Best designer coffee tables

Start with the Plinth Coffee Table. A low, monolithic slab on a solid base — the kind of quiet, architectural piece designers reach for when the room should do the talking, and it's the best-reviewed of the group by a wide margin.

Who the others suit:

• Roque — a heavy, sculptural stone-look block for a large, formal living room.
• Toro — solid ash with real presence; best if you want warmth and a conversation piece.
• Hasia — round and soft-edged, ideal for a sofa-and-armchairs grouping.
• Dael — a clean cylinder drum, easy to live with in smaller rooms.
• Mercer Oval — generous oval top for long sofas and tray styling.
• Nira two-tier — slim metal frame with a second shelf; good for tight spaces.
• Wakefit Cloud — irregular faux-stone top if you want an abstract, playful silhouette.

Check the dimensions against your sofa before committing — several of these are very low or very deep.