Other Furniture

A table, a rug, a bench: these pieces are chosen less for their look than for the space they leave around them. This selection brings together coffee tables and dining tables, a bench, a rug, a metal clothes rack and a mattress.

Measure the furniture, then the walkway

Allow at least eighty centimeters between a table and a wall so a chair can be pushed back, and one meter if someone needs to walk behind it. Also check the width of the doors and hallway before settling on a tabletop size. A table that is too large on one side always costs you comfort on the other three.

The rug defines the area

A rug is chosen not by the size of the room but by the size of the furniture group it brings together. In front of a sofa, it should extend well beyond the legs of the coffee table. Under a dining table, add about sixty centimeters around the tabletop so the chairs stay on it when pulled out.

The bench, a seat that tucks away

A bench replaces two chairs and slides under the tabletop when the room needs clearing. At a rectangular table, the most flexible arrangement keeps the bench on one side and chairs on the other: a backrest remains available for those who need it. A narrow bench also serves as an entryway seat or a stand for a few plants.

Frequently asked questions

What height for a coffee table?

Aim for the seat height of the sofa, or two to three centimeters below. Any lower and the top becomes awkward to reach from the back of the sofa.

How do I measure the size of a mattress?

Measure the inside of the bed frame, not the mattress you are replacing. Two centimeters too many are enough to stop a mattress from sitting down in the frame.

Where should I place a metal clothes rack?

Against a free wall in an entryway or bedroom, keeping the depth of a hanger clear in front of it. It is also handy near a bathroom, for letting a piece of laundry dry.