10 Coffee Table Decor Ideas for Every Style
Use these simple design tips and tricks to style your coffee table like a pro.
Ever wished your coffee table decor could look as good as those perfectly manicured tablescapes 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 color, size, and layout rules, you'll be a pro in no time.
We'll show you how to achieve that polished designer look with just a few simple items to create a visually appealing arrangement that makes a statement while keeping everyday life in mind and connecting 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.
Related: 40 Tips for How to Decorate With What You Have for an Easy Update
Think Odd Numbers
Whether creating coffee table decor or styling a bookshelf, using an odd number of objects creates a visually pleasing effect. This modern coffee table works well with various heights, shapes, and materials in a neutral color palette to create an attractive yet uncluttered look. A stack of books, a round bowl of decorative objects, and a tall vase with fiery red stems complete the arrangement. The objects form a pleasing group of three with enough space left on the table to allow its surface to be seen, provide color contrast, and give the homeowner a spot to put down a cup of coffee.
Related: 18 Effortless Ways to Style Bookshelf Decor
Use a Tray
A tray can serve as a decorative accent, incorporate color and texture, and hold various items when designing coffee table decor. 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 for a tabletop display—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 found 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 this sleek living room's black and gold boxes. 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'll 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 subtle seasonal touch, such as displaying publications about flower arranging in the spring or snowy landscapes around the holidays.
Related: The 30 Best Coffee Table Books of 2024 to Add Personality to Your Living Room
Make Coffee Table Decor 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. Incorporate personal items into your coffee table arrangement for a warm, welcoming, and homey living room. 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 in a vase passed down from your grandmother.
Use any of these simple touches to instantly add character and make a space feel one-of-a-kind.
Rethink Seasonal Coffee Table Decor
When 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 the 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 beautifully styled coffee table decor, it also needs to be practical enough for everyday life. Thanks to two large storage baskets, this oversized farmhouse coffee table combines style and function effortlessly. Nestled on the bottom shelf, the containers hide odds and ends without distracting or competing with the table's styled surface. Wicker, metal, and fabric baskets add extra texture while providing much-needed storage for the living room. Plus, they make cleanup quick and easy at the end of the day.
Related: 20 Smart Ways to Organize with Baskets for a Less Cluttered Home
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 hues and gold, white, and brown shades for a neutral scheme with pops of vibrant color. When displaying flowers on a coffee table, you aren't limited to fresh-cut varieties in a vase. Use potted plants to provide a 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. Open up a big coffee table book to fill an expansive surface without using countless objects. It'll fill the space visually without making it feel cluttered. Place decorative beads or a magnifying glass on top of the pages for added interest. It's a simple styling trick that adds instant sophistication.
Related: What Is the Traditional Casual Aesthetic?
Create a Lived-In Look
Interesting objects, including a lush houseplant, glass beads, metallic trays, and small books, decorate this colorful living room's ornate Moroccan-style coffee table. The mix of colors, materials, and styles creates a collected-over-time look for a relaxed, comfortable ambience. 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.
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