A traditional coffee table is most often composed entirely of wood. French coffee tables are much like traditional coffee tables, except they usually have a marble slab top that helps them better tolerate day-to-day wear and tear, gives them a unique look, and frequently tacks on a higher price. With that in mind, one of the most important steps to choosing a great, high-quality French coffee table is to set a budget for the purchase. While this may not be the most enjoyable part of making the purchase, it is essential to prevent headaches down the road. Try to determine exactly how much money you can comfortably spend, and stick as closely to this amount as possible.
Determine what size French coffee table will be right for you and your home. This is another step that is essential to achieving great results when making a choice, because you want it to fit well with its surroundings. Base the decision not only on how the table will fit in your home overall, but specifically how it will fit in the particular spot in which you intend to use it. If you choose a French coffee table that is too small, the room will look empty; if you choose one that is too large, the room will appear overly crowded.
You must also determine what color you want the wood base and marble top of your French coffee table to be. Examine the current color scheme in your home and be realistic about whether you want to change it or keep it for a while. Then, use your decision to evaluate what type of wood and marble will work best with either the current color scheme or the planned change.
Next, look for coffee tables that are topped with a full sheet of marble, instead of marble composite. While French coffee tables that are made with smaller pieces of marble may be less expensive, they are also likely to be of a poorer quality and may break or require repair much sooner than those featuring one large sheet of marble. Talk with an employee of the store in which you are shopping, and inquire the quality of the marble top and the table, in general. If you are in a reputable store, the salesperson should have no difficulty answering these and other questions for you.