Table of Contents >> Show >> Hide
- What Is the Trio Oval Coffee Table, Exactly?
- Quick Specs (So You Can Measure Before You Fall in Love)
- Why an Oval Coffee Table Works So Well (Even If You Think You’re a Rectangle Person)
- The Design Story: The “Hidden Elegance” Under the Top
- Is the Trio Oval the Right Size for Your Sofa?
- Material and Finish: Walnut vs. Oak vs. Ash (How to Choose)
- How to Style the Trio Oval Coffee Table (Without Making It a Clutter Shrine)
- Care and Maintenance: Keep It Beautiful (and Avoid the Dreaded Water Ring)
- Is the Trio Oval Coffee Table Worth It?
- Buying Checklist: What to Confirm Before You Order
- Frequently Asked Questions
- Real-Life Experiences With the Trio Oval Coffee Table (500+ Words)
- Conclusion
Some coffee tables are “just a place to set your mug.” The Trio Oval Coffee Table is more like
“a quiet flex in solid wood” that happens to hold your mug, your remote, and your weekend ambitions (aka the book
you keep meaning to finish).
Designed by Neri & Hu and crafted by De La Espada, the Trio Oval is a low, elongated
oval table with a deceptively simple topand a surprisingly intricate structure underneath. It’s the design equivalent
of wearing a plain black T-shirt… with tailor-level stitching you only notice up close.
What Is the Trio Oval Coffee Table, Exactly?
The Trio Oval Coffee Table is a modern, sculptural wooden coffee table defined by two big ideas:
(1) a soft oval top that keeps the room flowing, and (2) a “tectonic” leg-and-lattice composition
that turns the underside into the main event. Instead of hiding the engineering, this table celebrates it.
It’s also notably low-profile. At around 13 inches tall, it sits closer to lounge-table territory than
the classic “standard-height” coffee table. That low stance is part of the point: it creates a calm, grounded look and
puts the focus on proportion, negative space, and the warmth of real timber.
Quick Specs (So You Can Measure Before You Fall in Love)
Before we talk styling, let’s talk reality: your living room has physics. Here’s the practical snapshot that matters
most for planning.
- Shape: Oval
- Approx. Size: About 63" wide x 23.7" deep (long and slim)
- Approx. Height: About 12.8" tall (low profile)
- Materials: Solid wood options commonly listed as walnut, oak, or ash (finish options vary)
- Origin/Production: Often presented as made in Portugal and made to order depending on retailer
Translation: this table works beautifully in front of a longer sofa or a roomy sectionalespecially if you want a big
surface without a bulky visual footprint. It’s long, but not chunky.
Why an Oval Coffee Table Works So Well (Even If You Think You’re a Rectangle Person)
Ovals are underrated. They’re the “I woke up like this” of furniture shapes: relaxed, flattering, and quietly functional.
Here’s what an oval brings to a living room:
1) Better flow in real walkways
Hard corners can feel like speed bumpsespecially in tighter rooms or around sectionals. An oval coffee table helps
circulation because you naturally glide around it. Your shins will also send a thank-you note.
2) Softer contrast with boxy seating
Many sofas are basically beautiful upholstered bricks (affectionate). Pairing a squared-off sofa with a curved table
gives instant balance. The Trio Oval leans into that contrast: calm top, architectural base.
3) A little more “gathering” energy
An oval creates a subtle social cue: it reads as welcoming. People cluster around it more naturally than they do around
a sharp-edged rectangle that feels like it’s trying to enforce personal boundaries.
The Design Story: The “Hidden Elegance” Under the Top
The Trio concept is often described as a “tectonic exploration,” meaning the structure isn’t an afterthoughtit’s the
headline. Three legs connect through intermediate supports, creating a composed, almost lattice-like framework beneath
the surface.
The result is a table that looks simple from across the room, but reveals complexity as you move through the space.
That’s a big part of why it photographs well: it has depth and shadow, not just a flat silhouette.
Is the Trio Oval the Right Size for Your Sofa?
A gorgeous coffee table that doesn’t fit is just an expensive reminder that measuring tape exists.
Use these practical rules to sanity-check the Trio Oval in your layout.
Length: aim for “about two-thirds” of the sofa
A common design guideline is choosing a coffee table roughly two-thirds the length of your sofa.
With a ~63" table, you’ll usually get the best visual balance with a sofa around the 90"–100" range,
or with a sectional where the “main run” is similarly long.
Example: If your sofa is 96" long, two-thirds is 64". That’s basically a bullseye for the Trio Oval.
If your sofa is 78", two-thirds is 52"the Trio Oval may feel oversized unless the room is generous and you’re intentionally
going for a bold, gallery-like proportion.
Distance from seating: leave a comfortable reach zone
A popular range is keeping the coffee table roughly 14"–18" from the sofa: close enough to reach your drink,
far enough to stand up without doing a tiny obstacle course.
Height: match your lifestyle, not just your Pinterest board
Many classic guides suggest coffee tables sit around seat-cushion height or slightly lower. The Trio Oval is lower than
the “standard” coffee table, so it tends to shine with lower modern sofas, lounge seating, or a relaxed
living room where the vibe is more “sip and sprawl” than “formal entertaining.”
Practical tip: If you love the look but want a bit more day-to-day convenience, style it with a stable tray
and a couple of stacked books to raise the “working surface” where you actually place drinks.
Material and Finish: Walnut vs. Oak vs. Ash (How to Choose)
The Trio Oval is commonly offered in premium woods like walnut, oak, and ash.
Here’s how to pick the right one without overthinking it (too much).
Walnut: the cozy, upscale classic
Walnut usually reads richer and darker, which can anchor a light room or add warmth to a neutral palette. It’s great if
your living room needs a little gravitaslike it pays taxes and knows what “amortization” means.
Oak: the versatile “works with everything” move
Oak tends to suit a wide range of stylesfrom modern to transitional to Scandinavian-inspired spaces. If you change your
decor frequently, oak often plays nicer with future color palettes.
Ash: lighter, airy, and quietly modern
Ash generally looks lighter and can brighten a room visually. It’s a smart choice when you want a large table presence
without a heavy, dark block in the middle of the seating area.
How to Style the Trio Oval Coffee Table (Without Making It a Clutter Shrine)
This table is already interestingso styling works best when it’s intentional and restrained. Aim for “collected,” not
“gift shop checkout lane.”
Use the rule of three (and a tray as your peace treaty)
- One tray to corral the small stuff (remote, matches, coasters, the tiny candle you swear you’ll light)
- One vertical element (a small vase, sculptural object, or greenery) to add height
- One book stack to add texture and color (2–3 books maxunless your goal is “accidental library”)
Lean into long-and-slim proportions
Because the Trio Oval is elongated, styling looks best when you echo that length:
a long tray, a narrow runner, or a stretched arrangement rather than one bulky centerpiece in the middle.
Choose objects that feel good with wood
Wood loves friends like ceramic, stone, linen, and matte metal. If everything you add is shiny, the table can start to
feel like it’s hosting a tiny car show.
Care and Maintenance: Keep It Beautiful (and Avoid the Dreaded Water Ring)
Solid wood is durable, but it’s not psychic. It can’t predict hot mugs, sweaty glasses, or that one friend who uses your
coffee table like a coaster-free Olympics.
Everyday cleaning
- Dust regularly with a soft, lint-free cloth.
- For general cleaning, use a lightly damp cloth with a gentle soap solution, then dry promptly.
- Wipe spills immediatelyespecially anything hot, acidic, or pigmented (coffee, red wine, sauces, “mystery smoothie”).
Preventing damage
- Use coasters and pads to reduce water rings and heat marks.
- A tray helps protect the finish while still looking styled.
- Avoid dragging heavy decor across the surfacelift it like you’re in a fancy furniture showroom.
If a water ring happens anyway
First: don’t panic. Many “white” rings are moisture trapped in the finish and can sometimes be treated with common
household methods (carefully). Always test anything in an inconspicuous area and follow the maker’s care guidance when available.
Is the Trio Oval Coffee Table Worth It?
The Trio Oval is typically positioned as a premium designer coffee table. What you’re paying for is not just
“a table,” but the full stack: distinctive design authorship, careful proportions, solid wood craftsmanship, and a structure
that reads as architectural rather than mass-market.
It’s worth it if you:
- Want a statement piece that still feels calm and minimal from a distance
- Prefer real wood and long-term furniture over trend cycling
- Have a layout that benefits from a long, slim oval (especially with a larger sofa/sectional)
- Love design details that reveal themselves over time (not just on day one)
Consider alternatives if you:
- Need a taller coffee table for daily dining, working, or accessibility reasons
- Have a compact sofa where a ~63" table will overwhelm the room
- Prefer built-in storage (the Trio Oval focuses on form and structure, not drawers)
Buying Checklist: What to Confirm Before You Order
- Measure your sofa length and aim for a balanced proportion (often around the two-thirds guideline).
- Check clearance from seating and walking paths so the oval helps flow instead of creating a bottleneck.
- Confirm finish and wood optionlight vs. dark can change the entire mood of the room.
- Ask about lead time if it’s made to order (some retailers list multi-month production windows).
- Plan protection: coasters, a tray, and a “no hot pan” rule unless you enjoy living on the edge.
Frequently Asked Questions
Will an oval coffee table work with a sectional?
Yesoften beautifully. Ovals soften the angles of L-shaped seating and make it easier to move around the inside corner.
Just confirm the table length doesn’t block the most-used path in and out of the sectional.
Is a low coffee table practical?
It can be, depending on how you use your living room. Low tables feel relaxed and design-forward, but if you routinely eat
meals on the sofa or work from the coffee table, you may prefer something talleror use a tray and book stack to raise the
functional surface.
How do I keep it from looking empty?
Use a long tray plus one vertical element and one book stack. The Trio Oval’s length can handle a “stretched” arrangement
that looks intentional without becoming cluttered.
Real-Life Experiences With the Trio Oval Coffee Table (500+ Words)
Living with a table like the Trio Oval Coffee Table is a little different than living with a generic “flat
surface with four legs.” The first thing most people notice is the way the room moves. Because it’s oval,
you stop catching your pockets on corners or doing the little sidestep dance around sharp edges. In a busy householdor
even just a household with one overly confident person carrying coffeethose softened edges are the kind of feature you
don’t brag about, but you appreciate daily.
The second experience is the low height. A low coffee table changes the posture of a room. It makes the
seating feel more lounge-y, more “stay awhile.” Movie nights feel cozier because everything is visually grounded. The tradeoff
is that you’ll probably adjust a couple habits. If you’re used to a taller table where you can set a plate down and eat like
you’re at a tiny indoor patio restaurant, this one nudges you toward a more relaxed setup: tray in the center, drinks on
coasters, snacks in bowls you can pass around. It encourages the “grazing” style of hostingless formal dining, more sharing.
Day to day, you’ll also notice how the long-and-slim footprint behaves. A big square table can dominate a room,
especially if you’re trying to keep pathways open. The Trio Oval tends to read lighter because it’s elongated and not overly deep.
That means you can often get a generous surface without feeling like you’ve parked a wooden raft in the middle of the living room.
People can still pass through, and the room doesn’t feel chopped in half.
Styling becomes a small, satisfying ritual. The table practically begs for a traypartly for protection, partly because it looks
“finished” with one. A long tray gives you structure: you can keep coasters there (so they actually get used), add a candle, maybe a
small vase, and still have free space on either side. The oval also makes book stacks look more intentional. Instead of a rigid grid,
books and objects can angle slightly and still feel balanced, like the table is quietly forgiving your imperfect symmetry.
Then there’s the “design nerd” moment: the underside. Most tables hide their structure like it’s embarrassing. This one doesn’t.
You’ll catch yourself noticing the legs and connecting elements when you sit down, when light hits the wood just right, or when you
pick something up off the floor. It’s a subtle kind of delightless “look at me!” and more “oh, that’s smart.” Guests may not
immediately identify why the table feels elevated, but they often sense that it’s not ordinary.
Finally, real life includes real mess. Wood will remind you to use coasters, and the first time someone forgets, you’ll become
emotionally invested in prevention. The good news is that a table like this tends to inspire better habits. You keep a cloth nearby.
You wipe spills sooner. You become the person who says, “No worriesI’ve got coasters,” like you’re running a tiny, polite café.
And honestly? That’s not the worst character arc.
Conclusion
The Trio Oval Coffee Table is a sophisticated choice for people who want a living room centerpiece that’s calm,
sculptural, and built around real craftsmanship. Its oval top improves flow, its long-and-slim footprint plays nicely with larger
seating, and its low profile creates a modern lounge feel. If your layout (and daily habits) align with a lower table, this is the
kind of piece that doesn’t just fill spaceit quietly upgrades it.
