When choosing a set of nesting coffee tables, keep two things in mind. The height difference between the two tops should be 5 to 10 cm, and the smaller table should be 60 to 75% of the diameter of the larger one. For them to nest, the smaller one must fit under the larger one with 1 to 2 cm of clearance. Four arrangements cover almost every need.
This guide helps you figure out if a duo is right for you, then how to choose and arrange it. If you already have your tables, go straight to the four arrangements.
Which nesting coffee table set should you choose?
A nesting coffee table set offers a surface area that changes depending on the occasion. Before looking at the color, identify your most frequent use in this table. It tells you the arrangement to plan and the point to check on the product page. All our models are in our coffee table collection.
| Your situation | Main arrangement | To check |
|---|---|---|
|
Small living room you want to free up floor space |
Nested, brought out in the evening | Stated nesting, clearance under the large table |
| 190 to 250 cm sofa | Offset in front of the sofa | Length of the duo, i.e., 125 cm for Ø 80 and 60 cm tables |
|
Light and elegant style need storage |
Offset or separated | Lower shelf on each table, heights of 41 to 51 cm |
|
Japandi living room rounded sofa |
Close together, small against the large | Dimensions of both tables on the product page |
| Need one large surface | No nesting | A single table remains simpler |
If you are looking for one large surface, look at the Ø 85 cm walnut-effect round table or the 110 × 50 cm solid pine table. The length relative to the sofa, the gap, and the seat height are detailed in our guide which coffee table with my sofa. Here, we only cover what is specific to duos.
Who is a nesting table set useful for?
Nesting table sets solve a problem of variation, with little surface in the morning and a lot on Saturday evening. If your use never changes, a single table will be simpler and often calmer to look at.
It is useful if
- Your living room is 12 to 20 m² and every meter counts, because the small table stores under the large one.
- You entertain regularly and you are always missing a surface.
- You have a corner sofa, with a table in front of each section, brought together in the evening.
- You move often, because two small tables find their place everywhere.
It is less useful if
- You dine in the living room every evening. Prefer an oval lift-top table, which rises from 40 to 55 cm.
- You want to hide remotes and chargers. Prefer closed storage, like the lift-top with double storage.
- Your rug is very thick. Thin bases sink into it and the small table moves poorly.
- You never move anything. A single round one is enough.
What height and diameter differences should you aim for?
This is where many duos disappoint. Two numbers make the difference, the gap between the heights and the ratio between the diameters.
The height difference, 5 to 10 cm
Under 3 cm, the tops seem almost level. The effect seems accidental and the small table often no longer fits underneath. Beyond 12 cm, the low level becomes difficult to reach from the sofa. Between the two, you see two clear levels and you grab a glass on each. The marble-effect set has a 10 cm difference, since its tables go from 41 to 51 cm according to its page. For the other sets, see the product page.
The diameter ratio, 60 to 75%
If the small table is less than 60% of the large one, it only offers one place for a cup. If it exceeds 75%, the duo looks like two tables of the same size poorly aligned. The calculation is simple. The Ø 80 and 60 cm set is at 75% and offers 0.78 m² of tops. A duo of Ø 70 and 45 cm is at 64% and offers 0.54 m².
Nesting, the four-point test
- Measure the clearance under the large table, from the floor to the bottom of the top, and not its total height.
- Compare it to the total height of the small one. You need 1 to 2 cm of clearance, otherwise the tops rub.
- Check the passage of the structure. A ring base must be open to let the small table in.
- Read the word nesting on the page carefully. A set of two tables of different heights is not necessarily nestable.
This last point matters. The page of the Ø 80 and 60 cm set shows its tables side by side or separated, without announcing nesting. It is a good duo, but to store one table under the other, look rather at the round nesting tables with a black structure, whose page specifies that the small one slides underneath.
Notre sélection
Our sets whose page announces nesting
How to arrange a nesting table set?
The same pair of tables can occupy the living room in four ways. The diagram summarizes them and the rules for each follow.
1. Offset in front of the sofa
The large table is placed facing the sofa. The small one goes slightly forward and to the side, with a quarter to a third of its diameter overlapping the large one. The duo then takes the place of a long table. With 15 cm of overlap, a duo of Ø 80 and 60 cm occupies 125 cm in length. This suits a sofa of 190 to 250 cm, according to the rule of half to two-thirds of its length.
A duo of Ø 70 and 45 cm with 10 cm of overlap occupies 105 cm, which suits a sofa of 160 to 210 cm. To know where yours is, read our guide what size sofa for my living room.
2. Separated, at the end of the sofa
The small table leaves the large one and sits against the armrest, at 5 or 10 cm. It serves the end seat, which the coffee table never reaches. Look for a height close to the armrest. A side lamp finds its place well there, as explained in our guide which lamp for a living room. If you never need the large table, a 3-level side table of 65 × 35 × 65 cm will go further.
3. Nested daily
The small one goes under the large one and the floor is freed. With a duo of Ø 70 and 45 cm, you go from 0.54 m² of tops to 0.38 m² of floor space, i.e., almost 30% less. Leave a crescent of the small table protruding. The two levels remain thus accessible.
4. Spaced out to receive
The large table remains in front of the sofa and the small one goes towards the armchairs or the added chairs. Keep this reference, a surface at less than 60 cm from each seated person. Also leave 60 cm of passage around each table.
How to entertain for the holidays with a duo of tables?
From late November to New Year, the living room welcomes more people for the aperitif than for dinner. A duo is then very practical. Here is how to prepare it for an aperitif of six to eight people.
- Distribute the uses. Put the dishes and the bread on the large table, the glasses and the napkins on the small one, placed on the side where people circulate.
- Protect the tops. Under the hot dishes, use a trivet, because the pages do not specify heat resistance.
- Do not overload. The pages of these sets do not indicate a maximum load. Distribute the weight and do not sit on it.
Do not place a candle directly on the top or on a table runner, especially between the glasses and the plates in a full living room. A flame tips over quickly when someone leans over to grab a glass. For a soft flame-free glow, prefer a small cordless lamp. The Solar lamp is 19 cm high and adjusts its brightness to 9 levels. The Doruna lamp is 21 cm high for Ø 8 cm.
Notre sélection
Our accessories for a duo of tables
Our 4 sets compared, which one for which living room?
Four sets, four logics. When a piece of information is missing in the description, we tell you.
Marble and gold effect, the most elegant
The marble-effect set with a gold structure has an oval shape, longer than a circle, and a lower shelf on each table for books or small plants. According to its page, it nests, its surface resists scratches and water, and its adjustable pads catch an uneven floor. It goes from 41 to 51 cm high. At 51 cm, the large one clearly exceeds most seats. It is practical for placing a tray, and less for a very low sofa. For the dimensions of the tops, see the product page.
Round with black structure, the most compact
The round nesting tables with black structure are designed first for the small living room. The page announces 45 cm high for the large one, and the small one slides underneath. Their metal structure and their clean lines go well with a modern or Scandinavian interior. In the photos, the tops have a light veined appearance. Check that they suit you if you were looking for an all-black table. They also serve as an end table or bedside table. For their diameters, see the product page.
The Ø 80 and 60 cm set, the most surface
The round set with metal legs offers almost 0.8 m² of tops, enough for a real aperitif. It exists in natural or brown. Its raised edges hold what slips, and its light tables move easily. Its page does not announce nesting. It is the duo to take in front of a large sofa or for entertaining.
Round in wood, the most sculptural
The wood set bets on the silhouette, with round shapes, curved lines and a wood finish. Its page presents it as nesting tables. Brought together, the two tables match rounded sofas, like our cream 3-seater sofa. Check the dimensions on the product page before ordering.
Which set according to your style?
- Japandi, a mix of Japanese and Scandinavian styles: the round wood set on a textured rug, with a cream sofa, a vase and a stack of books.
- Scandinavian: the nesting tables with black structure, or the Ø 80 and 60 cm set in natural color, in a light room.
- Mid-century, a style inspired by the middle of the last century: the Ø 80 and 60 cm set in brown color, in front of a chenille or corduroy sofa.
- Elegant: the marble and gold effect set, with a lamp with a gold finish and a design rug to bring it all together.
Notre sélection
Our tables for more surface
Three living rooms, three table duos
A small living room of 14 m² with a narrow passage
The sofa is a 2-seater. There is little floor space and a passage to the balcony to keep free. Friends come two or three times a month.
Our choice: the round nesting tables with black structure, nested daily. The small table comes out towards the armchair on the evenings when you receive. Add a cordless Solar lamp on the large table.
A living room of 25 m² with a large sofa bed
A XXL sofa bed measuring 200 cm wide takes up an entire wall. You need a long surface with no corners in the walkway.
Our choice: the set of Ø 80 and 60 cm offset tables. It is about 125 cm long, or 62% of the length of the sofa. Place the large table 40 or 45 cm from the seat, and leave 60 cm of walkway on the television side.
A 30 m² living room with a corner sofa
The green corner sofa measures 298 × 178 cm. Its seat is low, 40 cm from the floor, and it has two serving ends.
Our choice: the round wooden set, with the large table in front of the main section and the small one near the chaise longue. For the height of the tabletops relative to your seat, see the product page.
Mistakes to avoid
- Relying on the total height. To nest them, check the clearance height under the large table.
- Comparing only the large table to the sofa. Once offset, the entire duo must fit within half to two-thirds of the length.
- Choosing two tables too close in size. Beyond 75% of the diameter, you no longer see a large and a small one, but a duplicate.
- Forgetting the rug. Thick pile prevents the small table from sliding and makes it tip slightly.
- Placing everything on the small table. Keep it light, as it is the one that moves and bumps into things when passing by.
Once your tables are placed, it remains to dress them. Read our guide how to decorate a coffee table, and our guide which coffee table for a small living room if space is limited.
Your questions
What are the benefits of nesting tables?
They offer a surface that varies depending on the moment. When folded, they free up the floor. When separated, they serve several people. They also add two levels to the living room. If you never move them, a single table will be simpler.
What height difference should there be between two coffee tables?
Aim for 5 to 10 cm between the two tabletops. Below 3 cm, you lose the tiered effect and nesting becomes difficult. Above 12 cm, the lower level is less convenient to reach from the sofa.
What diameter should a round nesting coffee table have?
The small table should be 60 to 75% of the diameter of the large one, for example, a large one of 80 cm with a small one of 60 cm. For a small living room, a duo of 70 and 45 cm takes up less space and remains useful.
How to arrange two coffee tables in front of a sofa?
Place the large one facing the sofa, 40 or 45 cm from the seat. Place the small one slightly in front and to the side, with a quarter to a third of its diameter overlapping the large one. Measure the entire duo, which should represent half to two-thirds of the length of the sofa.
Are all sets of two coffee tables nesting tables?
No. Some sets are designed to be placed side by side or separately, without nesting one under the other. Read the product page and check the clearance height, especially if space-saving is your priority.
Can you place a candle on a nesting table during the holidays?
Avoid it, especially directly on the tabletop and in a crowded living room, because a flame tips over quickly. If you insist, use a stable and heat-resistant holder, away from any fabric, and never leave it unattended. A small cordless lamp provides a soft glow without this risk.
Find the table duo for your living room
Have you chosen your arrangement? Compare the shapes and heights on the product pages.
Free delivery · 30-day returns · Secure payment
