How to Style a Coffee Table

The living room is a place where we spend most of the day. Therefore, its design and furniture content is of great importance. When it comes to furniture in the living room, surely the coffee table is the first thing that comes to mind. 

Whether you use it as a place for your magazine, the remote control, or your favorite drink, the coffee table should be an element in the living room that you should pay special attention to. 

If you are wondering how to style a coffee table, there are several factors that you should pay attention to. So stay tuned to find out what to look for when styling your coffee table.

Coffee table style

What to Pay attention to Before you Start Styling Your Coffee Table?

As the name suggests, the coffee table is primarily used for enjoying coffee and chatting with your loved ones. However, in addition to enjoying coffee, the coffee table can also be used for board games, to leave your favorite book or magazine, or leave your snacks while watching TV. 

So, before we move on to decorating, let’s see what factors you should pay attention to first.

Choose an appropriate coffee table

The right choice of coffee table is of great importance, which affects the decor and the complete ambiance in the room. So, look to get the coffee table after you get the sofa. In this way, you will have an idea about the size, color, and material of the coffee table. 

Size

Namely, when purchasing a coffee table, make sure that the look matches the sitting part of the sofa. That way, it will be more convenient for you or your guests to reach the table surface. 

In addition, pay attention to the length of the coffee table. Your table should be 1/2 to 2/3 the length of the sofa. You certainly don’t want a long table that takes up a lot of space.

Color

Color is another important factor when choosing a coffee table. Namely, when choosing a color, pay attention to the overall environment and elements in the room, not just the sofa. Start with the pattern on the walls and the rest of the furniture, and you will easily find a color that unites all the elements and will look unique and pleasing to the eye.

Form

For the choice of the shape of the coffee table, personal desire and creativity prevail. Whether you decide to buy a coffee table or make it yourself, several tips can help you. 

Namely, before deciding whether you will have a rectangular, round, or another shape table, pay attention to the rest of the furniture and which shape attracts you the most. A rectangular or triangular table is a good option if you have pieces of furniture that follow hard and straight lines. 

On the other hand, if your furniture has a more rounded shape, then a round table will do the job. However, you don’t have to adhere to these rules strictly. Let your imagination and creativity run wild, and don’t be afraid to experiment with color, shape, and texture.

Purpose of the coffee table

Therefore, the most important factor you should consider before you start decorating is the purpose. You certainly don’t want to include elements that have no purpose and don’t define anything. 

In that regard, it is best to strike a balance between your hobby and interest and give it a stylish touch. Although it seems difficult at first glance, with a little effort, you can make your coffee table become your favorite piece of furniture in your home.

How to Style a Coffee Table

How to Style a Coffee Table

When it comes to decorating a coffee table or any other piece of furniture, you should know that there is no universal rule that everyone should follow and the choice of colors should be your priority. 

Choose simple colors

Choose simple colors that match the furniture and interior. In addition, your hobbies and interests can contribute to creating a unique environment that defines and describes you. In the following, let’s see some ideas that you can use when decorating your coffee table.

Include greenery

You can never go wrong with greenery. Plants give your room an organic touch and make the space pleasant to stay in. 

Surely flowers would be the first option you would think of. Try to choose flowers that will fit into the setting and give freshness to your living room.

Moreover, if you can’t take care of natural flowers, you can always opt for fake flowers, which would also blend into the overall setting. Also, pay attention to the vase. You don’t want to have a vase whose color doesn’t blend into the overall setting and doesn’t match the color of the chosen flower.

Books

Books are another detail that you can include in the ambiance of the living room. Namely, when choosing coffee table books, the color of the cover should not be the primary indicator that will help you in your choice. 

Instead, choose books that you like and that represent your interest, style, and passion. Therefore, books from your favorite author and genre are an excellent solution that will enrich the contents of the coffee table. 

In addition, pay attention to the number of books that you will place on the coffee table. If you have acquired a smaller table and want a minimalist look, two to three books will do the job. On the other hand, if you have purchased a larger table, you can place a larger number of books. 

You can also arrange them so that the largest is at the bottom and the smaller ones are above it. That way, your coffee table will be more organized and more pleasant.

Trays

Trays represent one of the most common elements that can be found on the coffee table. There are several reasons why this is so. They can be used as a place where you can put additional elements that take up space and make the coffee table look more organized and aesthetic.

Sofa height coffee table with tray and plant

Play with height

When planning elements to include in the tray, pay attention to the height of the objects. Including elements of the same height looks boring and unaesthetic. 

In that regard, you can add a vase of flowers that will give freshness to the space. In addition to flowers, you can also include other low-key items such as book candles or antiques.

Elements that describe you

If you don’t want to include flowers in decorating a tray, find elements that describe you and your interests and hobbies. In this regard, you can use an antique, your favorite book, or objects that are dear to you. 

In addition, be careful not to exaggerate the number of elements that you will place in the tray. It would have the opposite effect, making your coffee table look disorganized and unaesthetic.

Sculptures

Adding an artistic touch to your coffee table is another great decorating idea. The sculptures would look best if you are a fan of the minimalist look. Therefore, adding a sculpture or two can emphasize your simplicity and sense of decoration. 

In addition, you can choose shapes of sculptures that match the rest of the furniture in the room. With little effort, you will get a space that looks like a unique place to enjoy.

Add elements of different heights

If you want to add more elements to your coffee table, pay attention to the height. In this regard, avoid too high elements that will close the space and interfere with your daily activities. 

It is also good to include elements that have different heights, whether it is a vase, an antique, a book, or a tray. That way, you will create a landscape of elements that are visually good and look good to the eye.

Experiment with texture

When styling the coffee table, pay attention to its texture and material. Using elements that have the same texture as the table is not very aesthetic and will look monotonous. 

Also, using two or more elements with the same texture looks monotonous and unpleasing to the eyes. Therefore, when decorating a coffee table, try to play with elements that have different textures. That way, you will bring liveliness to the living room, and your coffee table will look catchy and artistic. 

Therefore, instead of two trays with the same texture, replace one tray with a vase that has contrasting colors. In this way, you will get color, and your coffee table will not look monotonous and boring.

Elements that match your personality

Adding elements that describe your interest, hobby and passion is always a good idea when styling your coffee table. In that case, it is good to include your favorite book, an antique item, or a souvenir that you bought on vacation. 

That way, you will get an aesthetic look and the opportunity to start a topic of conversation. However, when incorporating your favorite elements, be careful to do so sparingly. In the end, you don’t want your coffee table to be flooded with elements and have no space to put your favorite coffee.

Read more: How to Decorate an Ottoman Coffee Table

Coffee table with simple style

What Things Should You Pay Attention to When Decorating a Coffee Table?

Although there are a million combinations that you can use, there are still some unwritten rules when decorating. Therefore, when styling your coffee table, it is good to pay attention to some things in order to get the final result that you want to achieve. So, before you know how to style a coffee table, it’s good to pay attention to the following recommendations.

Things you should avoid

Objects of the same height – it is not very smart to combine objects that have the same height. That way, your coffee table will look boring and unaesthetic.

Two or more of the same items – when decorating, be careful not to place two or more of the same items. Instead, leave one object and combine it with other elements that will give freshness to the space. 

Books are an exception to this rule. However, be careful not to overdo it with the number of books you will place. Two to three books would be enough.

Objects of the same material – Elements of the same material give the space monotony, and your coffee table will look boring and without ideas. Therefore, try to add elements that will have different textures and materials.

Things to include

Elements of different origins – Including elements that do not have the same origin can enrich the space and make your coffee table look aesthetic, and open up the space. For that purpose, you can, for example, use souvenirs and combine them with a tray or flowers.

Use elements with different materials – For this purpose, the first thing you should do is pay attention to the material and color of your coffee table. Namely, if the material of your table is wood, it is not very interesting to include elements that are made of wood.

You might be interested: Can You Have an Ottoman and Coffee Table?

Conclusion

The coffee table is the most striking piece of furniture when you enter the room. Therefore, when decorating, pay attention to the color, shape, and size of this piece of furniture. Choosing the wrong colors that do not match the rest of the furniture can further complicate the situation. 

As a result, you will get a space that is not catchy to the eye and a coffee table where you will have limited or no decorating options. Consequently, when styling a coffee table, pay attention to the basic factors related to the coffee table. 

If you can’t manage it, you can always hire professionals who can help you choose the shape and color because there is no general rule for decorating. Whether it’s a minimalist design or incorporating more elements at the coffee table, the final decision is up to you.

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