{Design Post} Styling your Coffee Table



It took 2 months, but my new coffee table from West Elm FINALLY arrived! I bet my friends & J are SUPER excited as I've been talking about this thing nonstop. I decided to say goodbye (for now) to my old glass coffee table for a few reasons. 1. It is SUPER heavy & not easy to move at all, so trying to clean under it is impossible. 2. With the glass top mixed with dogs...do I need to elaborate? 3. Our new couch is so big, we needed to scale down the table. However, I do love my table & am going to store it in hopes we can use it again when we finally move into a house.  Also, sometimes I get irrational emotional attachments to things that don't have feelings & I just can't stand the idea of selling this beautiful table for peanuts on Craigslist. If it means continuing to park on the street & not our garage, so be it.  ANYWAYS, in honor of my new table, I wanted to share some tips on how to  perfectly style your own coffee table/give you a bit of inspiration.  There are MANY sites that have different ideas, tips, theories etc. on how to style your table. After combing through lots of them, I chose my personal favorite ideas/tips plus I included a few of my own. Would love to hear any ideas you have for styling your coffee table!

#1. Add a Tray(s)
Many of us use the coffee table as a place to throw things like coasters, remotes or other objects that cause clutter (story of my life). Using a fun tray is a great way to stay organized & you can find some great ones for pretty cheap! It's also a way to contain some of the items listed below.

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Love this idea of a tray inside a tray

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#2. Add Books or Magazines
When thinking about the right coffee table book, think about their aesthetics. Is the cover interesting? Does it add a touch of color? Coffee table books can be pricey, I suggest going to the sale/clearance section at any major book store & hunting for gems there. Also, many home sale sites will do sales on coffee table books, just have to be patient!

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#3. Add Something Living.

Flowers or plants, can get frustrating to constantly replenish/keep alive. If you can find faux flowers that you're OK with, go for it. Or you could add a piece of driftwood or a moss ball. But adding a touch of the outside helps bring some life to a space, literally.

 

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4. Add a Candle for Ambiance or Smell

I happen to love candles & currently have a few different ones on my coffee table of all different shapes & sizes.

 

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5. Add Layers with Decorative Objects

It's fun to accessorize with unique objects like a magnifying glass layered on top of your magazine stack or books. My obsession with Homegoods comes in quite handy when looking for objects to layer. Unique & cheap, what better combo!

 

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6. Add in Metal

This texture could be added already with your decorative object, tray or even candle, but if not, consider adding in something silver or gold for an interesting element like an antique bowl filled with candy.

 

 

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When in doubt, always remember this formula:

Something Vertical + Something Horizontal + Funky Object to Bridge the Gap

 

I found this ever-so-helpful sketch from the blog Teal and Lime that demonstrates this equation.

 

 

Check out some other tables below for inspiration!

 



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