The living room’s coffee table is basically kid command center. It’s where snacks are eaten, Playdoh is smooshed, blocks are stacked, homework is done…it can even be a steady spot for a new stander or walker to stabilize themselves. With that many kid-magnet metrics to hit, it’s super important to make sure the table can both take a beating, but also not give a beating in the form of sharp corners, breakable glass or any other dangerous aspects. Of course, with all hard edges, there’s always a chance of injury if you have some wild munchkins (fully upholstered ottomans are great for those kiddos), but after consulting some moms on the team, we came up with five different types of coffee tables that are far less “accident-prone” if you are currently shopping. And if your kids are a little older, we also included some that just work better for smaller bodies or dirty snack fingers.

But first, let’s look at what Emily used when Charlie was a toddler…

Em went straight for the round leather ottomans. They’re nearly injury-proof, and depending on the finish on the leather, can be easy to clean (though note that if you have a raw leather, that’s not really the case). If you look closely, you’ll see she when with two different sizes. That means more soft places to play on and they help fill the space better. Notice how they are styled differently. On the left, it’s “Charlie-approved” with zero styling. Then on the right is for when the kids aren’t around and you want it to feel a bit more pulled together. A tray is your best friend for an upholstered ottoman. It makes it so you can actually set things such as glassware on it.

Kid-Friendly Coffee Table Need-to-Knows

Before shopping, let’s just outline a few quick things that are important to keep in mind, especially if you have younger kids:

1. Avoid sharp, hard corners. Look for silhouettes that are a little more rounded.
2. Just say no to glass. When Arlyn’s daughter first started moving around, her pediatrician told her to immediately remove glass furniture from the house. Doctor’s orders, okay?
3. Fabric is totally okay, but if it’s light in color, be sure it’s labeled “performance.” This means it can be easily cleaned.
4. Patterns are your friends. Let’s be real, even the best behaved kids get curious with a marker or pen at some point in their lives. Something with a pattern is much better at hiding any marks you can’t remove.
5. Skip anything that’s too light. This can be easily tipped over, which you don’t want for your little gymnasts.
6. Leather can be great, or awful. Look for something that’s a little bit more slick and shiny which can repel oil more easily. A raw or more matted leather will absorb marinara sauce like your dry face in winter sucks in moisturizer.

Upholstered Ottomans

Since we were just talking about this type of coffee table, let’s start here. As I said above, an upholstered ottoman is probably your safest bet when it comes to avoiding potential trips to the emergency room. So not only are they great for kids but they can add a really fun and interesting texture to your living room. We recommend choosing a contrasting fabric like Emily did in Suzanne’s old living room (denim fabric sofa with a leather ottoman). You can also choose one that has a pattern and/or a different color. Basically, to make your space feel more “collected,” stay away from anything too matchy-matchy.

1. Hudson Cradle Ottoman | 2. Hustle Leather Ottoman | 3. Faible Ottoman Piano Domino | 4. Unwind Slipcovered Ottoman | 5. Flatweave Kilim Ottoman | 6. Grant Rectangular Ottoman | 7. Kora Tufted Performance Woven Ottoman | 8. Colten Round Coffee Table Ottoman | 9. Fleetwood Upholstered Ottoman in Nathan Wheat Performance Tweed | 10. Kendall Striped Ottoman | 11. Faira Upholstered Ottoman | 12. Large Round Tufted Storage Ottoman

What’s great about an upholstered ottoman is that if you want a rectangle or square shape but are afraid of sharp corners you can have both! Take #2, #3, #5 and #6 for example. Each has a totally different style but gives you those 90-degree angles. If you are looking for something more neutral, #9 is super affordable but still comes with a performance fabric, which should clean easily. Also, remember to not be afraid of velvet! It’s actually a kid-friendly material that cleans up like a dream and can take a beating. Keep #8 and even #11 in mind (each comes in different colors and solids, too!).

Kid-Specific Tables (That Are Passable as Adult Coffee Tables)

Depending on what phase of your parenting life you’re in (and what kind of kids you have), your best bet might be to forego the actual coffee table for now and get a table or furniture piece made specifically for kids. It’s an amazing time to be alive in the world of design because there are beautiful solutions for all kinds of style predicaments now. Just because a table or ottoman is made for kids doesn’t mean it has to look like it should live in a school. There are so many great options now. Read on to see what I mean.

1. Chunk Play Ottoman | 2. Coffee Table in Bennett | 3. Miso Play Table | 4. Wooden Rounded Square Activity Table | 5. Ferm Living Slope Table | 6. Ottoman in Finley

A brand called House of Noa makes some super affordable benches (#2) and ottomans (#6) in very cool fabrics and, of course, the kid arm of companies such as West Elm and Crate & Barrel have amazing options. West Elm Kids’ #3 looks essentially just like a coffee table, but is the right size to pull up a toddler chair to color, play, and all that jazz. Batten Home offers this cute shapely number (#5) in a pretty blue; it’s a bit small, but you could add a smaller, lower ottoman to it to extend the visual space it takes up. And no kid furniture round up would be complete without something from the Nugget brand; this is their Chunk (#1), which looks like a normal ottoman when all put away, but comes fully apart to play with. Cool!

Oval Coffee Tables

Who knew this post would be a chronological timeline of Emily’s coffee tables post-children but here we are! After the ottomans came her oval vintage Saarinen coffee table and, later, her well-loved Lulu and Georgia coffee table, which is no longer available. What she has said is she loves about both of these tables is how sturdy and heavy they are. Her kids have zero chance of moving them around. Plus, there are no sharp corners to worry about. So while a head could still bonk against the edge, an oval shape is still very kid-friendly. Plus, it’s a fun yet elegant shape for any living room that encourages a nice flow around your furniture.

1. Fenway Coffee Table | 2. Derrico 46″ Acacia Wood Coffee Table | 3. Oval Natural Wood Zeke Coffee Table | 4. Mahoe Oval Coffee Table | 5. Safavieh Woodruff Oval Coffee Table – White/Oak | 6. Panos Acacia Wood Coffee Table | 7. Brix Coffee Table | 8. Nero White Marble Oval Coffee Table | 9. Baarlo 46″ Coffee Table – Smoked Oak

When it comes to affordability, you can’t beat #7 or #1. For something a bit modern but still natural, you have #2, #6 and #9. You know I love #4 for its mix of beautiful marble and wood, and, of course, #8 is classic! For those who loved Emily’s oval and tiered coffee table of yesteryear, #5 is reminiscent of it for a fraction of the price.

Round Coffee Tables

A classic is a classic for a reason. Who doesn’t love a round coffee table?! To my memory, Emily hasn’t used a round coffee table in her home but has used them a bunch in others she’s designed (like the Portland Project media room). They are great for sectionals and if you use them with a normal sofa, just beware of the scale. Here’s a post with rules to help! HOT TIP: Nesting coffee tables are great if you need more length. Let’s see what cornerless beauts I’ve found for you today…

1. Sula Round Coffee Table | 2. Anish Round Natural Wood Ribbed Pedestal Coffee Table | 3. Modern 32″ White Marble Metal Wood Cone Base Round Coffee Table | 4. Mullins Coffee Table | 5. Odeon Coffee Table Round | 6. LISTERBY | 7. Kylie Burl Wood Coffee Table | 8. Hanover 36” Coffee Table | 9. Shaker Coffee Table | 10. Pascal Round Coffee Table, Low, Mist Green | 11. Casa Round Coffee Table | 12. Jono Round Coffee Table

First off, I am wildly impressed with #7 from Wayfair. It’s not wildly expensive and it’s cool and modern with that burlwood veneer. What’s not to love? Then for a higher price point, I love love #1. Those spindled legs are chunky and dramatic. Honestly, I would happily have any of these in my house. Which one is your favorite?

Storage Coffee Tables

We’ve talked a ton about safety here, but something else that is crucial for family spaces is…STORAGE. Drawers and compartments are crucial for stashing away coloring books and crayons, board games, a deck of cards…all the things. These used to be fairly traditional, more like a Shaker style with a drawer or two, but now you can find them across the spectrum of design. Let’s take a look.

1. Summerville Rectangular Coffee Table (48″) | 2. Volume Round Storage Drum Coffee Table (36″) | 3. Graft 48w 24d 15h Coffee Table | 4. Ortona Warm Blonde Wood Slab Leg Coffee Table with Drawer | 5. Matteo Square Coffee Table with Storage Option | 6. Stria 47″ Modern Oval Natural Solid Wood Fluted Coffee Table with Storage | 7. Boom 2-Drawer Coffee Table | 8. Lenia 46″ Storage Coffee Table – White Oak | 9. Burl 35.5″ Rotating Coffee Table

For those who want something round, #2 is very cool with storage from the top, and #9 is gorgeous and luxe looking with storage opening from the side. Unless you plan on adding bumpers to any sharp corner or edge, picks like #1, #3 and #7 (which has drawers that come out the side rather than the front), are best left for when your kids are older. And I just generally love the vibes of #5. There’s really something for everyone and every style!

So that’s it from me today! Do any parents have any more tips? Can anyone personally speak to any of these? Let us know in the comments.

Love you, mean it.

Opening Image Credit: Photos by Tessa Neustadt