How to Style a Coffee Table: 5 Simple Ideas for a Beautiful, Welcoming Living Room.
How to Style a Coffee Table: 5 Simple Ideas That Look Beautiful Every Time
From morning coffee to evening drinks with friends, the coffee table is often the heart of the living room. More than just somewhere to put the remote, it's an opportunity to bring personality, colour and practicality into your home. Whether your style is classic, contemporary or somewhere in between, these simple styling tips will help you create a coffee table that feels considered, lived-in and effortlessly beautiful.
Start with a Decorative Tray
Every beautifully styled coffee table starts with one thing: a tray.
A decorative tray instantly creates structure, helping everyday essentials feel intentional rather than cluttered. Instead of individual objects scattered across the table, grouping them together on a tray creates a focal point while making everything easy to move when entertaining.
Our hand-painted Bobbin Tray is one of our favourite pieces for this. The raised edge keeps everything neatly contained, while the colourful finish adds character to even the most neutral of living rooms.
Whether you're styling a large coffee table or a smaller side table, a tray helps define the space and makes styling feel effortless.
Style Tip: Aim for three to five objects with different heights to create balance and visual interest.
Bring Your Coffee Table to Life with Fresh Flowers
Nothing transforms a room quite like fresh flowers.
Whether it's a simple bunch of seasonal blooms from the supermarket or flowers picked from the garden, they instantly make a coffee table feel welcoming and lived in.
We love using a colourful ceramic vase alongside decorative accessories to introduce texture and height. The softness of flowers also balances the clean lines of trays and books, creating a more relaxed, natural look.
Try changing your flowers throughout the seasons—spring tulips, summer peonies, autumn foliage or winter berries—to keep your living room feeling fresh all year round.
Layer Coffee Table Books for an Effortlessly Curated Look
Coffee table books aren't just for reading—they're one of the easiest ways to add personality to your home.
Choose books or magazines that genuinely reflect your interests, whether that's interiors, travel, fashion or art. Stacking one or two larger books creates height and provides the perfect base for styling candles, flowers or smaller decorative objects.
A carefully chosen magazine, like House & Garden, also brings colour and texture while making your coffee table feel inviting rather than overly styled.
The key is not to overfill the space. Leaving room around each object allows every piece to stand out.
Mix Beautiful Pieces with Everyday Practicality
The best styling isn't just beautiful—it's useful too.
One of our favourite ways to style a coffee table is by incorporating practical pieces that you'll reach for every day. A hand-painted tissue box cover transforms an everyday essential into something you'll actually want on display, while a scented candle adds warmth and atmosphere for cosy evenings at home.
Rather than hiding practical items away, choosing thoughtfully designed home accessories means they become part of the overall look.
Beautiful homes are designed to be lived in.
Style Your Tray for Entertaining
Decorative trays aren't just for styling—they're made to be used.
Whether you're serving morning coffee, afternoon tea or drinks with friends, a tray makes entertaining feel effortless while adding colour to the occasion.
We love using our striped trays for relaxed weekends at home. A couple of mugs, homemade biscuits and fresh coffee instantly turn an ordinary afternoon into something that feels a little more special.
When you're finished, simply return the tray to your coffee table where it continues to organise your favourite accessories.
It's this versatility that makes a decorative tray one of the hardest-working pieces in the home.
Shop the Look
Everything featured in this styling guide has been chosen to bring colour and practicality into everyday living.
Explore our collection of hand-painted decorative trays, tissue box covers and colourful home accessories, designed to make everyday moments feel a little more joyful.
Featured Products
- Pink Bobbin Tray
- Green Bobbin Tray
- Pink & Red Striped Tray
- Pink & Red Tissue Box Cover
- Matchbox Cover Collection
Frequently Asked Questions
What should you put on a coffee table?
A well-styled coffee table usually combines both decorative and practical pieces. We recommend using a tray, fresh flowers, a candle, books and one everyday item, such as a tissue box cover, to create a balanced arrangement.
How do you stop a coffee table looking cluttered?
Grouping accessories on a decorative tray instantly creates order and leaves plenty of clear space around your styling. Fewer, thoughtfully chosen pieces almost always have a greater impact than lots of smaller items.
Are decorative trays just for serving?
Not at all. Decorative trays are one of the most versatile home accessories. They can be used for serving drinks, organising everyday essentials, displaying candles and flowers, or creating a focal point on a coffee table, bedside table or console.