So you're thinking about getting a new coffee table, but you have no idea how you're going to style it? We know exactly how you feel—coffee table styling can be overwhelming. It's the family room’s focal point, so it has to look just right.
Luckily, there is no one way to decorate a coffee table. Each coffee table design is catered to their owners' tastes. As such, your coffee table setup should also speak to your personality. If you're still feeling lost about how you’ll start styling your coffee table, don't worry. We've listed down 20 different coffee table decor ideas to inspire you.
But before we get into that, here are some tips on how to choose the right coffee table for your living room.
Choosing The Right Coffee Table For Your Living Room
When selecting a coffee table, you have to consider how it'll be used.
Are you looking for a coffee table that'll provide extra storage? If so, you'll want to find a coffee table with some smart storage features built into it. Are you planning to turn it into a working space? Make sure to get a coffee table with enough space for your work material. Maybe you're just looking to enhance your living space. If that's the case, you'll want to choose an aesthetically pleasing coffee table.
After you've figured out how you're utilizing your coffee table, the next thing to consider is size. How much space do you have in your living room? If you have tons of extra space, maximize it by choosing a long coffee table. But if you are tight on space, a set of nesting coffee tables is a great option.
Color is the final thing for you to consider. A neutral-colored coffee table or a glass coffee table is always a safe bet. It can blend into any color scheme without throwing off the palette.
20 Seriously Trendy Coffee Table Decorating Ideas
Once you've found a living room coffee table that fits your wants and needs, all that's left for you to do is style it. Here are 20 of our favorite coffee table decorating trends:
1. Go Green
There's nothing like some lush greenery or a bright bouquet of fresh flowers to help add some life to your coffee table. Don't worry if you can't buy a new set of flowers each week or if you aren't blessed with a green thumb. Faux houseplants or flowers will do just fine to keep your coffee table looking fresh all year long.
2. Show Some Personality
Your coffee table should cater to your taste. What better way to share your taste than by displaying some of the things that symbolize who you are?
Stack some of your favorite reading material. Then, mix it with your favorite collection of something small, such as coasters from your favorite bars, some tiny trinkets you picked up from your travels, or mini sculptures from your favorite artist.
Not only will they bring your personality to the forefront, but they'll make great conversation starters too. Tie it all together with your favorite houseplant or flower, and voila!
3. Stay Symmetrical
Sometimes it's more about the layout of the accessories than the accessories themselves. And when it comes to arranging the layout, you want to keep things symmetrical. Prepare two stacks of magazines or books of equal height and place your favorite coffee table accessories on top.
Or, take a handful of your favorite books or magazines, and space them evenly across the coffee table to perfect that sleek, clean, modern look.
4. Play With Proportions
Try to have fun and play with the proportion of your coffee table decor. Not a fan of symmetry? Use vases, candles, or succulents with varying heights and widths. This will help make your coffee table look more dynamic and bring more depth into your living room.
5. Stick To Neutrals
If you're into the whole modern minimalist look, stick to neutrals. Use black, grey, and white accents to achieve a classic neutral polished look. To make things even more intriguing and avoid looking too stark, try to mix and match the material of the accessories, such as metals, mattes, and glass. For more tips on how to design a modern living room, check out our blog post.
6. Heighten Up The Contrast
If you're a bit more eclectic and love having pops of color in your home, using a neutral-colored coffee table can create contrast and bring out the different hues in your living room. Choose bright coffee table accessories and statement pieces to make a big impact on your coffee table.
7. Keep It Simple
Coffee tables don't always have to be too fussy. If you've already got yourself a gorgeous-looking coffee table, you don't have to do much. You can just stack a few coffee table books and place a lovely simple vase on top.
8. Pull Up Some Extra Seating
If you're already happy with your coffee table, but you still feel like something is missing in your living room, you should consider getting some extra seating. To make your entire living room feel a bit cozier, plop down a bean bag or some floor cushions. This will help set the mood and make your living room more inviting.
9. Get Coastal
An easy way to decorate a coffee table is by sticking to a particular theme. So, why not try a coastal theme? You don't have to use coastal-themed decor, such as a ship or anchors—unless you want to. You can easily achieve a subtle coastal theme by adding some blue, white, and coral accents. Pair with some natural elements such as a wooden basket to put all of your decors in or some seashells, and you've instantly got a beautiful coastal-themed coffee table.
10. Complementing Material
When choosing decorative items for your coffee table, an easy way to select your pieces is by selecting ones that complement the different accent materials in your living room. For example, if your living room features metallic accents, complement them with metal coffee table accessories. The same idea goes with wood, glass, and so on.
11. Light It Up
Candles aren't the only things that belong on a coffee table. Brighten up your coffee table with an adorable-looking mini lamp that you can use while reading some of your favorite coffee table books. Choose a battery-operated lamp since a plug-in lamp's cable can make your coffee table look messy. If you're sticking with candles, upgrade it by using some fancy candle holders.
12. Use A Tray Or Basket
If you don't know how you're going to arrange your coffee table decor—use a tray or a basket. These are very stylish ways to keep all of your coffee table essentials in one place. They not only make your coffee table look nice and tidy, but they also help break up the surface. You can place almost anything in them, such as your controllers, coasters, candles, reading material, and so on—they're cute catchalls.
13. Be Playful
If you live with kids, or if you like to host plenty of dinners or events, why not put one of your favorite board games on display? A chessboard is particularly classy; a box of Monopoly also works well. The great thing about having a gameboard on display is that if the conversation ever runs out, at least you've got a game ready!
14. Relax With Aromatherapy
The living room is where everyone gathers. You likely have experienced situations where your living room is a bit chaotic. Add some calming elements to your coffee table, such as scented candles or an essential oil diffuser. This is a great way to bring the zen into your living room. And, you'll love the aroma they provide!
15. Mini Storage
Need a space to keep all your tiny trinkets and change? Use decorative storage boxes or a trinket box as catchalls for all your loose items.
16. Picture Perfect
If you can't think of a decorative object to place on your coffee table, why not use pictures of your loved ones and your favorite memories with them. This is bound to make you, and everyone else who sees it, smile. Choose frames that match the accents of your living room furniture to bring it all together.
17. Add Texture
Mixing different materials can help add texture, depth, and warmth to a coffee table. Mix and match different brass statement pieces, marble accessories, wooden accents, glass vases, and so on. There are so many decorative items to choose from.
18. Choose A Good Rug
Sometimes all you need is a good area rug to contrast your coffee table. Choose a really fun and large area rug, but also make sure that it matches the entire vibe of your living room. You want it to stand out, but you don't want it to look like an eyesore.
19. Decorative Coasters
If you're looking for a simple yet cute and functional coffee table decor, decorative coasters that are super creative and artistic can easily bring a pop of personality to your coffee table. Plus, your guests get to enjoy their drinks in style.
20. Clean Slate
And if all else fails, dare to keep it bare. That's right. Just keep your coffee table empty. A minimalist and uncluttered space works best for people who work from home and use their living room as a workspace. Having too much decor on the coffee table can be inconvenient and unnecessary in such a situation. You can learn more about how minimalist design can benefit you on our blog.
Find Stylish & Affordable Coffee Tables At Nathan James
For super stylish, easy to assemble, and reliable coffee tables, look no further than Nathan James.
Nathan James is the number one store for all your modern furniture needs. Our goal is to bring gorgeous furniture to homeowners and apartment dwellers without breaking the bank.
You can find all kinds of furniture on our website, including dining tables, bookshelves, nightstands, and even TV stands. All your dream furniture is just a click away. Upgrade your coffee table and other furniture at Nathan James today!
