Photography: Mindi Cooke
The coffee table is the unsung hero of your living room. The ultimate in furniture multitasking, its job is to unify the room visually while acting as a footstool, dining table, display surface and storage centre. However, when it comes to styling your coffee table, there’s a fine line between charisma and clutter.
From candles to coasters, coffee table books and objet d’art (that’s ‘knick-knacks’ for the layman), how do we narrow down exactly what we use to decorate our coffee table?
Shona McElroy, founder and principal designer at Smac Studios, encourages folks to start with what they love. “Often there’s so much stuff that [my clients] have, that we can easily sift through it with them and decide,” she begins on Home Beautiful‘s The Edit podcast. “I want to look at what they have first, and what’s gonna work for them. What I like to say is: they’re conversation starters.”
Listen to Shona McElroy on The Edit podcast:
From here, she moves on to “proportion and colour ways”, looking at items in terms of how much space they occupy, and how they complement your colour scheme.
Read on to get some expert-led tips for styling your coffee table. But first, which coffee table should you choose?
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How big should a coffee table be?
Coffee table styling starts with a great base. So, before you begin, consider the perfect coffee table size for your living room. “While the styling items are important, the coffee table itself should be the feature in the room not what is on top of it,” says Alice McMullin, Founder & Creative Director at McMullin & co. “Take time to search for a quality, seasonless and contemporary design. It’s always worth the investment.”
It’s all about the right proportions. “Your coffee table has the potential to really finish off a living room, so it should make sense in the space, practically and stylistically,” says Don Garvan, Founder of Totem Road. In interior design, there’s a 2/3 rule for coffee tables.
What is the 2/3 rule for coffee tables?
The rule suggests choosing a coffee table roughly two-thirds the length of your sofa. “A table too small can get lost, while something too big can overpower the other elements of the room,” Don from Totem Road suggests.
This requires a little maths, but measure-up your couch and then figure out the maximum length your coffee table can be. It can be shorter, though perhaps, not too short!
Alice also recommends considering the height of the table. “There’s nothing more awkward than one that’s too high or low,” Alice suggests. Ideally, the table will be as high as your sofa seat cushion — or up to 5cm lower.
The best shape for your coffee table
If you’re trying to work out why your living room design is not what it should be, start with your coffee table shape. “Rectangle coffee tables are a great choice if you have a narrow space with minimal walk-around clearance, and are best paired with standard or L-shape sofas,” says Don. “Round coffee tables are the most popular choice for family living areas given they don’t have sharp edges.”
“Round coffee tables soften your space and create a gentle flow,” says Ty Symonds, Head Of Design at Country Road. “However, you can lose essential surface area depending on how much you actively use your coffee table. Rectangle coffee tables create more usable surface area and often have great storage capacity too, but they are not great for small spaces.”
How to decorate a coffee table
Coffee table decor can essentially be broken into three categories: Books, flowers, personal items. However, some experts suggest using no more than three or four pieces for a well-styled coffee table
“Coffee tables can be a small window into your personality, taste, and interests,” says Alice. “While there’s no doubt they’ve become a regular feature in our Instagram, they can be over-styled. They should strike the balance of feeling uncluttered and filled with no more than three or four styling pieces.”
Coffee table books
If you don’t know where to start, reach for a couple of coffee table books. “It’s nice if they have a certain scale to them,” she said, in reference to their size. “For scale, I think [the books] need to be around 38cm long. Then start to layer.”
Anchor your coffee table decor with one big coffee table book, and perhaps another smaller one stacked on top. You can then layer smaller objects on top.
“I have four [book stacks] on my coffee table, and I’ll have one or two things on each of those stacks,” Shona says.
In Shona’s case, her current coffee table is large enough to accommodate so many things. Her previous coffee table was restricted to one book stack, a vase and a couple of trinkets.
Vases and flowers
Vases, filled or unfilled, are popular items to decorate a coffee table.
“Decorative vases are the must-have item for styling your coffee table,” says Ty. “A vase that looks just as good as a decorative object with or without flowers is best. We’re talking vases that aren’t hidden in the cupboard when not in use!”
“Remember to not pick a vase that’s too large [and] will obstruct your view when sitting down,” Fiona warns. “Save those for your sideboards or side tables.”
“Foliage plucked from your yard is a great free styling trick for your favourite vase. It adds a great pop of freshness to any room,” says Fiona.
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Coffee table decor
The best coffee table decorations are the ones that mean something to you. Shona leans towards items that are a blend of their unique personality, and what she calls “conversation starters”. “We have little playing cards on our coffee table because I want to encourage people to play games. “That’s a fun thing that’s going to engage people.”
It’s also great to incorporate sentimental items here. “I have, for example, a little duck that means something to Hamish [Shona’s husband]. It’s his grandmother’s duck,” she explains. “Then I have my playing cards on another one, and then I have a vintage candle holder I found at the markets, and then I have a vase. So, we’re creating a lot of tension there, but these things are still individually important and they have space to breathe.”
How to work with colour on your coffee table
Here’s where the fun begins. Accent with pops of bright colour or keep things nice and neutral – either way, there are a few key tricks to remember. “Keep colour simple. Pick up the base colours in your environment and don’t be afraid to layer with different textures, materials and finishes,” says Ty. “Allow a highlight colour, but remember that less is more and if you have a vase, using flowers to change up colour to your mood is a great way to play with the highlight colour.”
If neutral is your thing, don’t feel you need to go overboard with colour. “Less is always more,” says Alice. “I would lean towards a muted or neutral colour palette that doesn’t command the attention of the room but complements its surroundings. Look for a coffee table that has a light wood grain or a simple dark stain and try to subtly contrast with styling items.”
Shape and form of your coffee table styling
Use a mix of shapes and sizes of objects for your coffee table, and when in doubt stick to the magic number. “You can never go wrong with the rule of threes when styling your table,” says Fiona. “Three objects, at varying heights, ideally in varying materials to keep it interesting. I love to place one or two coffee table books under one or two of the smaller objects to help ground the look . You could also do this with a tray.”
How much space should styling take up?
Don’t get carried away with your coffee table styling – remember to allow room for practical use and consider all members of your household when choosing objects. “As a general rule, make sure the shapes are bottom-weighted. Coffee tables are notorious for being knocked and bumped so ensure items aren’t top-heavy,” says Ty. “They are definitely not the spot to have your most precious belongings.”
“I find that covering no more than 1/3 of the table is a good balance for me,” says Fiona. “But there are absolutely no rules. If you love a more layered look in your home, then go for it – using a couple of trays and books to ground your pieces will help if going with a ‘more is more’ look.”
Where to place your coffee table
Consider your living room layout – how your move around your living room is vital when choosing your coffee table shape. “Make sure to lead with functionality and then decorate with this in mind to ensure you get the most out of your coffee table,” says Ty. “Storage, ease of cleaning and usable surface area play an important role in how you will live with your coffee table and get the most out of it.”
“If your area allows for a sofa to be placed across from two chairs, opt for a square coffee table, as this creates a symmetrical focal point in the room,” says Don. “Due to the larger surface area, square styles are great if you’re wanting to style further with coffee table books and still have room for your daily necessities.”
Watch Shona McElroy from Smac Studio on The Edit vodcast, or listen on your preferred podcast platform.
