Use these simple design tips and tricks to style your coffee table like a pro.
Ever wished your coffee table could look as good as those perfectly manicured scenes in a magazine, but not sure which objects to use or where to place them? Coffee table styling doesn’t have to be complicated. With a few basic rules for color, size, and layout, you’ll be a pro in no time.
We’ll show you how to achieve that polished designer look with just a few basic items so you can create a visually appealing arrangement that makes a statement, keeps everyday life in mind, and ties in with the rest of your space. Whether you’re looking for year-round coffee table decor ideas or seasonal switch-ups, this collection has something for every style.
Think Odd Numbers
Whether you’re styling your coffee table or a bookshelf, using an odd number of objects creates a visually pleasing effect. This modern coffee table plays with various heights, shapes, and materials in a neutral color palette to create an interesting yet uncluttered look. A stack of books, a round bowl of decorative objects, and a tall vase with fiery red stems complete the look. The objects form a pleasing group of three with enough space left on the table to showcase its surface, provide color contrast, and give the homeowner a spot to put down a cup of coffee.
Use a Tray
A tray can serve as a decorative accent, a way to incorporate color and texture, and a vessel to hold various items. Contrast shapes by placing a round tray on a rectangular coffee table. Or play with scale by incorporating a variety of objects in different sizes—a large tray, a tiny bowl, a medium book, and a small candle. The variety of shapes and sizes results in a layered design. Or create a unified look by repeating the same finish on your tray throughout the room. Here, gold is used as an accent metal on the vase, tray, bowl, coffee table, and lighting to tie the space together
Stack Items for Varied Heights
Create height and layer objects by stacking them, like the black and gold boxes in this sleek living room. Utilize books, magazines, trays, and other flat surfaces to switch up the height of your decor as needed. This round coffee table is also a case study in material mixing—it incorporates glass, ceramics, metal, and resin, all while using a limited color palette to maintain a cohesive look.
Layer Books, Books, and More Books
When it comes to coffee table decor, books are your best friend! You will often see interior stylists use them on coffee tables and for good reason. Coffee table books help fill space and can be used individually or in groupings. They also add height, shape, and color, and form a flat base to display items such as these decorative blue objects. Books are also a great way to incorporate a seasonal touch in a subtle way, such as displaying publications about dahlia flowers in the summer or snowy landscapes around the holidays.
Make It Personal
The bigger the coffee table, the bigger the styling possibilities. This rustic wood coffee table creates the perfect neutral slate for an array of decorative objects and bright colors that tie in with the room’s throw pillows and artwork. For a warm, welcoming, and homey living room, incorporate personal items into your coffee table arrangement. Stack a few books dedicated to your favorite topics of interest and finish with a bowl or tray from your travels. Or arrange a bouquet of flowers in a vase passed down from your grandmother.
Rethink Seasonal Coffee Table Decor
When it comes to styling seasonal coffee table decor, think outside the traditional. This vibrant living room uses colorful pumpkins, both real and faux, for a fun twist on fall decor. The marble tulip-style coffee table showcases a classic orange pumpkin and a white carved wood version. Continue a room’s color scheme on your coffee table accessories to unify and balance a space. Turquoise candlesticks and stacked books tie in the blue and pink colors used in the rest of the room.
Incorporate Stylish Storage
Let’s face it: While we all want a beautifully styled coffee table, it also needs to be practical enough for everyday life. This large rustic coffee table combines style and function effortlessly thanks to two large storage baskets. Nestled on the bottom shelf, the containers hide odds and ends without distracting from or competing with the table’s styled surface. Wicker, metal, and fabric baskets bring in extra texture while providing much-needed living room storage. Plus, they make cleanup at the end of the day quick and easy.
Continue a Color Scheme
If your living room is filled with saturated colors and bold patterns, limit the color palette of your coffee table decor. This antique-style tray coffee table incorporates bright green and purple colors as well as gold, white, and brown shades for a neutral scheme with pops of vibrant color. When it comes to displaying flowers on a coffee table, you aren’t limited to fresh-cut varieties in a vase. Use potted plants to provide a fresh, natural element that doesn’t need to be replaced week after week. Practical, easy, and economical!
Add Elegant Coffee Table Decor
Go traditional with a tufted ottoman-style coffee table that provides a large surface with lots of potential for styling. To fill an expansive surface without using countless objects, open up a big coffee table book. It’ll fill the space visually without making it feel cluttered. For added interest, place decorative beads or a magnifying glass on top of the pages. It’s a simple styling trick that adds instant sophistication.
Create a Lived-In Look
Interesting objects, including a lush houseplant, glass beads, metallic trays, and small books, style the ornate, Moroccan-style coffee table in this colorful living room. The mix of colors, materials, and styles creates a collected-over-time look for a relaxed, comfortable ambiance Baskets mounted on the wall, a bamboo daybed, and a grasscloth-covered ceiling bring in natural elements that tone down the bright colors and patterns and create visual balance.
