Are you wondering why your coffee table styling looks weird? You’ve looked at countless pictures. Maybe you have even read some tips or watched a Youtube video. Still, your coffee table styling is missing something. But what? Here are my thoughts on why your coffee table styling looks weird, still.
What’s your interior style strategy
The cornerstone of every space is a clear interior design/style strategy. What is an interior style strategy? It’s being crystal clear on what your interior style goal is and what your colour scheme is? Styling your coffee table is not simply about placing objects on the coffee table.
It’s about placing the right objects in cohesion. Objects that fit with your interior style and colour scheme. Objects that work with the entire space. From a colour, texture, and shape perspective. Basically your coffee table is not an island.
It’s part of a whole. Placing three random pieces (below) on it is not enough. You heard that collections work best in odd numbers.
What does the space need?
How you style your coffee table is directly correlated to what the space needs. First, put in the focal pieces such as a sofa and/or armchairs. Then add some accessories or décor like cushions, art, a throw, and a rug. After that, take a step back and ask yourself what’s missing.
For example, if you’ve chosen a Hamptons interior style, consider adding a floral pattern somewhere. It can be in your cushions or art. If not, then maybe the objects on your coffee table take a floral motif.
Balancing the pieces on your coffee table
Balance is the core interior design element which is often missing in coffee table styling. This is true for other styling such as console table or bookshelf. That is balance in shape, size, texture, material and colour.
For example in the coffee table below the items have different heights and widths. There isn’t a repetition of the green colour for that object to make sense. There is too much glass. Because the coffee table has a glass table top you don’t need more glass in the cloche. The pieces are too far from each, other they don’t look like a cohesive collection. And the coastal motif isn’t carried through, there is just one coral thing.
Getting it right
You may want your coffee table to look like something you’ve seen in a magazine or online. However, the absolute easiest way of getting it right is to keep it simple.
Choose three items of a similar size. Make sure they match in shape, height, and width. Align them with your interior style goal. Then place them on a tray on your coffee table. They could even be the same object. For example, three vases with different flowers in them. Or consider the less is more idea. Just use two items like I did in this project below. I chose a tray and an interesting sculpture.
Interior design and interior styling is a skill and talent, that takes years of experience to perfect. For my clients, styling the coffee table is the last step I take. It often takes a long time to curate and find the right pieces. To get styling right in your home just keep it simple. Good luck.
