If you are like most people you find yourself asking this question every season that you redecorate: what do I put on my coffee table? There are a lot of elements to this question. Are you wanting to incorporate seasonal touches? Do you want it to be practical? Do you want it minimalistic or full? It can feel tedious after a few months of trying to spice things up, so we want to equip you with the tools it takes to have a styled coffee table year round!
First things first: a perfectly styled coffee table doesn't automatically make an entire room look styled. In other words, decorating should extend throughout the entire space so that the coffee table can be accented in the best way possible, bringing the whole room a well-rounded look. So we have a few tips for areas to focus on before tackling your coffee table decor!
1. Fill empty corners with decor that adds height. In this case, we used an artificial fig tree styled in our woven sizable basket. You could also place a blanket ladder here, or perhaps a floor lamp. These items help to make the room feel both cozy and stylish by filling unnecessary dead space.
2. Incorporate cozy elements such as pillows and blankets. A great way to do this is to fill your sofa with different tones and textures of your desired color pallet (this might depend on the season!). Toss throws into a large basket that matches the aesthetic you are trying to create.
3. Get creative! Don't forget that when scrolling Pinterest for inspiration, you should always style your space to fit your lifestyle. This means including elements that fit your personality or hobbies! Simply placing a guitar in the corner of our room immediately brought charisma and uniqueness to our living area, which encourages a social environment.
Now that we have set the tone, we can move onto that nagging question of what to put on your coffee table! To prevent having to switch out the entire tablescape every season, first choose elements that should be a part of every coffee table top instead of focusing on specific items to place on it. For those of you who need more direction and inspiration of what items to use, here are some ideas to consider:
- Candles
- Books/magazines
- Vase (with or without flowers/greenery)
- Baskets
- Trays/bowls
-Coasters
-Photo frames/albums
Element #1: Layers
Whatever you place on the table, make sure that it is not in a straight line. Your items should be staggered to fill the space and so that it will be a pleasing angle no matter where you are in the room.
Element #2: Height
Add height to your table by placing floral stems into a vase or stacking books underneath items you want on display.
Element #3: Weight
One misconception is that surfaces have to be symmetrical in order to look good, when in fact the trick is making sure that the table has an even disbursement of weight. This is not referring to pounds or ounces, but simply just making sure that one side of the table doesn't get crowded with items and leave the other side feeling empty.
