Guides / Living room · Published 2026-11-01
Side tables: within 2″ of the sofa arm, and 11 ft of wall for the set
A side table belongs within 2″ of the sofa arm.
That's the common design rule, and it's why an 18″ table next to a 25″ arm always looks off. Measure your arm first, then shop: for a 25″ arm, look for 24–26″ (61–66 cm). Leave about 2–6″ from the sofa so you can reach it and still clean. On top, aim for the bottom of the lamp shade near seated eye level, about 40″ from the floor. And check the wall: an 84″ sofa with two 20″ tables and a little breathing room takes about 132″, or 11 ft. Short wall? One table and one floor lamp works too.
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