Designer Tips for Styling Your Coffee Table
Want to get creative with your coffee table decor? Play around with these different ideas and styles to make your coffee table pop! Last week, we talked about some of my favorite coffee tables right now. This week, we explore a few rules of thumb for styling your coffee table to perfection!
It’s All About Proportion
Choose items to style with that are proportional to the size of the coffee table and to each other. Make sure you’re are varying the sizes of the pieces you choose. Too many “heavy” items will cause an imbalance and visually weigh down the table too much. Likewise an assortment of too many small accessories can feel busy and make the table feel cluttered. Instead, balance visually with an arrangement of a heavier element like a vase of flowers, with a stack of thin books, and some small accent pieces for conversation. Play around with materials! Acrylic is a great option, because it can occupy space on the table, but because it’s translucent it won’t add additional visual weight to your presentation.
Follow The Rule of Three
The rule of three simply states that things arranged in odd numbers are visually more appealing and memorable to the human eye than even numbered groupings. This rule does not only apply to three, but works nicely as five and seven as well. An even grouping of four or six can look staged, while an odd numbered group looks effortless and intentional.
Choose three items (or groups of items) to create the perfect balance. Good examples are stacks of books, a decorative bowl or small sculpture, and a vase of fresh flowers. When choosing books, the title and content is not all that’s important. Consider the color, size, font, spine, and overall aesthetic of the cover as well. The books become part of your homes decor.
Your choice of flowers can be a fun way to bring in a subtle touch of seasonal decorating. Play with color, texture, height and volume. Knickknacks and metallic accents, such as coasters, are a great way to introduce a variety of textures and layer your look.
I Love Decorative Trays
A tray is a fantastic way to layer smaller accessories in an eye-catching way. To mix up the geometry, try selecting a circular tray for a square table, or vise versa. A painted tray is an opportunity for an accent color, like this Spectrum Tray from Jayson Home. Consider a different element, such as metallic, bamboo, or glass to vary the textures and materials. The possibilities are endless!
Get The Right Height
Select a high, medium, and low pieces. A stack of books is a great way to add height or to boost up smaller items. If you have tall and narrow pieces to showcase, you won’t want to add the height of fresh flowers into the mix. Try a succulent or low potted cactus to add more texture and color. Have fun with your selections!
Things To Avoid
Don’t place items on the corner and leave the middle empty.
Don’t go too bare. Fill the table, but don’t overwhelm it.
Avoid lining up your objects. They should fit together nicely like puzzle pieces.
Don’t use items that are so tall that your guests can not see each other across the room.
Don’t design from one view point. Make sure it looks good from all angles.
