6 Approaches to Styling a Coffee Table

6 Approaches to Styling a Coffee Table

Whenever I see a flat surface in my home, I feel like it’s begging to be decorated! And the coffee table is one of my favorite places to play and experiment with various decor items and colors. When seated in a living space, the coffee table becomes a focal point and there’s noting like a beautiful vignette to help set the tone of the room.

There are limitless options as to how you can style your table, but I’ve taken some of my favorite examples and categorized them into 6 Style Approaches based on the premise used to create the design.

The premise of this approach is that all four corners of the coffee table are weighted equally so that the entire surface feels balanced. All four corners can be styled differently, but their visual weight is the roughly same. Sometimes, one corner have a bit more “pop” than the other corners, especially when flowers or another similar organic material are used. There is also sometimes an added element in the center of the table.

{via Comfy Home Decor}

{via Color Outside the Lines}

{via Pinterest}

Grouping together a collection of dissimilar items and placing them in a beautiful serving or decorative tray creates cohesion to the display. This type of approach is particularly good if your coffee table has an uneven surface (for example, like that of a tufted ottoman) or if your items don’t show well when placed directly on the surface of the coffee table.

{via Erin Gates Design}

{via Lark & Linen}

{via The Lilypad Cottage}

This is just as the name implies because sometimes, less is more. Simplicity of design allows us to focus on other elements in the room and also allows for a bit of breathing space. Plus, depending on how you use your coffee table, this might be the most practical approach! In my home, my son likes to do his homework at the coffee table so I have to keep things simple in order to give him ample room for his papers, books and mounds of eraser dust.

{via Tobi Fairley Interior Design}

{via Frugal Farmhouse}

As with any vignette, variety helps to create interest, and styling the coffee table is no exception! A grouping of items with varying heights, textures, and shapes creates a beautiful display. Try using something tall (like a vase of flowers), something short (a small sculpture or stack of books), something hard (like glass or ceramic), and something soft (plants, flowers, or another organic material). When grouped together, the items take on a somewhat organic and undefined shape.

{via Pinterest}

{via Home Decor Buzz}

{via Pinterest}

Rectangular coffee tables in particular can be styled with beautiful symmetry using a repetition of objects that runs lengthwise. Look for a commonality among the objects used, such as shape or color, so that no one object competes with another.

{via House Beautiful}

This approach can be independent of the others or can build off of any of the five previous with the addition of one element that is larger and/or more colorful than the other items. This item then becomes center of attention! You can easily use any of the other five approaches for every day use and then add that something extra for holidays, special occasions, or even just because!

{via La Dolce Vida}

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You can of course mix and match the approaches above to create a unique look! For example, you could use The Four Corners approach and combine it with The Contained Grouping by using a tray on one of the corners. Or you could combine Long & Linear with The Center of Attention, as shown below.

{via Bryn Alexandra}

Which approach you choose will depend on:

• Your decorating style
• The other elements in the room
• The amount of functionality you need
• The items you choose to display

Once you’ve gathered together the key decor items you want to display on your coffee table, decide which approach is best for you and then see if you need any other “filler” items, like books, candles, or small accessories. And remember, an easy way to change up the look of a room and give it a fresh feel is to simply change out your coffee table decor!

Which approach do you use in your home?

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Original article and pictures take tidbitsandtwine.com site