Glass furniture is widely associated with modern furniture design, with a few popular examples of glass tables in particular emerging in the 20th century. Perhaps the most popular glass table of them all was the Noguchi table, a striking example of modern furniture that was introduced by Henry Miller in 1947. The Noguchi table was initially designed by industrial designer Isamu Noguchi in 1939, where it was made for the Museum of Modern Art. The design of the table continued to evolve in the 1940s, and eventually stabilised into the iconic form that we recognise today. The Noguchi table is comprised of a wooden base with two identical pieces of curved wood, together with a heavy plate glass top.

Many other glass tables that were released in the later half of the 20th century were inspired by the Noguchi table, which became one of the most famous examples of modern glass furniture design. During recent times, there has been a great variety of glass tables designed and released to the market, most of which feature a plate glass top with a base made from a different material. The most popular examples of modern glass tables include bases that are made from metal, leather, and a variety of wooden materials. Some of the most popular wood products that are used in furniture design include Ash, Gum (sweetgum and red gum), Mahogany (New World mahogany and African mahogany), Maple (sugar maple), Oak (red oak and white oak), Pine (white pine), Redwood, Rosewood (Brazilian, Indian, and Ceylonese rosewood), Sycamore Teak, and Walnut (black walnut and European walnut).

While glass tables are available in a variety of sizes, styles, and shapes, there are a few designs that have become more popular than others. Perhaps the most iconic version of the modern glass table is the circular glass dining table, a standard design which is also available as a smaller coffee table product. Glass is often used with wood and metal to create an appearance of contrast, where the base material is highlighted through the transparent nature of the glass top. Glass tables remain popular today, and are widely available from a number of furniture manufacturers and suppliers.