room and one very fine bench among others!

In the meantime, if anyone's looking for me, I'll be right here sipping coffee and enjoying the hygge until these fine specimens are (sadly) collected on Friday. 

Have a hyggeligt day! 

Niki

*This post is brought to you in paid partnership with Skovby. All words are my own and I only ever work with brands I love and think you will too! Thank you for supporting the exceptional Scandinavian businesses that make My Scandinavian Home possible. 

Photography by me, styling by Helen Sturesson. 

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A cosy and warm Finnish table setting

With the shortest day of the year fast approaching here in Sweden natural light is scarce. As per Scandinavian tradition the best way to let natural light into the home over the winter months is through candle-light, whether on the dining table, in the windows or outside the front door. I've noticed that even my children's nursery have candle light on their breakfast table! This cosy dining table setting for two has been styled by Maiju of Finnish blog my second hand life for Lapuan Kankurit. It looks so cosy and warm, I could see myself having a 'fika' here with friends, anyone want to join?!

My Second Hand Life with kind permission. 

Other than the fabrics and square plates, everything used for this setting are flee market finds!

I found beautiful vintage lamps on Etsy yesterday, the candle holder is the Nappula from Iittala, find beautiful linen table cloths and napkins in white and dove grey here. The chair with the wooden legs is 'About a Chair' by HAY.

If you'd like to read more about this table setting you can always pop over to Maiju's wonderful blog.

I also love this Christmas table setting (imagine?!) and this New Years Eve table setting (I just bought star garlands like these from Illum but you can also buy similar ones online here). And look at these beautiful DIY rosemary napkin rings - perfect around a fresh white linen napkin?

How will you decorate your table this season?

PS I think you're going to love tomorrow's home tour! See you then :)

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A Vibrant Family Home in An Architect Designed Mid-century House

G'day! It's another absolute ripper here in Sweden - even so, I thought we could venture to Sydney's Northern Beaches (virtually of course - although wouldn't it be nice to stop by in person?) to visit the incredible mid-century home of Louise and Graeme Bell, and their children Jasper and Anoushka. The three bedroom, glass fronted house was built by Australian architect Loyal Alexander in 1957 and features the most fabulous butterfly roof. Their trades (Louise is founder of the popular homeware store Table Tonic and Graeme is an architect) have meant they have been able to thoughtfully renovate the house over time and create a beautiful, vibrant family home. Think classic mid-century furniture, contemporary art and luscious layers of texture. Let's dive in!

 I spy pretty juju hats (sold through Table Tonic), a Marshall speaker and contemporary art by Henry Curchord.

A Snakes Tongue plant (also known as mother-in-law's tongue!) is one of those wonderful house plants which can be neglected for weeks on end and still look fresh. Oh and it can also survive low light conditions. 

A vintage leather sofa (source similar here) and a pair of Moroccan poufs help to create a relaxed, cosy vibe. 

The pair installed a new 1950s-style sandstone fireplace and hearth in the centre of the house. Six Bertoia chairs have been placed around the dining table beneath a Louis Poulsen PH5 lamp. But above all else - I love how the bar has been designed so it can be accessed from both the sitting room and dining room. It's all in the details!

The sitting room has been kitted out with a corner sofa from King Living,  Mark Tuckey coffee table, Cross blanket by Pia Wallén and a Beni ourain rug (available through Table Tonic). But the real star of the show is the panoramic window offering views of the garden and lush surroundings.

 The family's adorable Italian Greyhounds Audrey and Lucia chilling in front of the classic mid-century house designed by Australian architect Loyal Alexander in 1957 for his own family. 

 I wouldn't mind sitting on one of these fabulous yellow butterfly chairs (source similar here) for a while and simply taking in the afternoon sun - fancy joining me?!

The front door has been painted in Dulux "Gold Rush" for a very sunny welcome! 

What a fabulous house?!  I love the architecture, it's just incredible. The pair have worked really hard to maintain the original features too, I really appreciate that!

Could you imagine living here?!

You can see more of Louise's home here - and shop the look over on Table Tonic.

For more mid-century inspiration today you might like to check-out this archive (if this home pops up first just scroll passed!).

I hope your day sparkles like the sun - or you at least get to kick back in a chair like those butterfly ones for a while!


Niki 

All photography: Louise Bell / Table Tonic

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