Small side tables are wonderful pieces of furniture that can add a place to set a cup of coffee or book in a living room. These tables are often set next to a chair or sofa in the living room. Because of their small size they are easily portable and can be shifted around the room.

 

Very small side tables are called candle stands and can hold no more than a candlestick or maybe a narrow lamp and a glass.  These diminutive tables can be squeezed into a small space that a larger end table cannot.

 

Placing them next to an armchair or sofa makes a convenient surface for a drink or magazine when the coffee table is just out of reach.  Placed between two chairs the small side table helps create a seating area that would work in a bay window or across from a sofa in the living room.  Using an area rug to anchor a seating area, like in the image, helps pull all the elements together. The side table can be on the rug or just beyond the border of the rug.

 

Small side tables can also be used as bedside tables. If they have a lower shelf or drawer it is even better as this provides a bit of storage next to the bed. These tables provide a place for a lamp, a glass of water and an alarm clock—the bedside essentials.  You can flank the bed with a pair of tables or two different side tables in similar woods or painted in the same color.