27 Ways To Style Your Coffee Table So It Always Looks Good
It's one of the best spots in your home to showcase treasures.
As the centerpiece of your living room, your coffee table decor is an opportunity to express your personality and style. The items you display there function like the accessories you pair with an outfit—they communicate who you are and what you love. Whether you're a minimalist or maximalist, there's a coffee table styling method to suit your interior design aesthetic and make your coffee table look cute.
Practically anything can work as coffee table decor. Interior designers recommend incorporating some of your favorite treasures, whether that's your seashell collection or the book you're reading. Fruit (real or fake), design books, candles, and even your children's toys can look interesting when you display them thoughtfully.
A coffee table isn't just for looks, though. It also has to be functional. You need to be able to sit a cup of coffee or glass of wine down somewhere on the surface, so it shouldn't be cluttered. Stylish coasters and trays can help protect the surface and provide organization. Decorative boxes are great for hiding remote controls and electronics chargers; a large bowl can artfully display dog or cat toys. Your coffee table may also need to accommodate your entire work ecosystem if you work from home often. In that case, you could consider one with built-in storage.
The shape of your coffee table helps determine how you style it. For a round coffee table, keep it simple. Use a contrasting square tray to keep things organized. Or showcase a favorite houseplant in a pretty planter and keep the rest of the surface blank. Square coffee tables give you a little more room to play. Divide the tabletop into quadrants and display something different in each square.
Now that you know the basics, take a look at some of our favorite interior designer coffee table looks. These 30 coffee table decor ideas have the inspiration you need to revamp the focal point of your living room and style it to reflect your personality.
Sienna is a Deputy Editor at Hearst, where she oversees the commerce team's coverage of wellness, home, tech, fashion, parenting, and more. She lives in California with her husband and two littles.
Kelly Allen is the Associate Editor at House Beautiful, where she creates design, culture, and travel content online and in the magazine. She’s been on the team since 2019, writing features on dreamy TV sets and movie filming locations, in-depth city guides, and inspiring home tours. From researching ethereal estates to discovering can’t-miss set decoration details onscreen, she’s always eager to answer burning pop culture questions through a design lens. In her five-year career, she’s built a strong network of designers across disciplines to tap for their invaluable expertise. Her background includes honing reporting skills while tackling viral news for Delish and contributing to Cosmopolitan’s entertainment coverage. When she’s not watching every new film and TV show, she’s browsing vintage home stores, attending industry events, and wandering around New York City—highlighting it all on Instagram.
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