A table is a form of furniture with a flat horizontal upper surface used to support objects, for storage, show, and/or manipulation. Some common types of table are the dining room table, which is used for seated persons to eat meals; the coffee table, which is a low table used in living rooms to display items or serve refreshments; and the bedside table, which is used to place an alarm clock and a lamp. Another common type of table is a desk, which is typically used to hold items that one would need to do work, such as papers, textbook, or computers. The surface must be held stable. For reasons of simplicity, this is usually done by support from below by either a column, a "base", or at least three columnar "stands". In special situations, table surfaces may be supported from a nearby wall, or suspended from above.