How to Decorate a Coffee Table?
A few go-to items are key for a well-styled coffee table. These may include decorative trays, ceramic vases, picture frames and candles.
Make sure to vary the heights of objects on your table for interest. This will draw the eye up and down and avoid the cluttered look of stacked items.
1. Plants
Bringing natural elements to your coffee table elevates its visual appeal while introducing textural, tactile elements. Plants are the perfect solution, whether you choose a decorative box to hide remote controls and electronics chargers, a wooden tray that can be used for drinks or snacks, or a living centrepiece like a succulent garden or cacti. Alternatively, you can also add a touch of greenery to your coffee table with not-so-touchable curiosities—like a glass box full of feathers or a pretty deck of cards—to create a pleasing yet purposeful vignette that looks a little bit like art.
If you aren’t a green thumb, try one of the many unkillable plants that make for a fab tabletop addition—like Tillandsia stricta, aka air plants, which can be kept in decorative containers and don't require soil. Fiddle leaf figs, peace lilies, snake plants, or orchids are great choices as well and offer the added bonus of air-purification and humidity control for your home.
Another styling trick to consider is the use of shape—it's important to think about proportions when creating your vignette. Try arranging your items in a grid or symmetrical style, which gives the impression that everything is intentional and thoughtfully placed. However, if the rules of symmetry seem too structured for your tastes, simple asymmetry can be just as attractive.
When it comes to colour, try to incorporate elements that complement or mirror colours found in your cushions, rugs, or artwork, as this can really tie your whole space together. Also, be sure to stick to one or two dominant hues for your vignette, as using too many can feel overwhelming and overcrowded.
2. Books
While it might be easy to simply stack books on a coffee table, a few tips can help you elevate the display. First, it's important to select books that are pretty to look at. Because they will be seen and touched, these books should have beautiful spines and covers that compliment other decor pieces you'll be displaying with them. Additionally, stick to a colour palette. Having a few books in the same colour family will ensure that they feel cohesive and purposeful instead of just an assortment of random book stacked together.
Next, consider using the stack of books as a base for decorative objects like vases or candlesticks. A small plant is also an option for this purpose. It can add a touch of greenery and will help to balance a table that might otherwise be overloaded with decor elements.
Aside from being a conversation starter and mood enhancer, books are also great for showcasing personal interests or collections. "These decorative items communicate a lot about the home owners," says interior designer Rebekah Correll. They can reveal the collector's travels, hobbies, or a particular design aesthetic. Plus, they can encourage us to take a break from our electronic devices and flip through pages of inspiration or a good read.
As a rule of thumb, it's best to stack books in odd numbers. This creates a sense of visual hierarchy and makes them easier to style. It's also a good idea to use larger books at the bottom of the stack, as they will provide a sturdy foundation for the rest of your decor.
3. Frames
Coffee tables are a prime spot to showcase personal mementos, like your favourite travel postcards or photo books. Displaying these pieces on the table will add a cosy feel to the living space. To avoid your coffee table looking cluttered and disorganised, choose items that are small enough to fit into an attractive box or frame. This will keep your day-to-day items, such as remote controls and cell phones, out of sight and neatly contained.
Coffee table frames are also great for displaying seasonal decor. For example, a wooden bowl filled with lilacs or ironstone works well for spring, while a glass cloche and thrifted amber bottles would be perfect for fall and winter. You can also create a unique look with a set of glass orbs that can be flipped upside down to reveal different colours.
Another tip when styling a coffee table is to have a mix of objects with different heights. This way, the eye is drawn to multiple points of interest and your coffee table doesn’t become overly repetitive. For instance, try placing a stack of interesting books with a decorative accessory like marble chain links or a simple floral arrangement in the middle.
Texture is also key. It’s easy to overdo it with coffee table accessories that have the same finish as your table top, so be sure to experiment with tactile materials that contrast both in colour and texture. For example, you could pair a woven basket with a wooden tray for an interesting look that feels earthy and modern at the same time. In general, the best way to arrange objects on a coffee table is to have them face in different directions. This way, when someone sits down to read or watch TV, you’ll have something to look at in the distance without having to turn your head all the way around.
4. Storage
A coffee table is more than a place to rest your drink; it’s also a decorative centrepiece that reflects your personal style. However, when styling a coffee table, a cluttered mess can be as easy to create as a beautifully designed display.
The key to a well-styled coffee table is blending high-quality materials with attention to styling detail and cohesion with the interior style of your room. This includes choosing the right trays, following the rule of three, and mixing textures, shapes, and heights.
If you have a textured coffee table, it’s easy to add more texture through the use of vases or collections of small objects. For example, adding a stack of matchbooks or seashells can add additional height and interest to your arrangement. Then, you can pair it with a vase or candle for a more polished look.
Another way to add more height and interest is using books. This works on any size coffee table and is a good choice for those who are more minimally-styled because it creates a clean, cohesive look. However, you should be careful when stacking books because the front of each book is going to face a certain direction by design.
For a more structured and artfully styled coffee table, try placing a tray on the bottom of your arrangement and then filling it with different items like vases or heirloom pieces. This approach gives your table structure while allowing you to switch out the decorations throughout the seasons. For example, a vase of fresh flowers can instantly brighten up a living room and for fall, you can replace the flowers with a cluster of pumpkins or gourds.
5. Accessories
Decorative accessories are what bring a coffee table to life. They can add height and sculptural interest to the tablescape, and they are a great way to bring in colours from other parts of the room. Using different shapes of objects is also key to a balanced arrangement. Depending on your style, you can incorporate vases, glass orbs, trinket dishes and more. The most important thing is to avoid a collection of items that look too similar.
Consider incorporating greenery into your coffee table decor. A few pieces of succulents or a jumble of driftwood can add texture and colour to the space. Using earthy tones like blue, brown or green is a great way to create a cohesive vignette that will be eye-catching for guests.
For a more elegant approach, use glass orbs to hold various flowers, such as roses or hydrangeas. These are the perfect way to add natural beauty and a pop of colour to your home without having to worry about wilting or staining. For a bolder approach, you can go for a more sculptural floral display that uses a mix of flowers or leaves. The contrasting shapes and textures in the bouquet can really elevate your coffee table and make it the focal point of the room.
If you're going for a more functional aesthetic, you can include things like baskets for remotes and coasters or a small tray to store jewellery and other small objects. Decorative storage boxes are another option for keeping your coffee table clean and organised. They also make it easy to hide the inevitable tangle of cords and other electronic gadgets that tend to pile up on our couches.
How many items should be on a coffee table?
While the idea of a coffee table may seem like a blank slate, it can be an excellent spot to showcase your family photos or special mementos. Whether you opt for a simple vase of flowers, a stack of decorative books, or a collection of jars holding shells, these items can add a personal touch to your living space. In addition, a coffee table is an ideal spot for rotating seasonal decorations. For example, you could tuck a bowl of tulips on top in the spring, then swap it out for a display of pumpkins in the fall.
A good rule of thumb is to use between 3 and 5 things or groups of things on a coffee table. As a general rule, varying the heights of objects is key to creating an attractive vignette. This technique is especially effective when working with a small coffee table, which can easily feel overcrowded if stacked too high with items of similar size. Try combining tall items, such as a vase or a planter with greenery, with smaller accessories, such as decorative coasters and candle holders, to balance the arrangement.
Aside from vases and planters, a sculptural piece can also add height to a coffee table, which can help create an eye-catching arrangement that feels intentional rather than haphazard. You can also incorporate a decorative bowl or a group of glass orbs to add dimension to the layout.
For a more dynamic look, try displaying your vignette on a grid. Home interior blog Cuckoo4Design suggests dividing the coffee table into four quadrants and arranging a stack of books, a tall plant, a tray, or a collection of bowls in each section. The grid arrangement will instantly feel organised and balanced while still maintaining your personal flair.
How can I make my coffee table look more expensive?
The coffee table is a tricky piece of furniture to get right. It’s often the focal point of the living room and a place where you’ll be setting down your drinks, so it’s important to make sure it feels resolved and well-styled. But too much clutter can easily make your table feel cluttered, and too little clutter can look too stark, so getting the balance just right is a bit of a science.
The best way to make a cheap table look more expensive is by playing with textures and materials. The addition of a gorgeous glazed ceramic dish or a set of leather coasters is a surefire way to add some luxe, while adding a beautiful tray can also help your bare wooden table feel more elegant.
It’s also important to consider scale and the way your coffee table is viewed from different directions. For example, many people make the mistake of stacking books on their coffee tables, and while having lots of thick, good-quality books can be great for a table arrangement, it’s important to also have some short books that give the scene a more balanced look.
Another rookie error is having too many circular-shaped objects on a coffee table; this can really flatten the look and make your table feel a bit generic. A good way to fix this is to explore more fluid object shapes, such as branches and coral.
Finally, it’s important to pay attention to the colour of your coffee table accessories. You want your table to reflect the colour palette of your living room and to avoid mixing in too many different shades (like marble pieces on a black timber table). If you’re stuck, try to pull colours from other elements like cushions, rugs, or artwork; they’ll instantly look more pulled together.
