Unless an interior design is meant to be super clean, futuristic and minimalistic, a touch of rusticity is always welcomed. One of the easiest methods you can use if you want to give a space a warm and inviting look involves putting a rustic coffee table in the room. When we say rustic we immediately think of wooden tables that showcase the material’s natural grain and color and aren’t always very polished when it comes to the little things like the edges, finish and lines in general. Rustic designs usually embrace the unique beauty of the materials used in their construction.

A rustic coffee table would usually have a very simple design not very focused on sleek and thin lines or well-defined forms. This is a great example that reflects this idea: a table with a simple rectangular top and four solid and robust wooden legs.

The detail we mentioned earlier about rustic designs that emphasize the grain and uniqueness of the wood is well reflected here. This is a table with a wooden base and metal legs. The top is, as you can see, full of curvy lines that stretch horizontally and this causes the table surface to be a little bit uneven. A glass top could solve this issue although it would conceal some of the charm.

Not all rustic designs are so focused on those details. Some focus more on the combination of materials and the simplicity of forms. A common combo for rustic coffee tables is between wood and metal, wrought iron in particular. It has that vintage look that always impresses.

Certain design options such as nesting tables for instance may seem like a relatively new discovery but that doesn’t make them all modern. Check out this duo of tables that beautifully complement each other.

What’s interesting is that a lot of intrinsic characteristics of rustic design are slowly making their way into modern and contemporary creations. For example, wood slice table tops can comfortably fit into most modern homes without necessarily changing their style or looking particularly rustic.

Similarly, tree stump tables are increasingly popular these days. We’re starting to rediscover the natural beauty of such designs and we find new ways to make the most of their unique particularities.

Large tree stump sections can be easily transformed into coffee tables and this makes such designs more accessible to DIY lovers. The challenge that remains is finding the right trunk.

All sorts of variations of the concepts mentioned above can be possible. For instance, a pair of small tables with wood slice tops can feature elegant and sculptural legs and can be painted just enough to emphasize the pattern on the wood.

But it’s not always the top that stands out in the case of a coffee table. A lot of designs put a lot of emphasis on the base.

Designs like this one create a beautiful contrast between the simple lines of the hexagon-shaped top and the organic lines and unique form of the branches that form the sculptural base.

Rustic coffee tables and furniture in general don’t try to hide the wood’s natural beauty behind eye-catching colors or glossy finishes. A lot of the times the wood is left untreated or it gets a simple coat of clear varnish.

Then there’s also the issue of the type of wood used on coffee tables that are meant to look rustic although they are being produced in modern times. Reclaimed wood is the perfect answer in a lot of the cases.

Every once in a while we come across designs like this one which could be easily mistaken for sculptures. Coffee tables like one look artistic and exquisite and they are always unique.

These characteristics extend to a lot of different designs, including this type of tables which form a set but can also be used individually. The organic and unique forms of their tops are dictated by the form of the tree trunk they come from.

Live-edge tables are also really hot right now and although we often see them in contemporary environments we should remember that they’re actually rustic at their core.

Live-edge tops suit pretty much any type of table or desk. We’ve seen a lot of charming dining tables that feature such tops but our favorites would have to be coffee tables simply because they’re such powerful accent pieces that can completely change a decor.

For designs like this one look comes first and functionality second. As you can see, the surface top is not exactly the most practical for holding drinks or pretty much anything else. However, the table as a whole is amazing and sometimes that’s exactly what a decor needs.

And if you’d rather go with something functional with a more mainstream look, check out designs like this one. They offer storage, they do wood justice and they’re also pretty versatile.