Ever wonder how designers and home stagers make it look so easy?
A coffee table isn't just a place where your guests set down their drinks. Often the centerpiece of the room, coffee tables attract attention — whether you want it to or not. So don't overlook its decorative potential. In the same way that walls feel empty without art, coffee tables feel empty without anything on them. When you walk into a home with a nicely styled coffee table, it just feels complete and complements the room as a whole.
This isn’t to say that clutter is better than bare either. Your coffee table shouldn't be a dumping ground for remote controls, mails, or any other items that don't have a 'home'. Yet it certainly should never be empty.
Interior designers and home stagers manage to strike a balance between decoration and function, styling coffee tables in a way that feels almost effortless. How can you do it, you ask? Well, here are a few things to try out...
Play With Scale
When adding accessories to a coffee table it's important to experiment with different heights. It brings the eye in and creates interest.
To ensure that there is a variation, start with the tallest items. If not a big sculpture then try a tall vase — or a medium size vase with oversized branches.
A viewer's eye will move among the various objects. Some people think of it as still life but look at it more like 'typography'. Creating islands with objets for the eyes to rest on.
Leia T. Ward, of LTW Design, likes to include a natural element in coffee table compositions. In addition to plant cuttings, Ms. Ward sometimes fills bowls with hunks of moss-laden earth for a burst of green. | Credit Andrea Carson
Use Books Creatively
They are specifically called Coffee Books for a reason — large, lavishly illustrated books are designed to be left on display to encourage being flicked through.
But don’t choose books solely for their covers. They should reflect your personal interests, favorite places, activities, artists, and designers — for your own enjoyment and to share with guests.
If your table is small and you're aiming for a minimalistic look, put one or two books. On a larger table, you can create a few low stacks, with the biggest books on the bottom and the smallest ones on top, like a pyramid.
For each stack, two books are great, three books are fine, but not any higher. These stacks can also be used as a pedestal to elevate bowls, cases, or other sculptural objects. And for even more texture, try removing the dust jackets.
Don't ignore the photos on the inside of books either. Put whatever book you enjoy the most on the table. Or a particular image that you love so much that you want to leave the book open to that page every time you walk past it, to see it again. It's like having another painting in the room.
Credit | Suzanna Scott
Add Sculpture
Sculptural objects, utilitarian bowls, vases or bottles, and even candle holders can become appealing textures added to the table’s appeal.
The best choices are the pieces that mean something to you, personally. A coffee table represents who you are as a host and a person. It’s a chance to display a tasteful travel souvenir, like a paperweight or small dish. A ceramic vessel made by an artisan or seashells collected from a beach. A prized find from a tag sale — almost anything can serve as a conversation starter.
When styling an empty table, start with the largest item in the middle, and then build around that. | Credit Ethan Pines
Create some contrast
Decorate the table with accessories to add pops of color for visual interest, or choose materials/colors that won't blend in. Let’s say that if your table is made out of glass and metal, bring in the exact opposite to complement it, such as wood or porcelain.
Coffee table accessories are a low-risk way to experiment with color, similar to throw pillows. Go ahead and put out the large book with a bright red cover. If the look isn't what you hoped for, you can pick it up and put it away. Low-risk!
Studio AK uses light-colored accessories on dark tabletops to create contrast. Credit | David Mitchell
Don't forget flowers
Tables are not complete without flowers. You always want something organic and natural to add to your table. Flowers like hydrangeas or calla lilies plunked in a vase look great in a coffee table setting.
A tray can hold small objects like coasters and remote controls, while providing a safe surface for water-filled vases that could damage wood tables, said Kristin Tarsi, of Studio AK.
Credit | Michael Stavaridis
One final note to keep in mind if you are someone who loves design, you can just keep moving things around all the time and enjoy the process!
Below is a nifty video version of the sourced piece from the NYT.
