17 coffee table decor ideas to enhance your styling in 2024

Written by

25 June 2023

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8 min read

The coffee table is a great little furnishing for a living space as a place for books, refreshments and even your feet after a long day. The way you decorate a coffee table can really enhance the aesthetic of an entire room and there are more ways to do it than you might think.

There's a definite art to coffee table styling, one that requires thought, technique and a bit of creativity. It's one of those things that can easily go awry with a fine line between mastery and mess. These coffee table decor ideas represent the tried and true as a few unconventional options that all work in their own way.

1. Coffee table books that offer more than good reading

Coffee table books are a great asset for styling and should be viewed as more than just reading material for you and your guests to enjoy. Look for coffee table books with covers that add value, either as a focal point or complementary piece to the room as a whole. You can also experiment with different books and different arrangements, be they stacked, horizontally mixed, opened or otherwise. The options here are endless.

Coffee table books with stylish covers can enhance the theme of your interior styling, as seen here on the exquisite Calder Bronze Coffee Table.

2. Candles as a treat for the senses

Candles are another handy option that can very easily elevate a space with little effort. Though they are more traditionally found on a dining table, they are an equally viable option for the coffee table. The range of products available is incredibly diverse with options like pillar candles, tealight candles and popular scented candles that tickle all the senses. Candle holders present another opportunity to impart a bit of expression to complement your choice of candle and the atmosphere of the room.

Candles and candle holders, like these on the sublime ECC Crossings Coffee Table by QLIV, are a great way to stylise and add atmosphere to a room.

3. Create warmth with natural elements

If you really want to create and nurture a calm and relaxing environment incorporating a few natural elements will help you do exactly that. Options can include things like pebbles, pine cones, sea shells, coral, driftwood, decorative grass and more. They look especially good on a wooden table but also work on more modern styles of coffee tables too. Many of these objects can be easily found on a Sunday stroll and will make your living area more inviting as a result.

Natural elements like decorative grass help create a calm and relaxing atmosphere.

4. Display a trendy teapot

Everyone has teapots but seldom are they used beyond serving tea for visiting family and friends. Get more out of yours by putting them on display on your coffee table. Not only do they add a nice visual element to a room but they also convey a sense of hospitality, setting a very welcoming mood for your guests.

A trendy teapot adds warmth to this living space, featuring the homely Oslo Natural Solid Oak Coffee Table.

5. A platform for a pop colour

A modern coffee table can also be a stage for other decorative items to perform, figuratively speaking of course. It's a great place to put a statement piece of your liking like a sculpture, vase, decorative boxes etc, given the coffee table is likely to be positioned near the middle of the room. One way to draw the eye in this manner is to pick an item of a strong complementary (or contrasting) colour. This will add dimension and depth to your lounge area or living space with contemporary vibes.

Choosing a pop-coloured decorative item is a great way to introduce a bit of dynamism, especially when matched with a superb option like the Accademia Coffee Table by Alf Italia.

6. Fresh fruit as seasonal offerings

Just as we're encouraged to eat fruit, we should also appreciate it for its natural beauty, something we often take for granted. Fresh, seasonal fruit as a decorative feature is nothing ground-breaking being half the reason fruit bowls exist in kitchens. For coffee tables it's less common but equally appropriate, bringing vibrancy and life into a space. You can choose fruit that will stand out on the surface, or select those complementary to the colour scheme of your home.

A few carefully chosen pieces of fruit can go a long way when it comes to decorationg your coffee table.

7. Greenery for the scenery

On the theme of seasonal offerings, the same can be done with a coffee table display of greenery. Again this mirrors a number of the previous points about the calmness that nature brings into an environment. Also, there's a rich sense of vitality and freshness that green as a colour brings to an interior. Lastly, you can add a bit of expression and styling with your choice of pot for the plant too.

A pot plant can bring freshness and style to a living space, illustrated perfectly with the Solapa Table by Stua.

8. Find an evocative sculptural object

A sculpture can provide a really strong, unique focal point for a room and is a great one to consider as far as decorative objects on coffee tables go. In fact, classing them as purely decorative does them a disservice as they have depth, dimension and artistic merit that can evoke thought or an emotional quality that resonates with one and all.

A sculptural item of decor can evoke emotions, thoughts and ideas.

9. A beacon of light with a table lamp

A table lamp is a fantastic multi-faceted, multi-functional furnishing that can do so much with so little. First and foremost, they introduce a new light source into a space which can be great for dimly lit areas or help with tasks like reading, playing board games, highlighting ornaments etc. They can also improve your designer credentials with some very modern and unique products available.

Table lamps like, the Aella Table Lamp by Leucos, add functionality and in some cases plenty of designer-inspired style too.

10. Twice the tiers, twice the fun

If you're lucky enough to own a two tiered coffee table then you've got twice the opportunity to create an impression with both surface spaces. If it's a glass coffee table or has a transparent top then this becomes even more important. While the bottom tier is traditionally used as storage space and the top tier to display decorative items you don't necessarily have to abide by these rules. Instead, focus on the aesthetics and things like colour coordination, layering, composition and grouping. This holistic approach will help you create visual balance and a more sophisticated look.

A two tiered round coffee table provides twice the opportunity for gorgeous styling.

11. A curated ensemble for gallery vibes

Coffee table decor ideas don't have to be limited to individual inclusions by any stretch of the imagination. If you're a bit of a collector of art, sculptures, ornaments and more then you can let your collection shine in all its glory on your coffee table. In this case, the coffee table arrangement is key and you'll want to think carefully about size, positioning and depth but when done well you can make it feel like a small curated gallery.

With a large option, like the Log Table by Roderick Vos for Linteloo, you can display a curated collection of art and decor.

12. A delightful arrangement of dried flowers

Dried flowers are lovely little decorative accents to consider as a point of difference to fresh flowers (also a great choice). The difference with dried flowers is that they are longer lasting and lower maintenance and offer a textural quality and muted colour palette which some prefer. They also preserve the feeling of a natural element compared to faux plants making them a good go-between choice.

Dried flowers, like these hydrangeas, add a calming element and can be a long term natural feature.

13. Table and glassware for the host with the most

An ever-present display of tableware and glassware works surprisingly well as coffee table decor making a space effortlessly more inviting and welcoming. These can of course be conveniently used as and when needed, which you'll probably find is more often than not. There are countless styles of both to choose from and you can also choose to complement them with a decorative round tray or something similar to bring it all together.

Glass and tableware can be permanent decor items for your coffee table, readily available when you need them, as seen here on the sophisticated Boteco Coffee Table by Minotti.

14. Mirror your styling, literally

Last but not least, a mirrored surface is a unique and interesting element to feature on a coffee table but one that has merit. A reflective surface can make a room feel brighter, bouncing natural light in a way that will also make it feel more spacious. You can also use it strategically, placing it to reflect a favoured ornament or artwork. Small table mirrors work well for this but aren't the only options as you can also find decorative objects or even trays that have reflective surfaces for the same effect.

A mirrored surface can be used as a strategic surface to reflect an ornament or architectural feature of the room.

15. Fill the air with delightful aromas

When it comes to coffee table styling you need to think about satisfying all the senses and using incense is a wonderful way to fill the air with beautiful aromas. With very ancient origins, they also bring a strong sense of history and tradition that adds an element of cultural ambience. This is an incredibly easy coffee table decor idea to implement for instant room enhancement.

Beautiful incense featured on the stylish Angle Coffee Table incorporates wonderful aromas into a living room.

16. Keep an eye on the time

Table clocks are a somewhat antiquated addition which is a huge part of their allure and value as a coffee table decor option. They are a tremendous style accent in a space that can exhibit a lot of charm and character, depending on the style and design chosen. They also have the added bonus of being highly functional as a timekeeper and focal point.

A table clock is a unique way to infuse a bit of character and style into a space, seen here with the ECC Crossings Coffee Table by QLiv

17. Break out a board game

A fun way to add a bit of playfulness to your living room is to use a board game as an item of decor. Chess boards are a popular choice for this, for which you can get some quite exquisite sets, but you can also go for more casual options too. It's a creative choice that can be a real conversation starter and a spontaneous ice-breaker for social gatherings that everyone can partake in.

The luxurious Stone Coffee Table is complemented with an equally divine chess set, completing a sophisticated setting.

Coffee table decor ideas that are quick, easy and stylish

The great thing about these coffee table decor ideas is that they are all very quick and easy to do and will enhance your styling considerably. The coffee table occupies an important space in a living room or otherwise, taking centre stage in most situations so be sure to spend the time you need to get it right and you'll be duly rewarded.