Sometimes the smallest pieces of furniture and décor can have the largest impact on your space. This includes end tables, which not only provide the functionality of being able to set things down easily, but they can also help define a room’s aesthetics and seating arrangements. In a recent discussion, HGTV and the Magnolia Network’s Joanna Gaines touted these tables as one of her favorite small pieces to use while shooting “Fixer Upper: The Hotel.” On the show, Gaines uses end tables with beautiful designs to add extra style and interest to spaces during the hotel’s massive transformation.

The multi-functionality of small tables can be put to use in any space due to their abundance of shapes, sizes, and finishes. They are also the perfect element to add small decorative touches without too much bulk and heaviness, like when using a narrow side table for small living room spaces.  “We have a couple of scenes in the hotel where you’ve got a sofa, a coffee table, two chairs, and so, these kinds of end tables like this are just perfect to go in between that,” Gaines said (via Realtor.com).

End tables can help define seating areas a bit more intentionally, particularly if you want to incorporate items in different scales, textures, and finishes, in addition to bulkier textile-based pieces like sofas and chairs. Placing a small table between two chairs immediately makes them more inviting, making them useful in Joanna Gaines’ desire to create cozy tableaus in the hotel. The particular design of an end can also help set the aesthetic of the room, whether it is simple geometric tables in a contemporary space or charming older tables with pedestals, turned legs, and carved inlays in a vintage space.

While it may seem obvious to place an end table around an assortment of existing furniture, it is not the only option. Add a small table you love with a plant to fill an empty corner or bare space between two windows or doors. To elevate your living room aesthetic, add a charming thrifted side table under a window with a single chair to create an intentional perch for reading, people watching, or daydreaming. A small corner end table can work wonderfully in a small entryway if you don’t have room for a larger console. For an eclectic look, vary the designs of your end tables in a given space to avoid being too matchy-matchy. Use tables in different shapes but the same finish or material, or opt for a mix of tables in various materials but the same aesthetic of design style that are complementary to each other.