How to Decorate a Coffee Table

A coffee table can add a practical and stylish touch to any living room layout. Creating a focal point for your soft furnishings and giving you somewhere handy to put your cuppa, a well-chosen coffee table could be the perfect finishing touch for your interior.

Once you’ve found the right piece for your home, you’ll need to decorate it. Adding a few decorative touches to your new coffee table will give you an opportunity to stamp your personality on your space and ensure your new table looks as good as possible.

We’ve put together our top tips to help you get your coffee table décor just right.

Where elegance meets functionality, the Andre Coffee Table elevates any room with its sophisticated design. Picture credit: @cassierandolph

How to decorate statement coffee tables

How a coffee table is styled can depend on the design of the coffee table itself. Statement coffee tables that feature a bold design or colour can work very well to be the centrepiece of your living room and do not need a lot of decoration. However, for more understated pieces, decorating can further enhance the visual impact of your coffee table.

If you’ve chosen a statement glass, metal or wood coffee table, keep accessories and decorative touches to a minimum to avoid the table appearing cluttered. Keeping things simple will also help to ensure your new table stands out when friends and family come to visit.

@daniellepiercee styles the Cupid Coffee Table with organic shapes, creating an overall cosy and complementary look.

How to decorate understated coffee tables

If you’ve gone for an understated coffee table design, you can accessorise your table with a selection of decorative items. However, you should avoid placing lots of small objects on the tabletop as they can accumulate to make a cluttered look that leaves your room feeling messy. Instead, choose a few large, eye-catching pieces and keep your design simple but effective.

The Mico Rattan Coffee Table fits right in with @thisurbanretreat's nature-inspired living room.

Keep the balance

Whenever you decorate a coffee table, it’s important to keep in mind that the number and size of the objects you place on the table should always be relative to the table itself. For example, if you’ve chosen a small coffee table for your living room, avoid piling it high with large books, plants and ornaments as this will make the table look even smaller. Likewise, if you’ve opted for a large coffee table, use generously sized objects to fill the space and ensure it appears balanced.

Whatever size table you’ve chosen, make sure you leave enough room on its surface for teacups and coffee mugs. After all, the main function of the table is to provide somewhere to place drinks and snacks while you’re relaxing in the living room.

Add greenery

Potted plants and cut flowers always work well in interior design schemes. Placing a plant or vase full of flowers in the centre your coffee table will bring freshness and colour to your lounge. Further enhance the greenery in your living room by placing your plants in attractive, eye-catching pots or vases.

If you decide to use a pot plant, make sure you place a tray under the pot to catch any water that seeps through. This will protect your tabletop and help the plant retain its water.

This Coffee Table Set’s space-optimising and modern design extends and closes to fit every interior. Picture credit: @lovinglittlehalls

Set the mood

To enhance the mood at night, use your coffee table and place a few candles on the tabletop. Make sure you put your candles in candle holders or on plates to protect the surface of your table. Use a large church candle to add height to your atmospheric display or opt for a scented candle to make your living room smell sweet and inviting.

Show off your personality

A great way to stamp your personality on your interior is to add some carefully chosen coffee table books to your display. Choose large, easy-to-read, beautiful books full of colourful photos to grab your visitors’ attention.

When you need to use the table for tea, coffee or snacks, you can simply tuck your books away under the table or place them on a nearby side table. This will help to keep your coffee table clutter-free and prevent the books becoming damaged by accidental spills.

Keep things organised

Since coffee tables are often located in a central area, it can be easy for them to become cluttered with remote controls, ornaments, and other objects. To avoid a cluttered surface, add a designated tray for placing miscellaneous objects to maintain an organised tabletop.

You can make this tray look more visually interesting by choosing a shape that contrasts with your coffee table. So, if you have a round coffee table, choose a square or rectangular tray. Conversely, if you have a rectangular table, choose a round or oval tray.

A beautifully designed coffee table will be an asset to any room it's placed in. Whether you’re on the lookout for a new statement piece for your lounge or just want something subtle and understated to display all your ornaments, our collection has a variety of styles suited for your home. To find out more about room-enhancing coffee tables visit our website today.