If the coffee table is the responsible older sister, the cocktail table is the younger, cooler one with better taste in shoes. Physically, she's tiny, but she makes an impression – and in 2025, she’s everywhere. Designers are scaling down with this furniture trend, delivering sculptural, small-scale tables that serve just enough purpose to justify their beauty. CB2’s got them. Joon + Loloi too. And fellow magpies certainly won’t sleep on the crystal confections from Reflections Copenhagen.
But why the hubbub? And realistically, how many cocktail tables can one room take before it starts resembling a showroom?
According to New York-based designer Antonio Pippo, the answer to the first is simple: ‘A great cocktail table can stand on its own without any accessories – it can feel like a piece of art,’ he says. It’s the punctuation mark in a room: ‘An excellent cocktail table is like the period at the end of a seating group sentence,’ not the exclamation point.
Though the name implies a certain level of revelry, tiny tables aren’t just for martinis. ‘Cocktail tables are some of the most versatile pieces in a room,’ say Joshua Evan Goldfarb and Michael Edward Moriano, founders of the bi-coastal design studio Evan Edward. ‘Not only are they practical for placing a book or coffee by your favorite spot on the sofa, but they also add dimension and provide a perfect landing place for flowers, candles, and other small accents.’
The reality is, every new launch seems prettier than the last. And unlike throw pillows, cocktail tables don’t exactly tuck away in a closet. So is there a limit?
‘Noooo,’ insists Michelle Barry, founder and designer of Drip Castle Estate Collection. ‘I have definitely been accused of ordering too many wacky, one-off tiny tables! When I see an interesting material, size, color, or texture in a tiny table, I grab it.’ For her clients – most of whom reside in homes ranging from 8,000 to 14,000 square feet – it’s a necessity. ‘There are never enough places to put down your drink!’ she laughs.
Even in tighter spaces, the logic holds: you and your guests are lazy. Why stand to set your drink down? A table by every armchair makes more sense than one overworked coffee table – and helps prevent premature coaster rings.
If commitment’s the issue, consider the cluster. ‘I like to group smaller tables in the center of a seating area to replace the standard coffee table,’ Michelle shares. ‘More visual interest, more textures, and more options to move around as needed.’
This also sidesteps the matchy-matchy look, says Denver-based designer Peggy Haddad, who shouts out the latest at Currey & Company: the organic Irma Drinks Table, the sleek Dasari Brass, and the playful So Nouveau. Her tip is to mix finishes, materials, and leg styles whenever possible, which helps to avoid a sterile showroom feel.
And they’re not just living room furniture. ‘We are using clusters of tables everywhere!’ Michelle Barry continues. ‘Media rooms, where some double as stools and can be moved around as needed.’
‘I love using cocktail tables in bedrooms,’ adds Antonio Pippo. ‘Two chairs and a low table turn a corner into a retreat.' Marika Meyer agrees: ‘In a hallway, a small drink table with a plant becomes a pedestal.’
And for interior designer Darci Hether, it’s the bath that benefits most: ‘Next to a freestanding tub, it becomes the perfect place to set a glass of wine or a stack of towels – indulgent, but useful.’
They’re small, yes – but this interior design trend isn't foolproof either.
‘The biggest mistake I see is scale,’ says Peggy Haddad. ‘A cocktail table should fall between the seat and arm height of the chair or sofa next to it. Too tall and it immediately looks off.’ So always measure before you commit.
Charming, unobtrusive, and surprisingly useful – tiny tables are like good party guests. Just don’t invite too many. Unless they’re fabulous – then, by all means, let them linger.
It’s all we’ve been able to think about since Joon Loloi’s fall collection first dropped – a sculptural silhouette in mostly green marble, shot through with orange-red veining that crawls across the polished surface. Absolutely stunning.
This dark-stained acacia wood piece by Sandra Githinji merges traditional African architectural details with a modern pedestal silhouette – indicative of Sandra’s broader work. The design, she explains, echoes the facades of Sahel and Sudanian residences, which are often decorated with ‘toron’ bundles of rodier palm sticks.
Minimalism to the power of twelve – this Target gem is for one thing, and one thing only. Less of a table, more of a vessel, this clever little contraption is the perfect party-time or chill-time companion. Equally suited for a single old-fashioned or a solitary snack.
Hand-wrought iron has been trending in every category this year – but if you’re over candlesticks, this drink table offers a similar organic sensibility in a more unexpected form. It’s the perfect foil for tailored upholstery or other tactile finishes. One reviewer even placed it next to their bathtub, which feels right.
It looks like something that should be supporting an ancient Greek bust – or at least a priceless heirloom. But in this case, the objet might just be your cappuccino. Or a ceramic vase you made in that throwing class. Either way, it’s a pedestal with gravitas.
The wavy trend may be approaching oversaturation, but subtle silhouettes like this one from Rejuvenation keep things feeling fresh. Style it with plants, a petite plate, or anything else in your orbit. Also available in black ash.
We couldn’t believe our eyes. Sculptural anything rendered in rattan – especially at this scale – usually runs well over $500. It feels like it could have walked right off the set of Studio Hollond’s latest kitchen-diner project. Consider grabbing a pair to flank a larger piece – we have a feeling this whimsical woven find won’t stay in stock for long.
$50 might raise eyebrows – but based on the rave reviews, this might be Target’s best budget buy of the season. Shoppers love the sleek silhouette, the mixed-material design, and its surprisingly luxe feel in person. Several even went back for a second. We would too.
Featuring not one, but two tones of burl wood, this cylindrical cocktail table nails the retro style edge we love. Lean into its artsy sensibilities with an oversize planter and a sprawl of foliage – the more sculptural and off-kilter, the better.
Tiny tables may be the defining furniture obsession of 2025, but if there’s one piece hot on their heels, it’s the floor lamp. Here's why the floor lamp revival is lighting up, plus the best ones to shop now.
