What good is a living room without a table for artful display and kicking back" Serious couch-potatoing is child's play without the support of a neighboring coffee table. Whether you?re dealing with remotes and chip bags or novels and wine glasses, a temporary landing pad for your stuff is crucial for chilling hard. Coffee tables are also strangely hard to shop for, requiring us to exorcise the nitpicky, commitment-phobe Goldilocks dwelling inside each of us.
Find here nine options to at least get you started on your path to surface serenity. Our under-$300 options in wood, steel, and glass include classic shapes in new colors and styles?plus one plush upholstered option for those who use their coffee table as a foot rest.
Ikea

Ikea, Stockholm Nesting Tables, $279
This low-slung pair of leaf-shaped tables makes for a flexible coffee table that can be resized and rearranged depending on your mood. The legs are solid walnut, while the tops have a walnut veneer.

Room & Board

Room & Board, Slim Cocktail Tables in Colors, $219
The slim profile of this powder-coated steel option is perfectly sized and adds some color to a room, be it the living room or playroom. It comes in 16 choices, including sunshine yellow and hot red, as well as classics like taupe, silver, gold, and slate.

Target, Stepney Coffee Table Brass and Black, $123.49
Black and gold bring sexy sophistication to any room, plus the...