“Coffee Table (Noun): A low table, often placed before seating in a living room, on which drinks may be served, and magazines etc placed."
The coffee table is the centrepiece and focal point of every lounge room or space and because of this its sometimes the most difficult to style! Coffee tables are meant for functional use however, designers see this as a balance between that and the amazing stylistic opportunities it presents. So here are my 4 key style changing tips for your coffee table…
Define your theme
The important thing with all pieces in your home is that it should be an element that ties into the overall theme of your home. By defining a theme in your home, you will make styling a coffee table or any piece of furniture in your home for that matter an absolute breeze! A theme must incorporate a desired colour palette along with the overall style vibe…. are you Hamptons? Or maybe modern minimalist? Or perhaps your boho chic? Once you decide on this you are set to go!
Know your shape and balance accordingly:
Believe it or not, shape does matter! Depending on the shape of your coffee table you need to balance accordingly. Balance, which accounts for both size and tone of objects is an essential component of any coffee table display and we achieve this by working with the shape.
With round tables, stick to a focal point in the middle and cluster around that spot- think a vase with some gorgeous faux blooms and smaller ornaments and keep sakes on the outside.
You can do this for oval tables too however you may find you have more space to play with. If this is the case add more to the fix or play with different stacking heights with books.
Rectangles are the easiest ones to style; break the table into sections (doesn’t have to be even) and rest your larger items like books at the end and smaller towards the middle to help define those sections.
For squares, you can do the same however with a bit more structure- best to stick with 3 major sections one centre front and 2 sections at the left- and right-hand side.
Where’s your personality?
Personality is so important. More important than looks in some cases…that’s why you should always remember this table must reflect you! I have this gorgeous Empire State Building ornament that I bought when I first went to New York that I have added to my own coffee table. Same goes for a travel or cocktail lover, you’re not going to put a Dior Fashion book on your table when you’re not really into high fashion- you would probably want Exotic Cocktails or Road Trips Australia book’s instead. Not into that? Here are some other items you can bring into your coffee table mix:
• Vases
• Flowers (Dry, Faux or Fresh)
• Crystals
• Momentums
• Ornaments
• Small sculptures
• Coasters
• Trays
• Candles
• Scent sticks or Diffusers
• Books (stacked and/or alone)
• Magazines (stacked and/or alone)
• Baskets* underneath
And remember: functionality.
Don’t forget the main reason we have these coffee tables… for me it’s to kick my feet up and rest my coffee as I binge watch Friends. So, I create space here to do so as well as add coasters to protect the table from coffee spills. Other real needs include storage; there are some amazing tables out there with drawers so you can hide the remotes and essential items. Other tables are those perfect rectangles with nothing underneath so you can put stylish woven baskets underneath so you can hide all the couch linen (or in my case – dog toys).
Happy styling!
