Furniture Design Series: The Coffee Table

For the third installment in our table design series, (see the Dining Table series here and the Kitchen Table series here) we focus on the hardworking coffee table, center of everything from meals to mail to books to tired feet. Here are eight of our favorite coffee tables that are sure to live up to their serious furniture responsibility. Next up: The Side Table. Slideshow

Whether you’re serving morning coffee for two or a pizza party for a gaggle of friends, this wooden coffee table by Reinier de Jong does triple duty by expanding its square inches with surfaces that tuck away when not in use.