Wooden vs. Glass Coffee Tables (And Dining Room Tables)

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Choosing the right coffee table can be tough.

As much as regular furniture is made with different materials, so is a coffee table, which displays its materials in stunning ways.

For example, a gold brass dining room table with a wooden top shows off its accents differently than a coffee table with the same accents and a glass top.

“It’s all about perspective,” Michelle Maclellan says, “you have to take into consideration your pre-existing furniture and know what works and what doesn’t.”

Michelle is the interior designer for La-Z-Boy’s Hunt Club furniture store in Ottawa, and she would know a thing or two about choosing the right coffee table for a living room.

Most people may not know this, but glass and wood materials play a different role in a room. While a glass coffee table can show off one style, a wooden coffee table can show off something completely different in the same room. 

So, how do you know which material works in what room? Well, this article will review the pros and cons of glass and wood and show off if a coffee table can work in a living room, or not! Further, we’ll be using the same arguments for dining tables to briefly see if their comparisons make a difference.

In This Article…

1. Is a Glass or Wood Coffee Table Better?
2. Which One is Family Friendly?
3. Which One is Better For Small Spaces?
4. Which One Has More Cleanup?
5. Which one is More Stylish?
6. Can Wood and Glass Work Together?
7. Pros and Cons Breakdown Summary
8. Glass vs. Wooden Dining Tables

Is a Glass or Wood Coffee Table Better?

Wooden coffee tables have a classic charm and cozy vibe, great for traditional or simple settings. Glass coffee tables, on the other hand, bring a modern touch and lightness, perfect for small spaces where clear surfaces can make the room feel bigger.

However, it all depends on your lifestyle and design preferences. Below we will break down each factor in more detail. 

Which One is Family Friendly?

As you may already know, materials have different levels of fragility. When it comes to how glass and wood play into the mix, you want to consider your family situation.

If you live with children, glass tables may be less family-friendly, since they tend to be more fragile than solid wood coffee tables. “If an object were to fall on the top of the glass for whatever reason, it might, unfortunately, shatter on impact,” Michelle says.

Wooden coffee tables could be better for a family with small children. Even though glass may still be more breakable than wood, Michelle also says you can still add a glass coffee table with wood edges, to help keep the glass protected. This could be recommended for someone who may not want to part ways with a glass table idea.

Which One is Better for Small Spaces?

Coffee tables come in all different shapes and sizes. But, believe it or not, there is one material that’s better for small spaces than the other, regardless of size.

Glass coffee tables are known to help open up spaces in a living room that you may not visually get with a wooden coffee table. Even though they sometimes take up the same space in a room, a glass coffee table creates the illusion of fewer spaces being occupied, since the material is transparent.

Not only is it good visually, but glass coffee tables can also help showcase other parts of your living room you may not have been able to because of an opaque wooden coffee table.

If you want to highlight your lovely bohemian rug while adding a coffee table, go for a round glass one. It won't block your rug, so you can show it off completely.

Which One Has More Cleanup?

This one might be a no-brainer for some, but one coffee table material is easier to clean than another.

It’s glass coffee tables! When it comes to some wooden coffee tables, the finish on the wood doesn’t fully protect against spills, causing liquids to seep into the cracks and permanently bleed your furniture.

With glass, spills don’t have anywhere to escape to, meaning you can easily clean your table with ease.

However, even though they may be easier to clean, you have to take into account the amount of times you may see yourself cleaning your coffee table. 

Not only do you have to worry about potential streaks forming from liquids on the table, but fingerprints and hairs become more apparent on glass surfaces than wood, ruining the pristine and clean aesthetic you might be going for with your glass coffee table.

If you don’t feel like cleaning your coffee table frequently, it might be better to invest in a quality wood coffee table that won’t cause permanent staining with spills. Ultimately the choice is up to you!

Which One is More Stylish?

This argument is a little more subjective but the style of a wooden coffee table versus a glass coffee table has its pros and cons.

As mentioned before, depending on the coffee table you choose, the style of the room can change drastically. For example, if you were to add a wooden coffee table to a space, you might be looking for a more cozy vibe to your room.

Solid wood coffee tables are known to create warmth and an inviting feeling in a room. “Distressed streaks in the wood finish can also make your coffee table feel more homey,” Michelle says.

While distressed wood can make a space feel inviting, glass tables offer a pristine approach to a space. Arguably, glass tables may feel more of an opposite at times to wooden coffee tables. 

As wooden coffee tables are warm, glass coffee tables are cold, offering a clear approach but also making people feel like the furniture is unapproachable. 

For example, while you may want to kick your feet up to a wooden coffee table, as you would with an ottoman, you might not feel as inclined to do so with a glass coffee table, with the worry that you might break it.

But, this doesn’t glass coffee tables aren’t stylish–they do have their unique ways of making a room feel great.

If you’re going for a clean look, this type of material might be the way to go. And, if you already have an established colour palette and may not want to add another layer to the mix, a glass coffee table can subtly be added without disturbing the peace. 

Can Wood and Glass Work Together?

Lastly, while you may have seen the pros and cons of both materials, glass and wood can work together cohesively.

As mentioned in an earlier argument, glass coffee tables can be made using wooden materials to help strengthen their fragile appearance. So, if you’re looking for something clean but need a little more durability in your life, you can have the best of both worlds!

Michelle also mentions that she has worked with countless clients who weren’t sure what material to add to their space, but ultimately went with glass even though there was wood already involved.

“I normally add a glass coffee table in a space if they already have existing wood or other materials; it’s a neutral material,” Michelle says. 

Furthermore, glass and wood materials can work together to add depth to a room, whereas this couldn’t have been achieved with just one material in the space.

Pros and Cons Breakdown Summary

To help summarize the arguments above, here is a breakdown of the pros and cons in a clear and understandable table:

Glass vs. Wooden Dining Tables

Now that we’ve touched on the importance of glass and wood in a living room setting, these materials also play an important role in dining furniture

While most of the arguments mentioned earlier work for wood or glass dining tables–things like cleanability and style–some things are also different.

For example, did you know that it can be harder to find leaf extensions in a glass dining table than it is for a wood dining table? To put this into perspective, La-Z-Boy’s dining table selection from Canadel does not feature any glass dining tables with leaf extensions.

“There are stores that do it, but you’d be surprised how few stores have them,” Michelle says. This could be because this type of extension is more difficult to manufacture, or because the process is more expensive than adding an extension to a wooden dining table.

Speaking of wooden dining tables, there seems to be more variety with selections in general, than there are for glass dining tables. While you can choose the same size and shape for any of the materials, wood comes in many different colours to help match any tone.

With glass dining tables, you only have one colour, which is clear. Michelle does mention you can add frosted glass, which can help with adding colour, but she finds that you might always see a green undertone to the finish. “It all comes down to the quality and how it’s made,” she says.

What's Next?

Now that you have a better understanding of glass and wood coffee tables, as well as dining tables, you’re ready to start shopping for your living room and dining room! With that being said, why not shop at La-Z-Boy?

After seeing some examples, you can see that our furniture stores in Ottawa and Kingston have a lot to choose from. Visit us at a local Ottawa and Kingston La-Z-Boy location to view our selection in person and take a sit test. You can also schedule an appointment online.

Our sales consultants are always eager to lend a helping hand. Additionally, consider taking advantage of our interior design services and working with an interior designer to see how our cottage furniture could fit in your home.

Related Articles:

Quality of Wood & Craftsmanship at Canadel

Glass Round Dining Tables

Problems with Wooden Furniture