Go Bold: How to Style a Coffee Table

Styling your coffee table is essential to tying together home décor, and is a great way of showcasing your personality in a space. Using the following three basic rules can help make the task less intimidating, and fun!

Adhere to the following design basics to style any coffee, occasional, side, entry console or buffet table.

  • Choose a color palette - Inspired by the boldness of summer, we decided on a bright palette of oranges and yellows. Try to choose a palette that works cohesively with the rest of your space.
  • Source your design materials - Start by looking around your house to find objects you may already own for your coffee table collection. Ideas could include a bowl of fruit, a cool art object, a vase or candle.
  • Balance with varying heights - Think in threes. Pick a low, medium and tall object. We went with a low book, the ceramic head, and the tall seasonal floral to tie everything together.
Get inspired by things you already own! Look around your house to source objects you already have for your coffee table collection. It could be a bowl of fruit, an interesting art object or candle.
Choose a Color Palette

Seasonal monotone floral is a good starting point for color and flower selections. We paired a yellow vase of Icelandic poppies with a concrete vase of Heliconia, or Lobster Claws, native to the tropical Americas, to create a bold look. Their colors work well together, and their interesting buds bring an elevated element of design to the coffee table. The bright colorful book plays off of the floral to tie it all together.

Bold vases of poppies and heliconia create an eye-catching coffee table design

Source Your Design Materials

Start by looking around your house for elements you may already own, or shop for interesting objects or vessels that work with your color palette and aesthetic. Include neutral objects that could work with other designs throughout the seasons. We chose the geometric ceramic head object to work with the color of the table, and it also balances the bold colors of the book and floral.

Balance Your Design With Varying Heights

When deciding on objects to display, make sure you are keeping in mind the height variance. A basic design idea to remember is designing in threes and choosing 3 elements—one at a low height, one at medium and one at a tall height. Keeping this idea in mind will help you balance out the coffee table for an optimal, eye-catching design.

Have fun with your coffee table designs! Switch up your designs seasonally, or when entertaining guests to keep things fresh and exciting. Don't be intimated, and find inspiration by your surroundings.