Are You Over-Styling Your Coffee Table? Here's What to Take Off to Make It Feel More 'Balanced', According to Designers
"It's all about striking the right balance between beauty and practicality"
In many ways, the coffee table is the centerpiece of the living room. Usually, it's quite literally the centerpiece, but it's also a central place to display a bit of personality, be that your favorite trinkets, books, or decor. But throw in a glass of water, dinner plates, TV remotes, or the book you're reading, and suddenly, coffee tables can become quite prone to clutter.
A well-dressed coffee table should be anything but, so to help break this bad habit, I asked interior designers for their best advice for styling a coffee table — most importantly, honing in on exactly what should be removed for a streamlined, elevated, and uncluttered vignette that still caters to how you live in your space.
The goal is enough surface area for everyday living while thoughtfully incorporating character and conversation-starting pieces. "A coffee table should be as functional as it is visually appealing," interior designer Saskia Blyth-Collinson tells me. "It's there to be used, whether for setting down a morning coffee, entertaining guests, or resting a book at the end of the day." So, to prevent over-styling your coffee table, here are three things designers say to take off it.
1. Leave the Faux Stems Behind
INSTEAD: Have a fresh floral arrangement whenever you can for a more fashionable setup.
Flowers may not seem like an essential part of coffee table decor. Still, it's one of Saskia Blyth-Collinson's favorite details. "I always like to incorporate something natural and textured, whether it's a simple vase of seasonal flowers or a sculptural branch," she shares. It brings softness, warmth, and a sense of life to the space, making the room feel effortlessly inviting.
That said, ditch anything faux. I know, I know — sometimes artificial trees, flowers, and stems can be a really convenient way to dress a space (and they are only getting more realistic-looking), but faux on the coffee table has to go.
"The modern living room is a major entertaining space," says interior designer Sarah Tract. "It's a space that calls for fresh cut or a nice vase of tall branches." And that gives you a pretty good reason to source a chic vase to style them in.
Saskia is a London-based designer who grew up in Austria and studied Design in Vienna and Florence. She now has more than 20 years of experience designing exclusive residences for luxury clients all over the world and is the founder of Blyth-Collinson Interiors. Saskia's interpretation of her vision is as much about how she sees a detail or scene as it is about her instinct — what she calls a sixth sense for creating an elegantly balanced interior.
2. Cluttered Catchalls and Unorganized Literature
INSTEAD: Keep books and magazines organized and opt for trinket boxes rather than trays if you don't want clutter to be seen.
Next (and this is typically the biggest offender), remove anything unorganized from your coffee table, especially catchalls and literature. Sure, you may want a stylish patterned tray to store your remote or a matchbox for your candle, but if you find yourself throwing anything and everything in, it's going to look cluttered.
"The best interiors have a sense of ease about them," explains Saskia. "When a coffee table is overcrowded, it becomes difficult to use, and the eye doesn't know where to rest." Every item should earn its place, whether through function, beauty, or sentiment.
When you're actually living in a space, sometimes the accumulation of 'stuff' is unavoidable. For that, a catch-all with a lid or a small but stylish storage box is a great way to control the visual clutter — plus you can tuck any ugly remotes away.
How you style coffee table books is arguably just as important as which ones you buy. The coffee table library look is stunning, but only when there is a clear layout. You want to leave room for practical items while displaying your literature well.
When decorating with books, Saskia suggests "investing in fewer, better pieces that you genuinely love rather than filling a surface simply for the sake of styling."
3. Decor You Won't Ever Use
INSTEAD: Leave room for what you will use, like coasters and books.
Finally, ditch the decor that is just gathering dust. If you never use it, it's just taking up space. "Ultimately, luxury isn't about having more objects; it's about creating a home that feels calm, considered, and beautifully lived in," says Saskia.
So, avoid filling a coffee table with lots of small decorative objects that don't really have a purpose. This doesn't mean a family photo, candlesticks, or a vase of flowers is out of place; it just means you need to think about what you want specifically on your coffee table (hint: definitely not all three). Again, too much of anything can quickly create visual clutter.
"I always like to start with a collection of unique coffee table books, followed by an accent candle and some accent trinket trays," says Sarah. "This allows for function and beauty as well as an instant moment to set the mood with a gorgeous scented candle."
Have fun with your design, but stay practical as well. For instance, "I always recommend having a set of coasters, especially for when guests are coming over," adds Sarah.
Sarah Tract is a New York-based interior designer and the force behind her firm, Sarah Tract Interiors. Her designs seamlessly blend elements of sophistication with a touch of warmth and whimsy, resulting in spaces that reflect the individuality and lifestyle of each client.
Getting inspiration from the latest coffee table trends and styling efforts can be fruitful, but at the end of the day, "A well-considered coffee table should feel effortless, timeless and personal, not over-designed," says Saskia. I don't know about you, but it's time for me to do a little overdue spring cleaning in my living room.
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