| Sofa tables are regarded as prime necessity and are | | | | appearance. They usually are available in various |
| common pieces of accent furniture for all homes. But, | | | | styles from contemporary to baroque. |
| the sofa tables we know today come from a long | | | | The sofa tables which originated during the late |
| history of development. | | | | seventeen and early eighteen hundreds were very |
| Sofa tables began appearing around the seventeen | | | | much intentional. The upholstered sofa did not appear |
| hundreds, and like settees, they were known for their | | | | at that time as we can see today. The settee was |
| high features. Their popularity spread among all classes | | | | the standard before that period, which would be paired |
| of people. | | | | with a sofa table. |
| In many rooms at that time, sofas and sofa tables | | | | As the Industrial Revolution began to pick up speed in |
| were paired with fireplaces. A fireplace was often | | | | the late eighteen century, weaving of fabrics changed |
| considered the center and focus of a common room. | | | | dramatically. The fabric weaving quickly moved from a |
| Sometimes, they would be placed near the hearth or | | | | cottage industry to mass production. Eventually, the |
| fireplace with chairs so those in the room could take | | | | cost for fabric dropped and new uses for it grew. It |
| advantage of the warmth of the fire. | | | | was in this time when the settee was replaced by the |
| For some time after this, sofa tables made a move, to | | | | fully upholstered couch, or sofa. This is when they |
| the wall. They were pushed back, away from sight, | | | | became less important, and were pushed to the wall. |
| between the wall and the back of the sofa. It was | | | | The best table, which epitomizes the early history of |
| during this time that their design and style took a dip. | | | | sofa tables, is the Pembroke table. The designs of |
| No longer was it important for them to be icons of | | | | various tables that are being used today had their |
| beauty, as no one would see them. | | | | genesis in the Pembroke style. The main characteristic |
| Then, thankfully for sofa tables, there was another | | | | of Pembroke table was a drop leaf section, which |
| shift. Nowadays, they are just as commonly located in | | | | could be a single leaf or two. There are some other |
| the centre of the room or near the fireplace are they | | | | features too, for distinguishing Pembroke tables from |
| are up against a wall. | | | | other tables. The Pembroke tables usually have a |
| So just what are sofa tables? | | | | drawer and often have two drawers. The tabletop of |
| They are loosely defined as any table near a sofa and | | | | the Pembroke takes a rectangular shape with its |
| were considered to a number of different tables. As | | | | leaves in down position. Many of those features have |
| we know, a sofa table is generally found at the back | | | | held through time and are those that are much |
| of the sofa these days. Modern ones serve more as | | | | coveted with this furnishing to this today. |
| a decorative piece, usually having a narrow and long | | | | |