They visually declutter a space and remove any interruption caused by opaque surfaces. It helps that glass tables often have slender frames to give an open-air feel that widens a room.

Murano glassmakers were producing mirrored and decorative glass for cabinets, chests, and tables as early as the Renaissance, but the concept of a functional glass tabletop really hit its stride with 15th century Venetians. In the 17th and 18th centuries, Rococo and Baroque opulence upped the glamour factor with ornate detailing like gilding and verre églomisé inlaid tabletops—often finished with delicate legs and intricate filigree that allowed light to pass through.

Modernists embraced glass and steel industrialism in the pursuit of lightness and function. Look to Marcel Breuer’s iconic tubular steel frames, Le Corbusier’s floating glass tables of the 1970s, and Isamu Noguchi’s 1947 coffee table—a sculptural wood base supporting a floating glass top. They all emphasized negative space, making glass an active element that bounced light and played with air. 

Today’s glass tables often explore thickness, tint, or unexpected bases—brass, resin, concrete—while still preserving the illusion of openness.

 ✤ Side Tables ✤

Ideal in narrow entryways and small spaces, where keeping floor visibility is key.

 ✤ Coffee Tables ✤

A glass top avoids visual crowding, especially atop patterned rugs or in front of statement seating.

 ✤ Coffee Tables ✤

With light-catching surfaces and sculptural frames, mirrors bring balance, depth, and refined dimension.