[Kaporen]

Once you have a coffee table in mind (or, okay, several!), it’s time to break out that tape measure. Scale is imperative with any piece of furniture, but it’s especially important when it comes to coffee tables (because, to be honest, they’re startlingly easy to get wrong). To start, remember that your coffee table isn’t going at it acapella. Measure your sofa to ensure that your coffee table won’t overhang it. Ideally, a coffee table should stop 2” short of your sofa on either end.

[books_kabuki]

The one piece of furniture in your home working from dusk til dawn? Well, that would be the coffee table (also known as the cocktail table après 5 PM). While routinely used to anchor a sofa, we like to think of a vintage coffee or cocktail table as the sun around which the other pieces in a room orbit. Meaning? Ensure your table’s sun-worthy. Have a regal room with palace vibes? Try a brass-and-glass La Barge piece. Style a bit more Mod? We personally fall hard for Waterfall tables.

[foxhunter]

YOUR STYLE IS.

[maxidresses]

Those who consider cocktails for twelve just another Wednesday night might do well to consider a coffee table that can double as seating. To fit the bill, look for for block-style coffee tables, or Parsons tables with panel-like legs. Materials like stone and burl wood hold up well to unconventional uses, but we recommend staying away from materials like lacquer or acrylic which may scratch easily. [links]

[Remizor]

If the amoebic nature of L.A. swimming pools speaks to you, consider something retro. From the cool-looking kidney bean shape to the biomorphic blob, vintage Mid-Century Modern coffee tables offer up a clean, unfussy look that perfectly complements straight-lined furniture. For something a little less daring, look for Danish Modern designs (which are typically rectangular in shape), or used coffee tables from Scandinavian makers. A favored Scandinavian design showcases an oblong top raised on splayed pencil legs—it’s simplistic perfection.

[MrFlibble]

A feature that most lends itself to rustic and global coffee tables, we love a table that can help keep little messy secrets, just that—secret. Some coffee tables offer hidden lift-up compartments, but more common among vintage pieces are time-worn trunks that can double as tables or repurposed drums and barrels. Farm-style coffee table also frequently offer floor-level shelving, which is perfect for lining up baskets. [links]

[becker]

To buy: amazon.com, $140 (originally $200) more

[kingandrew]

Whether you’re an avid scuba diver or a beginner looking for a new hobby, "100 Dives of a Lifetime" provides a comprehensive guide of all the top diving spots across the world’s greatest bodies of water. With more than 350 underwater images along with expert diving advice from world-famous National Geographic divers and explorers like Brian Skerry, Jessica Cramp, and David Doubilet, you’ll find yourself reading about dozens of dives ranging from night swimming with manta rays in Kona, Hawaii to diving beneath the ice floes of Antarctica. [links]

[rainerfox]

In one of National Geographic’s best-selling books, there’s no shortage of destination ideas for your next vacation. In "Destinations of a Lifetime," you’ll find information on the world’s 225 most fascinating places, enough to literally last a lifetime. The pages will take you on a photographic journey across our planet’s most bucket list-worthy spots, which include a range of both natural and manmade structures. more

[allinvain]

If you travel to different countries with one specific purpose in mind, like visiting the world’s best libraries, there’s even a coffee table book that’s perfect for you too. Massimo Listri’s "The World's Most Beautiful Libraries" is mesmerizing from cover to cover with full-page photos of some of the world’s finest and oldest libraries.

[lishan1997]

French Chateau Living. The third book in a series exploring delectable European homes, French Chateau Living takes us into the Château du Lude, a private residence in the Loire Valley with original interiors that will transport you back to the magic of old France. Barbara De Nicolay, Christine Toulier, Eric Sander, $75 [links]

[jemenake]

Weekends. Photographer and stylist Kara Rosenlund shares her home and processes in this gem, 'dedicated to the spirit of summer weekends in Australia and how we can best enjoy them through interiors, food and nature.' Kara Rosenlund, $35 more

[stbri]

The New Black Vanguard: Photography Between Art and Fashion. Curator and critic Antwaun Sargent's visual essay highlights the story of fifteen visionary Black fashion photographers and their experience of 'inclusion, and exclusion, in the creation of the commercial Black image, while simultaneously proposing a brilliantly reenvisioned future.' Antwaun Sargent, $49.92 here

[Sawzall]

Contemporary Living: Indoor and Outdoor. The ideal coffee table book for the modernist, Contemporary Living delves into Belguim homes and apartments to show contemporary architecture and design at its finest.Wim Pauwels, $150 here

[AT-LOW]

Bibliostyle: How We Live at Home with Books. `A room without books is like a body without soul,' said Cicero, and Nina Freudenberger agrees. Biblio Style celebrates the beauty and value of books in a home and the connection they have with their owner. Nina Freudenberger, $50 [links]

[BookLover]

See other interesting places in Belgium. here

[matsh]

Lisbon is also known for its fine collection of historic cafes. One of many people’s favourites is the ‘The Brazilian Cafe’ – one of the oldest and most famous cafes in the city’s old quarter. Tourists flock to the place drawn by its early original early 20th-century facade, old carved wood and burnished metal decor and glinting bottles behind the bar. Service may not be the quickest but at least it’ll give you a chance to people watch in gorgeous surroundings.

[blanu]

La Closerie des Lilas is the perfect place to visit on Paris weekend breaks. A former philosopher’s favourite, the cafe is known for its rich history of hosting such heroes of literature and art as Ernest Hemingway, Henry Miller, Apollinaire, Cézanne and Picasso. Every Tuesday night great thinkers, artists and poets would pile into La Closerie and mull over the latest theories, sharing their work and their ideas. Fans of Hemingway will most certainly want to visit the lush secluded terrace where the great author spent endless hours scribbling out his work. Hemingway lived a mere stone’s throw from the café and his favourite place at the glistening mahogany bar is marked with a well-polished brass plaque bearing his name.

[paulie_w]

Fans of Art Nouveau will probably enjoy this cafe the most. Idyllically located just across from the opera house amidst the bustling hub of Las Ramblas, it is the perfect place to absorb the buzz of the city as well as look out for familiar faces and meet new friends. It has welcomed opera goers and performers for over a century.

[Symbiosis]

Formerly a popular historic cafe, then closed and fully restored ‘The Ultimate Hallucination” is housed in a mansion built in the second quarter of the 19th century. With an elegant neo-classical style filled with beautiful stained glass the restaurant consists of three parts. The front has Art Nouveau Empire style, the middle section refers to the Art Nouveau style of Charles Rennie Mackintosh and the dining room of yesteryear has a distinctive French Art Nouveau flavour. A truly unique place to dine or grab a coffee. here