With the right decor, a coffee table can be the focal point of your living room.
While a combination of flowers, books, and trays is a timeless way to style a coffee table, there's no reason not to experiment with more creative ideas. Here, we highlight 35 chic ways to add some extra flair to your coffee table.
When you're aiming to showcase a significant amount of accessories, a coffee table with a glass top can provide balance. It doesn't take up as much visual space as an all-wood design, for instance, and it keeps the focus on your display.
If the idea of mixing decorative objects, flowers, and books really isn't your style, opt for one statement piece that reflects your personality. An eye-catching sculptural item or vase with your favorite blooms is sometimes all that's needed to complete a living room design.
Whether it's a family heirloom or a ceramic that you've treasured for years, incorporating a sentimental element into your coffee table decor adds a special touch. Plus, it's the perfect conversation starter, which is necessary for every interior.
A brass cloche is the singular (and somewhat mysterious) piece of coffee table decor in the living room of designer Shawn Anderson's country-meets-gothic farmhouse in Memphis.
The circa-1950 Sphere cocktail table and lamp in this Buenos Aires living room are by Jean Royère. A simple white bowl and blooms add to the room's monochromatic palette.
A duo of candelabras tie this living room's gold elements together in glamorous harmony. The sofa from designer Jean-Louis Deniot’s collection for Baker is in a Martyn Thompson Studio fabric, the 1930s Jindrich Halabala chairs are in a JAB Anstoetz fabric, the vintage cocktail table is by Paul Frankl, and the gold side table is by Hervé Van der Straeten; the 1920s bronze-and-alabaster chandelier once hung in the Villa Kerylos in France, the indoor-outdoor rug is by Galerie Diurne, the artwork is by Franz Kline, and the shelf holds a Roger Desserprit sculpture (center) and a French 1940s lamp.
Designer Shawn Henderson pared down the coffee table decor in the living room of this Montana mountain home. The custom sofa, in a JAB Anstoetz fabric, is by Dune, the 1950s chair (left) is in a Dedar fabric, and the custom armchair is covered in Arabel fabrics; the 1930s orange lacquer–and-shagreen sideboard is French, the 1950s Murano glass table lamp is by Seguso, the 1955 chandelier is by FontanaArte, the custom rug is by Beauvais, and the Venetian plaster walls are in Benjamin Moore’s Stonington Gray.
A feathery arrangement keeps the vibe of this family room nook cozy, while adding height and drawing the eye up to the artwork by Zipora Fried. The custom sectional is covered in Great Plains and Donghia fabrics, the cocktail table by Daniel Scuderi and the chandelier by Trans-Luxe are both custom, the Ecart International sconces are from Ralph Pucci, the curtains are of a Stark fabric, and the carpet is by Tai Ping; the walls are in a Dualoy leather, the ceiling is painted in Benjamin Moore’s Bison Brown.
A bust sits on the coffee table from India in the living room of designer John Robshaw's Connecticut home. The living room sofa and its fabric are by John Robshaw for Duralee; the armchair, custom banquettes, and bone-inlay side table are all Robshaw designs.
The cocktail table inside designer Rela Gleason's San Miguel de Allende home is an inverted polished tree stump, a stone mill wheel serves as a side table. A ceramic vase and a leather-bound book keep the look classic.
A tri-level coffee table sets the stage for drama in this Chicago living room. The custom sofa, in a JAB Anstoetz fabric, is by Dune, the 1950s chair (left) is in a Dedar fabric, and the custom armchair is covered in Arabel fabrics; the 1930s orange lacquer–and-shagreen sideboard is French, the 1950s Murano glass table lamp is by Seguso, the 1955 chandelier is by FontanaArte, the custom rug is by Beauvais, and the Venetian plaster walls are in Benjamin Moore’s Stonington Gray.
If your table makes a statement on its own, whatever you place on top of it is just a bonus! Inside a PR maven's New York City home, the coffee table and floor lamp are by West Elm. On top you'll find an array stylish books, fresh flowers, and chic trinkets.
The sleek living room of a Manhattan apartment designed by Jamie Drake and Caleb Anderson of Drake/Anderson has two separate sitting areas and tables of various sizes throughout. The glass cocktail table by Fredrikson Stallard is filled with feathers, the round side table is by Holly Hunt Studio, the lamp on it is by Charles Paris and the custom rug is by Tai Ping.
In the living room of a weekend home in Bridgehampton, New York, designed by Steven Gambrel, the cocktail table is by Dos Gallos and is topped with several vases and trays. The petite Thebes-style caned stools that accompany it are vintage.
This country house in southeastern Uruguay, which was built on the remains of an 1810 roadside general store, defies all design conventions. In the living room, they've even opted for a vintage side table from France instead of a coffee table. A single vase full of wildflowers draws the eye inside the stylishly stark room.
Don't stop at one (or two) tiny coffee tables. Stagger three tables throughout your living room and choose a different accent for each — say, a book, a candle and a plant. This look worked well in Ellen Pompeo's Hollywood Hills home.
Give your ottoman a makeover by styling a tray on top of it, creating the perfect place to display flowers, candles, and books, like in this Greenwich Village penthouse.
Adorn your glass coffee table with fresh flowers for instant styling. Add a few stacks of books and personal objects for an eclectic touch, like in this upstate New York home. Fin!
If your coffee table is tiny in size, like the one in this São Paulo duplex, all it needs is one of your favorite artisan bowls or plates to elevate it — especially if the rest of the room boasts maximalist decor.
Stack books on your cocktail table as a foundation for your collection of eclectic knickknacks. In an apartment on New York City's Sutton Place, trinkets and miniature sculptures give the living room a chic but eclectic vibe.
In the New York living room of hotelier Ian Schrager's apartment, two long tables divide the couches. The visual illusion itself is the decorative piece — simple and effective.
In the living room of Kate and Rem Reynolds’s townhouse in Windsor Terrace, Brooklyn, the wooden cocktail table is Danish and it is accompanied by a pouf. Extra seating and texture play? Yes, please.
In the living room of antiques dealer John Pope’s Charleston, South Carolina apartment, the statement red cocktail table was found at auction. It is topped with meticulously stacked sets of books and a sprinkling of trinkets that ensure the colorful table is still visible.
In Ibiza, this living room is outfitted with a mirrored 1980s coffee table. The ceramic tiles reflect off the centerpiece creating a psychedelic effect.
The cocktail table in a Charleston, South Carolina sitting room was made out of a floor grate from the owner's great-grandparents’ Missouri home.
The coffee table in interior designer William McClure's former Birmingham, Alabama living room is not only a perch or books, candles and flowers, but a stash spot for throw pillows, which are placed underneath.
In the game room of a Los Angles home, the coffee table is made from a circa-1880 slate slab and is the perfect height for playing board games.
In the living room of a Paris apartment designed by Jean-Louis Deniot, the black and white cocktail table by Hagit Pincovici is nod to the gray found throughout the rest of the room. To let the piece shine, tabletop accessories are limited to candlesticks and a decorative sculpture.
If you're a fan of nautical decor, bring it to your coffee table design. This wicker table fits in perfectly with the coastal decor of the space.
In the living area of interior designer Kimille Taylor’s Upper West Side apartment, the center table is topped with a sparse selection of books and flowers (of course), allowing for the dazzling yellow table to shine for itself.
It's a no-brainer that trays are an excellent way to stylishly organize a tabletop. In a rustic barn in Amagansett, NY, a wicker tray breaks up the coffee table, and can also be used to serve food and drinks when needed.
In an upstate New York house, the family room is anchored by a cocktail table by Etienne Allemeersch from Art-Design-Carta. The table is decorated with dramatic sculptures in hues similar to the rest of the room's neutral decor.
A low, natural coffee table adds charm to the living room of a Los Angles Farmhouse. As an alternative to flowers, the table is topped with a terracotta vase filled with lush greenery.
In a Manhattan home library, the Mattia Bonetti coffee table is custom-made. The unique table legs easily make it the focal point of the room without competing against the classic coffee table accoutrements like a vase full or orchids.
A two-tier coffee table offers even more room to show off your favorite accessories. Here, lacquered boxes and fresh flowers match the room's warm orange-and-brown palette, enhancing the vibrancy of the stylish space.