Nest of Tables: Individual Sizes, Nesting Space and Everyday Use

A nest of tables gives you separate surfaces that can be brought together when you need more floor space. The useful question is how the whole set works in your room: where each table goes during an evening, how far it pulls out and what remains on top when you put it away.

Compare the size of every piece, rather than treating the largest measurement as the size of every table. The two pairs below also show why a nesting set is not automatically low enough to use as a coffee table.

Compare both tables in each pair

Box dimensions come from our product specification. Better Together dimensions are converted from the Caracole catalogue, page 87, and rounded to the nearest millimetre. These are individual table dimensions, not a confirmed measurement of the complete nested arrangement.

Plan the stored and separated layouts

Make a paper outline for each tabletop and try two arrangements: the position where you store the set, and the positions where people will use it. Include the legs and stretchers when assessing the real furniture; the top outlines alone cannot prove that one piece will slide completely beneath another.

For example, the two Box tables placed fully apart in a straight line use 55 + 46 = 101 cm of width before adding a gap. That is a planning calculation, not their nested footprint. If the set must fit into a tight recess, ask for its total width and depth when nested and a photograph showing that arrangement.

Leave a route to pull the smaller table out. A sofa leg, rug edge or neighbouring chair can obstruct that movement even when the stored set fits. Avoid planning a permanent lamp on the smaller table if its cable would need unplugging every time you separate the pair.

Check the height of the table you will actually use

Better Together's larger table is about 9 cm taller than Box's larger table, although their widths are close. Its smaller table is also taller than either Box surface. Compare each height with the seat or arm beside it, and test your reach with a temporary box or existing table. A set that suits the side of a sofa may feel too high in front of it.

Allow for the surface and the way you put things away

Box has mango-wood dish tops; the raised rim reduces the flat area available for a tray or lamp base. Better Together uses antique mirrored glass within a wood frame. Compare your objects with the usable surface, follow the exact finish's care instructions and use suitable protection for drinks.

Clear the smaller tabletop before nesting it unless the manufacturer confirms sufficient clearance for anything left there. Do not assume either pair is a seat, step or outdoor table. Browse side and occasional tables, read our side-table placement guide, or contact our team with your room measurements and chosen set.