Yes, we absolutely accept that a coffee table has a serious, functional role to play in the living room — a solid, reliable surface for said coffee. But a beautifully styled coffee table has the power to stop us mid-scroll and think, “How do people do that? Can I be people?”
The fashion coffee table books are just-so, the objects du art ideal and the flowers seasonal and sensational. It’s not magic or money (mostly) or a major in interior design — there’s an equation to styling a coffee table, and you can solve it. So, let’s pull back the curtain, sharpen our pencils and take notes on how to style one like a pro.
1. What’s Your Deal
First, evaluate who the space is actually for and how the coffee table will be used. If it’s in the family room, it will have a different set of set-up criteria than one in a home office.
If kids are in the mix, heads up: They will break things and weighty tomes can break tiny toes. So don’t put out anything too precious or hefty. In an exclusively adult area, put out books and unique pieces that reflect your personal interests and personality.
Be conscious that, first and foremost, a coffee table needs to serve its purpose — hold cups, plates and sometimes feet — so hold back on filling up every inch. And definitely have coasters on hand because drink rings aren’t part of this design plan!
Parsons Reclaimed Oak Coffee Table, Restoration Hardware, $4,395.
2. Three’s Company
When styling any surface — be it a coffee table, bookshelf or even a floor — get familiar with the rule of three. This is the interior design trick of only using three objects in a grouping. Now, this works for three different items — say a vase, a book and a bowl — but also groups of items within those items. Huh?
Right, OK, so three flower stems in the vase, three books in the stack, or three precious stones into the bowl. You can branch out and have more of anything, of course, but try limiting each group of objects to an odd number and see the visual harmony that creates.
Related: 20 Tips for Arranging Furniture in Your Living Room
3. Growth Spurt
When choosing special objects for your display, select pieces that have a variety of heights and widths. Their contrasting sizes work as a visual foil, each one highlighting the other, taking your eye on a journey from the bottom up.
If all your chosen items sit within the same size zone, fear not. Utilize stacks of magazines, art books, or decorative trays to create elevated platforms and raise them up to where they belong.
Willy White Concrete Pedestal Coffee Table by Leanne Ford, Crate & Barrel, $1,599.
4. Textbook Texture
Let’s be honest; working with a limited neutral colour palette is the simplest way to make a table display feel cohesive. Whites, cream, browns, metallics and black are a lot easier to put together than pinks, greens and purples (at first, at least).
But that doesn’t mean we can’t have fun off the hop. Tapping into textures and mixing up materials is where that inner interior-designer comes out to play. An antique bent wood box, a chestnut-and-cream marble bust, or a tall handwoven willow basket are anything but boring.
5. Sectioned Off
To give the large, flat surface area of a coffee table some visual separation, divide it up into distinctive sections. This can be done with stacks of books or magazines, shallow baskets or decorative trays. Play around with their placement; use them alone, or as a base for smaller displays (remember the rule of three here too).
Plank Rectangular Coffee Table, EQ3, $1,199.
6. Tray Chic
If you were to buy one decorative item to begin your coffee-table-styling journey, it would be an eye-catching tray. A tray placed in the centre of the table provides the perfect physical border for more delicate decorative objects.
Limiting the styling to inside the tray’s edges allows for a quick display change as the season, or mood, changes. Try contrasting shapes, such as a round tray on a rectangular table or a square tray on a round table, and look for unexpected materials.
Square Weave Oak Tray, EQ3, $60.
Related: How to Copy the Tablescape Trend Everyone’s Talking About
7. Book Ended
Large, beautifully produced coffee table books continue to be a staple of interior styling for good reason — they’re big, they’re bold, and they speak volumes about their owners. Stacked up, they provide a sturdy pedestal for a vase or sculpture; flipped open, they tell a story about the resident’s personal interests and taste.
Books reflect what matters to us, and coffee table books have the ability to shout that out — in the prettiest visual way possible.
Malibu Rectangular Woven Coffee Table, Pottery Barn, $1,799 – $2,067.
8. One Thing Is Not Like the Other
The key to an intriguing coffee table display is to always have one unexpected object that comes with a story. This can be an unusual family heirloom, a souvenir from your honeymoon, or a miniature antique chess set that guests can play. The point of this piece is to get people talking and connecting in your home — the power of intentional interior design is real, people!
Related: How to Mix and Match Different Wood Tones in Your Home
9. Not-a-Table Coffee Table
The last tip on how to style a coffee table: You don’t always have to use a “coffee table.” An old steamer trunk, repurposed shipping palettes, or a traditional tufted ottoman all fulfill the coffee-table function brief. Thinking outside the box has always been encouraged when it comes to innovative design.
So, go forth, style that table and see what sort of unexpected beauty you can bring into your own living room this year.
Large Square Tufted Linen Ottoman, Amazon, $592.
