Coffee tables are where the remnant of a good slab goes, and that is a genuine advantage rather than a compromise. A metre-square top uses a fraction of a slab, so stones that would be unaffordable across a kitchen — a strongly figured onyx, a rare quartzite — become reasonable. If K2 has already cut your kitchen, ask what is left before choosing from the full-price rack.
Because the piece is small it is seen close up and from above, so the surface finish matters more than it does anywhere else in the house. A polished top shows every fingerprint; honed shows almost none but darkens where liquid sits until it dries. Leathered and brushed finishes are the practical middle ground and give the stone a texture worth touching.
Onyx is the stone that makes the strongest case here. It is translucent, and a coffee table lit from within — an LED panel in the base throwing light up through a 20 mm top — is one of the few genuinely theatrical things you can do with stone in a living room. It is also soft and will scratch, so it suits a formal room better than a family one.
Structurally these are the easiest pieces K2 makes. Low tables carry little, spans are short, and a 20 mm top on almost any base will be adequate. The one thing to watch is the base footprint: a heavy stone top on a narrow pedestal is a tipping hazard around small children.
Specification at a glance
- 20 mm standard; 30 mm for a heavier read
- Round, square, rectangular and freeform
- Polished, honed, leathered or brushed
- Backlighting possible in onyx and translucent marble
- Often cut from remnant — ask what is in stock
- Stone, steel or timber bases
Work out what you need
If you are already ordering a kitchen or a vanity, ask K2 to price a coffee table from the same slab at the same time.