How to Pick the Right Coffee Table and Other Professional Design Tips
When Angela Chantell Interiors, the host of Instagram’s #StyleSundays asked me to take over her Instagram live to talk about coffee table styling next month, I immediately started geeking out. As soon as I started outlining my notes on styling, my ADD mind started wandering to where coffee tables came from and how they became a steadfast staple in today’s living room furniture lineup. In most cases, if you were to walk into a furnished living room sans coffee table you’d notice immediately that something was missing.
Photo by Collov Home on Unsplash
WHY ARE COFFEE TABLES CALLED COFFEE TABLES?
A BRIEF HISTORY
Unsurprisingly coffee tables made their first appearance in the 1600’s as coffee began being imported into Europe.
“Penny Universities” (essentially the 17th century version of Starbucks) began popping up throughout England, serving as a social club for bourgeois and enlightened men.
As patrons voiced a need for a surface to put down their beverage between sips alongside newspapers and journals, coffee house owners had tables custom made for this purpose. These early coffee tables, sometimes referred to as tea tables, were taller, around 27” as opposed to the 18”-20” height we see in most coffee tables today. These early tables were also circular, often designed with ornate detailing and large claw legs- after all, only the well-to-do, rich folks with hoity-toity homes could afford a luxurious beverage like coffee, let alone the time to sit around drinking it. It wouldn’t be until decades later, when hot beverages became commonplace among all social classes that these tables would show up in all homes regardless of economic status.
A 17th-century London coffee house.
Rischgitz/Getty Images
Today, while the coffee table is still associated with beverages, community, and entertaining, the coffee table shape, coffee table materials, coffee table style, and coffee table size has diversified drastically.
HOW TO PICK A COFFEE TABLE
Photo by Sidekix Media on Unsplash
WHAT IS THE RIGHT SIZE COFFEE TABLE?
HOW TO CHOOSE THE RIGHT COFFEE TABLE STYLE + SHAPE:
Make sure your coffee table complements the other pieces of furniture in the room. Take stock of the rest of the space and see if there is a way to add visual intrigue while still maintaining balance. For example, many living rooms are heavy on angular shapes. Architectural elements like doors, walls, windows, and fireplaces are usually made up of right angles + quadrilateral shapes which also dominate the shape of many living room items like rugs, sofas, art frames, and televisions. A circular coffee table could be an opportunity to implement visual interest and balance the angles with some soft curves.
HOW TO PICK A FUNCTIONAL COFFEE TABLE:
Be sure to consider specifically how you and your family use the space when selecting a coffee table. If you have young kids, you might want to veer away from a glass top table. If you frequently use the space to play board games and read books you may want to consider a coffee table with storage. Are meals frequently eaten on the sofa? A lift-top coffee table might be a good choice.
Taking these types of things into account will ensure your coffee table will be a good fit for the space aesthetically and also a good fit for you and your family’s lifestyle.
Photo by Jonathan Beckman on Unsplash
WHAT TO PLACE ON A COFFEE TABLE
Books- coffee table books will typically be best suited for this type of styling but smaller books could work in certain cases. Try stacking and/or topping with a decorative object.
Trays/bowls- trays are one of my go to styling objects because they can display multiple objects without looking cluttered. Bowls are great to throw in any type of collection (for example seashells or rocks) and can also be a great place to stash the remote(s)!
Character Objects- these are my favorite because they are so unique to each person and space. Whether it be an antique candlestick, a crystal, a sculpture of an elephant from the safari you took in Africa, any personal belonging that reflects your personality, life, or interests.
Greenery- any plant, succulent or a vase of flowers or branches will add visual interest to any surface. Not only will this boost the aesthetic and improve air quality, it has been scientifically proven that bringing nature from outside into our spaces has a positive effect on our mental well being.
Candles- this won’t be for everyone but a candle can improve the look (and smell) of any living room. For candle recommendations be sure to check out candle-ista Ashely Hosmer’s favorite candle line up.
Photo by @ashleyhosmer on Instagram
HOW TO ORGANIZE A COFFEE TABLE:
Styling any surface should be approached in groups of objects. Working objects into small groups will not only give a more visually appealing end result, it will also make styling even the largest surfaces less daunting.
Things to keep in mind:
Good design is all about balance- balance doesn’t mean symmetry. Think about each grouping’s “visual weight” in terms of color and form.
Group objects that vary in scale and shape. Objects with varying heights and shapes will pull the eye in various directions and prevent your display from falling flat.
Group in odd numbers. The Rule of 3’s says that arrangements with 3 objects will be more visually appealing to the human eye. It is ok to use more than 3 objects but it is still recommended to stick with odd numbers.
Function. A coffee table is usually a well used surface top in everyday life. Keep in mind how the table space is primarily used (for example if someone uses it as a foot rest) and try to incorporate items that make sense for the day to day functionality of you and your family.
Photo by Sabita Sahu on Unsplash
*COFFEE TABLE STYLING TIP:
A tray, regardless of the number of objects on it, leaves only a single footprint on the surface. (It’s advisable to apply the rule of threes even within the rule of threes so stick to 3 or 5 objects on the tray.)
A larger decorative object such as a plant or a globe, will leave one footprint.
HOW TO DECORATE A COFFEE TABLE:
To decorate a rectangular or square table top, think about dividing the table into thirds or an imaginary grid. For a square table I recommend quadrants - a rectangle would be divided into sixths. Play around with your object groups in each of these grid squares and see what feels right for you and your space.
When decorating circular tables, groupings typically work best arranged in a triangle near centered. Again, move things around and see what makes most sense.
Photo by Corinne Kutz on Unsplash
I hope this post has fulfilled any random furniture history hankerings and inspired you to refresh your own coffee table style! For more ways to quickly refresh your space, check out our post on easy design updates to do while in quarantine.
Be sure to tune in to @Angelachantellinteriors Instagram Live Sunday November 1st to catch me put these tips into action styling my own coffee table and of course give @sukkhainteriordesigns a follow if you don’t already. If you need help styling decor, updating spaces, have feedback or questions, or just want to say hi please email sarah@sukkhainteriordesign.com.
Thanks for reading!
