The types of tables available today outnumber other home furnishing items. There are many types to choose from, but the more you learn about them, the easier it will be to make an informed decision.

If you’re new at this, you have nothing to fear. We’ll guide you through the most common types of tables and what makes them special. Tables are designed to provide support and serve as a destination point, but they can also be powerful decor items.

Most homes need one large table with a flat surface, like a dining table. A solid wood table is often the first choice. However, it’s a good idea to include small accent tables in other living spaces. Here, we will leave no table unturned as we embark on a journey through modern table design.

Types Of Tables For 2022

Let’s look closer at the table styles available on the furniture market today.

Referring to every table design as a table isn’t fair to the furniture pieces. This is the reason why learning about tables and how they are categorized can help you.

Bedroom Tables

The bedroom is usually the second place where people will add tables. The reason for this is that a bedroom is a sanctuary. It is a small space where you should feel the most comfortable.

Bedside Table

A bedside table is a small table located near the head of a bed. If the bed is shared by two people, there should be a bedside table on both sides, but sometimes one side is enough.

The table, otherwise known as a nightstand table, has a small drawer for nighttime items like face masks or reading glasses. On the top of the table is where you’ll find an alarm clock.

Desk Table

Known as a desk, the furniture piece functions as a work table and provides extra storage for office supplies and books. A desk table is a bedroom or office table which can hold your computer.

It’s not uncommon for people to have a desk in their room for writing or working. Even if there is an at-home office, it’s nice to have somewhere you can go that is near your bed.

Vanity Table

A vanity is a dressing table. However, it is often used to describe a very specific type of bedroom table complete with at least one row of drawers and a mirror. This is the most common vanity.

Vanity tables are used in bathrooms, but they’re closely related to cabinets or are used in place of cabinets. A bedroom vanity is for getting prepared for the day, often including hair and makeup.

Changing Table

A changing table is for babies. It is a table with a soft cushion and often a small railing that is made for parents to change their child’s diaper at a good and comfortable height.

After the baby has grown, a changing table can be turned into a dressing table, for example. Repurpose changing tables into side tables, or storage tables. There are a lot of ways you can repurpose nursery furniture.

Living Room Table

The living room isn’t known for having multiple tables, but there are other types of smaller tables that are designed for the space. When you have too much space, adding a small table in your living room is a practical idea.

Let’s take a look at the most common tables found in living rooms.

End Table

The thing about the end table is that often, the term is interchanged with nightstand in the bedroom. However, in the living room, you wouldn’t refer to the end table as a nightstand.

So this is more of a placement term rather than an object term. For example, a dining room table placed in the bedroom wouldn’t be considered a dining room table. It would simply be a bedroom table.

Coffee Table

There are different types of coffee tables, which makes them a little confusing. It was named by Frank Stuart Foote of the Imperial Furniture Co. after he decided his wife’s friends needed a small solid wood table to enjoy tea and coffee.

Foote cut the legs off of a dining room table and presented it in the living room, or what would then be a parlor. Today, the term itself is lost and any small table in the center of a living room is considered a coffee table.

Entertainment Console Table

An entertainment table or TV table is a solid wood table that provides storage space for your TV and remote control accessories. However, TVs today can be mounted but they require space for their remotes, cables, and Rokus. The tables are designed for living rooms and game rooms.

Accent Table

The unique thing about accent tables is how they’re not pigeonholed. There are many different types of accent tables, so they’re hard to define. They’re basically any small table used to decorate your living room

Accent tables are super fun to shop for too because they are usually artistic and used for expression, they will be fun and unique. If you want to make a small statement, get an accent table, also called a statement table.

Dining Room And Kitchen Tables

The dining room and kitchen aren’t just a place for the dining room table. There are a few table styles that need to be distinguished so that you can shop for them specifically.

Dining Table

We just had to start with the dining table. After all, you can’t imagine a dining room without a dining room table. If you don’t have a dining room, you can technically put a dining table in your kitchen.

The dining room table has a special purpose. That purpose is to have a place to sit during dinner time where one can see the entire family while eating. These tables have been around since Ancient Greece.

Refectory Table

The refectory table is much more common outside of the home than inside the home. But it can be found inside dining rooms in schools. If you’d like to add some to your home, you can always do that too.

Traditionally, refectory tables were large and wooden, used for dining rooms in the middle ages. Today, they are normally plastic or some other cheaper material that doesn’t scratch as easily as wood does.

Bar Table

A bar table is very similar to a kitchen island only it doesn’t have cabinets or storage. Bar tables are set around chest height or a little lower. They are used with barstools or while standing, making them ideal teens. But it can add to any kitchen or dining room, even if you don’t have teens.

Bar tables can fit multiple bar stools or chairs at it and are great for prepping food or drinks, as well as eating or drinking.

Pub Table

A pub table is a tall round table that can fit two chairs. Or at least, this is the generic pub table. There are many more types of pub tables with this being the standard. So search for pub tables if this is the look you like.

Family Room Tables

The family room is a term that you may use when referring to the room where your family gathers to play. This isn’t the living room but it is more like a game room complete with games and an entertainment system.

Pool Table

A pool table is one of the most common types of game tables in the family room. This is most due to the popularity of pool and how fun it is to play.

Billiards can be a competitive game. However, adults and children are easy to entertain with games. It is teens that can be difficult to draw into something with the family. But pool is a safe choice.

Ping Pong Table

Table tennis, or ping pong, is a popular game for kids and adults alike. There are even table tennis tournaments where top players can win big. But for the most part, it’s a casual game for families using a table tennis table.

The perk of a table tennis table is that it is much cheaper than most other family room game tables. You can also get a very affordable net to attach to almost any rectangular table and use it for ping pong.

Foosball Table

Foosball is a classic game for all families. This type of table isn’t exactly common but when you choose multiple game tables for your family room, this is always a solid choice. Almost everyone enjoys foosball.

The tables themselves can be quite costly but it is quite a bit cheaper than something like an arcade game or another type of game that doesn’t allow coop. Keeping games made for at least two players is always great for family rooms.

Board Game Table

Chess and checkers tables are interchangeable. While you can get a chessboard or checkerboard and place it on any table, getting one that has a surface that isn’t removable can be a great investment.

These tables look high-end and offer a fun place to play games without risking any board flipping. Consider getting a table that doubles as a board like this for a very high-end and classy addition to any family room.

Miscellaneous Tables

Now that you know all there is to know about tables in the primary rooms around the house, it’s time to make our way to the strange rooms that not everyone owns. Let’s take a look at some random yet useful tables.

Console Table

A console table is designed specifically for entryways. The most common type of console table is one where you can put flowers on and welcome signs so your guests feel welcomed. They also provide storage space for essential daily items.

Drink Table

A drink table is a rather rare type of table that is hardly big enough to fit a pitcher on. Some people use bar stools as drink tables as they are about the right width. However, they are often not the right height.

Nesting Tables

Nesting tables are tables that slide into one another like Matryoshka dolls. One table will be about the side of a larger side table and each table beneath it will be just a bit smaller than the one above it.

Picnic Table

Finally, we have a table that you won’t see inside the house, but rather outside the house. Picnic tables are wonderful tables that you can use when dining outside. So if you prefer outdoor eating, then get a picnic table.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)FAQ

What Shape Table Is Good For Small Space?

A round table works well in small rooms and smaller square shaped rooms. It creates a cozy and intimate setting, so it’s the best shape for a small group of people.

What Are Small High Tables Called?

Drink tables are tiny and have just enough room for a drink. They can be tall but are usually on the shorter side.

What Are Living Room Tables Called?

A console table is wide, shallow, and as tall as a regular table or desk. A console table is often placed against a wall but when it’s placed against the back of a sofa, it’s called a sofa table.

What Are Entryway Tables Called?

A table in a hallway is known as a console. However, if the table in the hallway is positioned toward the front of the home, it’s an entryway table. Both table styles are narrow, tall, and positioned against walls to keep hallways clear.

What Is A Refectory Dining Table?

A refectory table is an elongated table for dining in monasteries during Medieval times. In the Late Middle Ages, the table evolved into a banquet or feast table in castles and other noble residences.

Types Of Tables Conclusion

When searching for two or more decorative tables for your home, you’ll need to consider their placement. A table style is only as good as its function. You wouldn’t want to put a table in a room where it didn’t fit or couldn’t be used.

As previously mentioned, a table is a decorative piece. There are an overwhelming number of different styles, so make sure you explore before making a decision. When working with smaller spaces, make sure your table has aesthetic appeal. An eye-catching table, for example, can do wonders for a room.