Buying guide for Best nesting tables
Nesting tables are a great choice for small spaces. Nesting tables are sets of two or more tables of graduated sizes that can be stacked or nested in each other and separated when needed. They offer style, flexibility, and practicality in decorating. Even in large spaces, nesting tables can add an extra layer of interest and dimension where a single coffee or side table can’t.
Nesting tables aren’t just made for the living room. You can use nesting tables as nightstands or bed tables in bedrooms, occasional tables in dining rooms, or drinks tables on the patio or deck. Wherever you put them, nesting tables can provide as much or as little usable surface as you need.
Nesting tables were invented by English furniture designer Thomas Sheraton in the nineteenth century. He called his design the quartetto table, named for the four tables included in the set. Quartetto tables were popularly used in English drawing rooms for games or needlework.
What to consider in your search for the best nesting tables
Number of pieces
Nesting tables can come with as few as two individual tables, but sets of three or four are also common. Having more tables means having more flexibility in arrangement, placement, and usage, as well as multiplying the amount of surface space the nesting tables provide. Having a number of graduated tables allows you to create an attractive stepped effect with your nesting tables if you desire.
Height
Nesting table sets not only come in a variety or heights, they offer several heights within the set. Taller nesting tables of dining height or counter height are suitable accent or hallway tables, while lower nesting tables can function as end tables or coffee tables. The graduated sizes of nesting tables allow you to have multiple tables at several heights. You can have the tallest table serve as an end table and the shortest table still be at coffee table height.
Shape
Nesting tables can be found in as many shapes as other accent tables, including square, round, and triangular. Square and rectangular nesting tables maximize surface area, while round and triangular nesting tables can fit in tight spaces. You can also find irregular and polygonal tables.
Style
Nesting tables can be found in various styles, such as traditional, modern, retro, and industrial. The style you choose should reflect the overall style of your room, keeping in mind that a nesting table is an excellent opportunity to inject interest and stand out.
Materials
The materials used in making nesting tables tend to reflect the different styles. Quartetto tables in Thomas Sheraton’s post-Georgian style are graceful and elegant traditional pieces in hardwood, while a very popular design of modern nesting tables is made of clear acrylic. Metal is a popular material for the legs or supports of nesting tables, with tops made of wood, stone, or ceramic. You can also find woven wicker and rattan nesting tables for a tropical look.
Construction
The type and quality of construction affects price and availability. Fine furniture in hardwood or brass and steel can be much more expensive than flatpack furniture made of aluminum and MDF, but cheaper options may be more practical for renters and starter homes. Keep in mind that nesting tables tend to be less of an investment than a couch or easy chair, and you may like the flexibility of trying several different nesting tables over time.
Nesting tables whose individual tables have different colors, shapes, or finishes add even more visual interest and variety to a space.
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Features of nesting tables
Surface area
When you buy a nesting table, you get several tables in one. This multiplies the total surface area your table can provide. A tall, narrow nesting table can still offer twice, three times, or four times the surface area when all the units are used individually. A low, broad nesting table, like one used as a coffee table, can offer even more surface area when necessary and then nest again when not needed.
Maximum load
The maximum load of a table is the upper limit of weight it can support. An individual table of a nesting table set should at least hold 20 pounds in order to support more than a few light items at a time. Vases, books, art objects, and other display items can weigh significant amounts, and nesting tables should be able to support that weight at least on the largest table, if not on all tables. The maximum load of a nesting table should be listed with the item.
Stackability
It’s generally understood that nesting tables are stackable — each individual table can be stacked inside or on top of the others so the total minimum footprint of the table is no more than its largest unit. However, there are some table sets called nesting tables that aren’t stackable.
Storage
Nesting tables’ primary feature is their multiple units, but some nesting tables also offer other ways to store and display items. Some nesting tables have shelves that can function as a display space or storage space, while others may have drawers for storage. The stackability of nesting tables often means only one table has a drawer or shelf.
Protective feet
Rubber tips, felt pads, or other protective additions on the feet of nesting tables help protect hardwood and carpet from the wear and tear these tables may produce.
Did You Know?
Some nesting tables stack like baskets. Instead of pulling out each table horizontally, they stack and are removed vertically.
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What accessories go with nesting tables?
Trays
A decorative tray like a serving tray or an ottoman tray can be used on nesting tables, especially wider nesting tables that function as coffee tables. They’re great not just for holding and serving drinks but as parts of display arrangements.
Baskets
Baskets are appealing accessories for nesting tables. They can fit on smaller, narrower nesting tables used as side tables, occasional tables, or even foyer tables to hold keys and other small items. Baskets add texture, color, and character to many tablescapes.
Vases
Vases are classic elements of tabletop styling. Aside from holding flowers, they can be art objects in and of themselves or hold things like dried branches, potpourri, and other items.
How much do nesting tables cost?
Inexpensive
Inexpensive nesting tables can cost as little as $25 for a two- or three-table set up to $100 to $150 with costs of at most $50 per table. At the low end of this price range are mass-produced clones of more expensive designs, with few guarantees of quality or durability. For just a little bit more, you get reasonably sturdy accent tables in trendy styles that may last a few years, although you probably need to assemble them yourself.
Mid-range
From $150 to $500 are a wide selection of solidly built nesting tables from dependable brands in every style, with materials ranging from higher-strength MDF to real hardwood, metal, glass, leather, plastic, and woven fibers like rattan and water hyacinth. Nesting tables in this price range are furniture of good quality that can last several years without straining your budget. They may or may not need to be assembled.
Expensive
High-end nesting tables cost upwards of $500 for a set of two up to several $1,000 for artisan pieces made of premium materials and unique designs. Examples of pieces in this price range include a set of nesting tables carved from whole cross sections of hardwood trees, carved stone tabletops on brass, and handcrafted furniture with expert joinery.
C-tables are popular contemporary tables thanks to their ability to pull up close to a couch, chair, or bed and extend their surface over it. Nesting C-tables stack easily and compactly.
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Tips
- Nesting tables can work well as tables for kids’ rooms. A cheerful and rounded-edge nesting table can provide kid-appropriate heights and sizes and stack up neatly before bedtime.
- Nesting tables can take the place of bed tables and nightstands. Make sure the tallest table is no more than an inch higher than the top of your mattress, and you can use the other tables as occasional tables for food trays, books, or electronics.
- Nesting tables can double as seating. Some nesting tables can be used as seating, especially the smaller, shorter tables, as long as their maximum load capacity is from 150 to 250 pounds.
FAQ
Q. What’s the point of nesting tables?
A. Nesting tables are economical, space-saving, and versatile. For the price of one nesting table, you get two, three, or four matching coordinated individual pieces of furniture that can be placed and used as you like, and then stacked up together as a single compact unit.
Q. Can you use nesting tables as coffee tables?
A. Nesting tables can be used as coffee tables if they aren’t too tall (or short). A coffee table should be no more than four inches higher or lower than the top of a couch or chair’s seat. Nesting tables used as coffee tables should offer an adequate amount of surface, but spreading out the tables can make a multilayered coffee table out of one nesting table.
Q. How do you decorate a nesting table?
A. Decorating a nesting table depends on its location and function, but a common strategy for styling a nesting table is to pull out each table just enough to create a staircase effect, on which you can set or display different objects and accessories.
