7 Cool Alternatives to Your Living Room Side Table

Is it just us, or do all living rooms kind of look the same? It doesn’t matter if they’re large or small, minimalist or maximalist. most living rooms follow the same cookie cutter format. There’s always a cozy couch, maybe an accent chair or two, a few coffee and side tables, and a nice, big television. It’s a bit of a snooze, but what’s the alternative?

Turns out, there are plenty of ways to shake up your living room layout. For starters, you can ditch your coffee table once and for all. But if you’re not willing to get rid of any furniture staples, you can always get creative with the pieces you do have. Take your side table, for example. Sure, it’s great for table lamps and setting down drinks, but it doesn’t have to be a table.

Below, seven side table alternatives that get the job done just fine:

Psst… a bar cart is a practical purchase whether or not you stack booze on it. In this room, designed by Emily Henderson, it’s the perfect way to keep knick-knacks organized.

Swapping out your side table for a chair gives your space a bohemian-chic vibe. Let this California cool home show you how it’s done.

Trying to save some floor space? Pick up some floating shelves, like this cool option from Urban Outfitters.

Sara from Twelve on Main added a rustic ladder to her farmhouse-friendly bedroom. If this alternative works this well in a boudoir, it’s a shoo-in for your living room too.

Attention all jetsetters! Take a page out of this Brooklyn-bound house tour and let your suitcases double as a side table. Bonus points if they’re vintage and worn.

If you want to switch up things in your living room, without going too far out of your comfort zone, a pouf hits the sweet spot between safe and subtle.

Have a lot of book, but not sure what to do with them? This San Francisco space masters the bookworm look by turning a stack of tomes into a makeshift table.