How do I Style my Coffee Table... like a normal human.
How do I Style my Coffee Table?!
There is a lot of competing information out there around coffee table styling!
I wanted to share how I style a coffee table and more importantly the logic behind my choices so that you can decide what and does not work for you.
As always I invite you my clients and readers to look out for what you love and what actually works for you.
My hope here is to, instead of just showing you glorious over photoshopped photos of coffee tables filled with stacks of coffee table books and expecting you to recreate that to “fit in” to what is stylish right now… Break down what is happening here and list out some different ways to tailor this to you own lifestyle!
I’ve seen this futile attempt to chase after the perfect aesthetic in the moment fail, over, and over, and over again.
By getting specific on what elements are most important an entire world of coffee table decor creativity becomes open to you!
You have the power to make informed decisions for yourself!
A coffee table that is styled with function AND aesthetic in mind is one that you will be happy to use and interact with on a daily basis.
When you realize that all of the coffee tables you see online and in magazines are styled for photos and not real life, you can free yourself from following the crowd.
• Now here is my breakdown on how to create a beautiful and functional coffee table style for your home! •
A. Vibe
How do you want to feel when you gaze upon your gorgeous coffee table? Do you know what your aesthetic is? If not a great place to start if you are new to CRD is this post on Finding Your Design Aesthetic.
Picking your vibe in regards to your coffee table means having a common design thread running through it. For example let’s say your vibe is monochromatic, all of your design elements will be either black, white, grey or natural. This way your layout looks cohesive!
Some things that you can build a coffee table vibe off of:
Color Scheme (or lack of color scheme)
Vintage Style
Natural Elements
Feminine Style
Plants
Any Aesthetic that’s yours!
B. Tray
This one is important! I don’t like to over-style a coffee table myself because I believe that negative space is more important than the things that you have on it. However by the end of your coffee table styling you will have some loose design elements! Having a tray allows you to intentionally gather some of these smaller elements which allows for some inherent organization. Another plus to having a tray or surface to gather is that these pieces become easily removable if you need to use the coffee table surface itself!
Make sure that your tray or surface works with your vibe.
Another trick I like to use is whatever shape coffee table that you are working with pick a tray with a different shape.
Also whatever material is your coffee table make sure you pick a tray or surface that has some contrast with the material of the coffee table.
Like a light rectangular wood coffee table may implore a round dark stone tray…
Some things to think about:
Shape
Color
Texture
Weight
Size (in comparison to the surface of the coffee table)
C. Coffee Table Books
I think it is lovely to have some coffee table books. They are often a beautiful piece of art and a fun conversation starter with friends. I recommend having maximum two, either two large or one large and one small. I personally have been hating the trend of sixty books in stacks of two across the entire surface of your coffee table. It’s incredibly impractical, and although it looks nice in photos… sometimes…, having that many books on a surface makes you look like a home decor shop. Heck I suspect that this trend started with someone thinking that that is how you are supposed to use a coffee table, after seeing a vignette through a shop window, you heard it here first people.
PS: I currently have a coffee table with a shelf where mine rest.
When picking a coffee table book think about what you really love. These books should reflect your personality in some way. This is basically artwork for your coffee table so have fun with it.
*Here’s one of mine…Because I burst into tears after seeing Alexander Mcqueen’s Met showcase:
Here’s one I have my eye on… Because Cy Twombly is one of my all time favorite artists:
Here are some more beautiful choices:
D. Atmosphere
You should have something on your coffee table that changes the mood of the space you are in. My favorite way to do this is with my sense of scent. When you intentionally use one of these elements when you sit at your coffee table you are signaling that this moment is for you!
Some beautiful elements to explore:
A smudge stick in an abalone shell
(or some other fire proof vessel)
A candle in your favorite scent
An incense burner
A scent diffuser
E. Life
This item cannot be overlooked. It’s super important to have something alive on your coffee table. It obviously brings literal life to the space, but also often creates a sense of height levels in your coffee table-scape. This creates movement and contrast to all of the other low elements on your coffee table!
Again think about your vibe here!
What’s your favorite plant? Could we put a mini version of this on your coffee table? Do you like picking wildflowers on your walks, let’s put them in a vase on your new tray.
More plants to explore:
Grasses
Roses in a vase
A fern
A cactus
Some moss in a bowl
F. Personality
Here’s the fun part the decorative objects. These must reflect your personality and add contrast through color, material, texture and shape! These should really speak to you and often become coffee table centerpieces. Now don’t go absolutely crazy here!
First think about practical things that can also be cute!
Do you need to hide your remote and matches for your candle, maybe a cute decorative box or basket is a priority!
Are you sick of your friends using your coffee table books as a drink spot, maybe you should think about some coasters for your tray!
If you don’t have any practical concerns:
Small Sculptures
Handmade Pottery
Crystals
Seashells
Etc. the elements here are endless, pick things that speak to your soul and fit in your tray or as a paperweight for your coffee table books!
I hope that this breakdown has helped you guys out! Trust me you can do this for your own coffee table makeover. in fact I would argue that you are the ONLY one who can because you know what you love!
Let me know if you guys found any of these tips helpful. I would also love to hear how you all have set up your coffee table-scapes!
Thank you so much for reading!
“Our home should be life giving and soul refreshing. A soft spot to land on a hard day and a beautiful place to recharge and rejuvenate.”
Hi I’m Catherine,
“I balance authentic interior design with intuitive insight to help my clients connect to their deeper selves by empowering their own creative self expression.
I create space for them to follow their desires and depth of feeling, into a new environment that supports them, mind, body, & soul”
Love,
Catherine Rose
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