Your coffee table is the anchor of your living room. It sets the tone, frames the space, and can even spark conversation.
From minimalist coffee table arrangements with a single focal point, to “intentional clutter” arrangements where more is more, your coffee table can set the “vibe” for the rest of your living room.
If you want to make the most out of your coffee table but aren’t sure where to start – this post is for you! We’ll go through how to style different coffee table shapes, coffee table decor ideas, design do’s and don’ts, and more.
How To Style A Coffee Table: The Definitive Guide
Coffee Table Styling Formulas
Before you even pick out objects, it helps to plan like a stylist. Steal these design ideas the pros use to create editorial-worthy coffee tables for your own home.
1. Centerpiece
A coffee table with a central focal point of decor will never go out of style. You can place one, large centerpiece in the middle (such as a flower arrangement), or group a bunch of items together in the center.
If you’re going with a group of items, mix tall objects like flower vases with smaller objects like candles and books to create visual balance (like in the table pictured below).
Perfect for: round coffee tables, or small tables that don’t have a lot of space for a ton of items.
2. Rule of Thirds
Borrow from photography and visually divide your table into three sections. Create a distinct “visual moment” in each section: one section can contain stacked books, another a tray of trinkets, and another can be a natural element like a flower arrangement. The rule of thirds can help create a spread that feels dynamic but balanced.
Perfect for: Rectangular or larger square coffee tables that offer enough surface area to distribute items into distinct sections.
3. Triangulation
Use triangular shapes in your coffee table arrangement to create an organized yet dynamic look. Triangles are often found in nature, and are also one of the most structurally sound shapes due to their inherently load balancing geometric properties.
Using triangulation on both the horizontal and vertical planes can create visual interest. Horizontally, arrange clusters of items into the 3 points of a triangle on your table’s surface (like in the image below). Vertically, vary the heights of the items on your table (eg: tall, medium, short) to create an imaginary slanted triangle.
Perfect for: Almost any coffee table shape and size (including irregularly shaped tables), but especially effective on rectangular or oval tables where layered height variation adds dimension.
4. Tetris Grid
“Intentional clutter” is in, and what better way to embrace this “more is more” aesthetic than a Tetris style coffee table arrangement?
Fill your coffee table by packing objects of varying dimensions into a Tetris style arrangement, keeping the space between items approximately equal. This is a great way to display irregularly shaped items (such as the conch shell in the table below!). Use plenty of trays and dishes if you need more structure.
Perfect for: Large rectangular or square coffee tables with ample surface area. Ideal for open-plan living rooms or spaces where the coffee table serves as a major styling area and focal point.
5. Asymmetric
Perfect symmetry can feel overly formal. Embracing asymmetry can create an artistic, lived-in feel, perfect for eclectic homes.
Disperse items across your table freely like an abstract artist covering a canvas. If you’re worried about balance, start with spreading out the large items first evenly across the table, and intersperse the smaller items in the negative space in between.
If you want to make things look more intentional, choose a color scheme (like the green-themed table pictured below) and only include decor with shades of that color. This is a great easy way to make your coffee table look sophisticated and put together.
Perfect for: Large rectangular tables (that resemble a canvas). Avoid this arrangement on irregular, organic shaped tables (too much chaos on chaos).
Best Coffee Table Decor Items
1. Books
Coffee table books are a classic for a reason. Curate a couple of books and magazines you love (the more visual the better, think art, architecture, travel, etc) and style them by:
- Stacking them on top of each other
- Leaving a book open to an interesting page
If you’re not sure where to start, these are some of my current favorite coffee table reads:
Monocle Magazine (the Escapist issue 2024)
2. Decorative Trays and Dishes
Trays are a great way to keep your coffee table looking organized and tidy. Use them as a catch all for the daily life tidbits that will inevitably gather on your coffee table as life happens.
There are tons of different tray materials and designs to choose from – check out this Room Salad post for some of our favorite picks!
3. Sculptural Objects
Iconic interior designers like Kelly Wearstler and Athena Calderone often incorporate sculptural pieces in their spaces to create a sense of wonder and intrigue.
Think textured clay bowls, amorphous marble shapes, or wooden pieces that resemble body parts or forms from nature. A 3D sculpture or two can elevate your coffee table from mundane to sophisticated.
They don’t have to be expensive either! Check out any of these affordable picks if you need inspiration.
4. Natural Elements
Flowers, branches, or a small succulent or plant can breathe life into your coffee table arrangement. If you don’t want the upkeep, go with shells, wooden pieces or fake plants.
Natural elements can make great seasonal decor as well, like pine cones or wreaths during the winter, or fresh flowers during the spring.
5. Scents & Candles
Candles, reed diffusors or incense can completely change the vibe of a home through scent. Choose something that feels homey to you (fig, sandalwood, citrus, can all work well, depending on your tastes). I really like the 1 Hotel room spray, the Diptyque Tubereuse candle, and the Palo Santo reed diffusor by Brooklyn Candle Company.
Scents have a powerful ability to evoke memories. I like to choose a scent every time I move to a new home. When I re-use a scent from a past home, it takes me all the way back to fond memories of that particular time and place.
6. Board Games
Board games can be functional yet stylish additions to coffee tables. A vintage deck of cards or a cool chessboard can provide both entertainment and a touch of personal style.
7. Personal Items
A small framed photograph, a matchbox from your favorite hotel, or a shell from a beach vacation – all of these personal touches are what make a house a home. Cheesy, but necessary! Don’t be afraid to add a personal memento or two to your coffee table decor.
Coffee Table Styling Mistakes to Avoid
1. Too much clutter and overcrowding.
Even if you’re going for a maximalist look, make sure to leave at least 30% of the table empty for practical purposes (you need to be able to set a coffee down somewhere!). Piling on too many things without editing is a fast way to make your space feel chaotic and unlivable.
Pro tip: Stack items vertically to open up space when your coffee table is getting too crowded.
Photo Credit: Pinterest
2. Don’t ignore proportion and visual weight.
A common mistake that can make a space look awkward and unbalanced is ignoring proportion. For some quick rules of thumb, make sure your coffee table is:
- About 2/3 the length of your adjacent sofa
- 2-4 inches shorter than your sofa seat height
- 18-24 inches away from seating
As for coffee table decor items, a good rule of thumb to follow is: don’t fill more than 30% of your coffee table’s 3D volume box. Here’s how to apply this rule:
- Visualize an invisible cube (or cylinder for round tables) above your coffee table, with a height that is the average of your table’s width and length.
- Arrange your items so that, collectively, they occupy roughly a third of this 3D space, leaving the rest open for negative space and practical use.
- Mix vertical (tall) and horizontal (flat) items to create visual interest, but keep the total “fill” under this threshold.
This quick guideline helps maintain a sense of openness and balance. It creates breathing room for everyday use while promoting visual harmony.
3. Avoid overly trendy decor.
Swapping out one or two items on your coffee table for seasonal decor can be a great way to switch things up, but avoid over-reliance on trendy, decorative items. Your coffee table is probably not the best place to display a Labubu collection or all your trinkets (display shelves would work better for these!). Instead, opt for curated, foundational pieces that reflect a vibe and aesthetic you won’t get tired of too quickly.
Credit: Pinterest
Final Thoughts
Your coffee table is the one place where form meets function daily. Treat it as a living mood board: edit, experiment, and let it reflect you.
If you end up using this guide to style your coffee table, share a photo of what you’ve created in the comments! We love looking at photos of people’s IRL homes for inspiration 🫶.
