Caféstyle

Officially defined as low tables where magazines can be placed and coffee or cocktails are served', nowadays those are just the basic ingredients as imaginative designers have conjured as many styles as there are coffee blends with something to suit every taste and budget.

Their look - low, long, lean, chunky, see-through or solid - as well as the way they're 'dressed' (a liberal coating of takeaway cartons and cans through to usually unopened glossy coffee table books) -will reveal so much about you.

The ideal 'brew' for a successful coffee table is a dash of striking good looks, the ability to be handy and practical, and a sprinkling of unique features.

Choose your perfect coffee table from our 'cream' of the best.

CLEVER COFFEE TABLES 8Some coffee tables simply do what they say on the tin' but others are a lot smarter. They're either cleverly designed which means they can grow' to offer more surface area, or have nifty storage for those easy-to-lose essentials like TV remote controls, magazines, and random living room clutter.

Top Choice: Laura Ashley's adjustable Milton table , £700, has a top which can be raised to table height - ideal for couch potatoes who love to snack - and plenty of storage space inside its chest-shape base. It comes in natural oak with antiqued pewter handles.

The Rest: Marks & Spencer's handsome bench style Tiga coffee table in sheesham wood, £399, has another matching bench which sits underneath it and can slide out for more surface area. Dwell's glass multi-level transforming table (, £245, has two rotating glass panels which can extend out to add to its central table top. There is also a bottom glass shelf.

CLASSIC COFFEE TABLES 8Tables which have such an impressive blend of design and style that they're instantly at home in any room.

Top Choice: Marks & Spencer's Halkham table (pictured above), £399, has a chic country style that is a top look for this year. Its base, which incorporates two drawers and a shelf below, is in white painted wood and its top is in an oak veneer.

The Rest: New Heights large two-drawer storage Bloc coffee table (below), from £599, boasts quality and design and with its light wood finish would suit any style interior.

Laura Ashley's Garrat table is a dark chestnut winner for those who want to make a coffee table statement. It has nine drawers and a lift-up lid, £350. It is also available in a honey finish.

The Holding Company's simple but stylish rattan chest (above), £249, is ideal for a relaxed, informal setting or a conservatory room.

Content by Conran's Boomerang table is ideal for those who like circular tables. It is oak with a glass top and costs £498.

ECO COFFEE TABLES 8The eco-conscious will want their coffee table to be planet-friendly.

Top Choice: The Cotswold Company's chunky-leg coffee table at £649, is part of its new totally carbon neutral English oak furniture range. It is made using only UK-grown oak from managed forests.

The Rest: The One eco-home furniture range features ethical products made with sustainable products, and its Brazilian FSC Elliptical coffee table, with glass top, is £695. Designer, Aaron Moore has created a range of furniture including a side table, £130, made from recycled bottles with sustainable wood, from Wow Wow.

CONTEMPORARY COFFEE TABLES 8Like successful celebrity models these tables should ideally be sleek and slim and draw attention because of their jaw-dropping good looks. Accessorise with glossy 'coffee table books' rather than yesterday's coffee cups.

Top Choices: Furniture Village's Saigon coffee table, £279, has a dark wood body and glass top, as well as two handy drawers.

Dwell's trademark offering is design standard pieces at high street prices and it doesn't disappoint with its low, four-block storage coffee table, in chocolate, £395, or white, £325, which has a genius central storage area so you can sweep away your mess when unexpected guests arrive at the door.

Habitat's Kilo coffee/occasional tables are a serious snip at £25 each and come in contemporary shades - including orange, yellow and plum.

GLASS COFFEE TABLES 8There is nothing quite as versatile as a glass coffee table. These go with any decor and highlight any room, but avoid if you are houseproud and hate fingerprints - these are a magnet for those as well as dust.

Top Choice: Natuzzi's Bubble & Vase softly-curved, clear glass coffee table, £690, isn't just a stunner, it also has an integral vase which turns it into a stylish talking point. It also comes in coffee-coloured glass, £800.

The Rest: Furniture Village's nest of three tables, one long curve and two beneath, is aptly called the Elegant Fold, £369, or neat Notte nest of black glass and chrome tables, £595. Dwell's nest of three curved glass tables, in clear glass £195, or in grey glass £245.

8 If you regard a coffee table as a centrepiece for your room, then it is worth investing in a good one. You might need strong coffee to calm your nerves over the price, but Neville Johnson's Brezza coffee table (below), £1,800 is functional, attractive, and makes storage a feature.