As the availability of television sets made its popularity, coffee tables became a widely produced piece of furniture. With the table design of a long, low base placed in front of a sofa, it became the perfect surface to place many household items.
Since these tables were designed at a low profile, it suggests they were created after the development of many other furniture pieces, such as the sofa or ottoman.
A lot of individuals feel that a coffee table is a necessary piece of furniture. What to put on the coffee table is up to you as the homeowner.
Furthermore, how to decorate a coffee table is your personal preference. If you are debating a coffee table for your space— with decorative pieces already picked out— you will want to consider the shapes and sizes available to fit your personal needs.
The Staple Piece
A coffee table is known as the staple piece of a room; it is the focal point that acts as an anchor for all other furniture and decor items.
After carefully selecting your couch, armchairs, or ottoman, a coffee table is the most important furniture piece. By acting as the focal point, it creates the perfect surface to place drinks, reading materials, the remote control, or your feet after a long day at work.
Centerpieces for your coffee table may seem like the most important. However, those pieces are acting with decorative purpose, whereas the coffee table provides a solid piece of attraction for your company.
Types of Coffee Tables
There are many types of coffee tables available depending on your style. Even more so, pieces sold with built-in storage allow you to store extra material without all the clutter.
In your quest for a coffee table, you will find that most are made of wood or glass and metal. No matter the style you choose, coffee table decor is a must.
Wood
Wood, or faux wood, is the most common surface used for a table. Some may feel that wood is superior to other surfaces, but remember, wood is susceptible to water rings from glasses. As a homeowner, it would be beneficial to invest in cute coasters or trivets to prevent it.
Glass or Metal
Most individuals who are into the modern design will consider a style with hints of glass or metal.
Glass creates a clear line of vision for the centerpieces of the coffee table. Since a glass table bears no solid color, it creates more surfaces for light in the room to bounce off. It also allows more color from your centerpieces to shine through.
Glass coffee tables are also the easiest to clean. However, just like other furniture styles this one just as easily attracts water rings. Also considering the number of fingerprints that will touch your coffee table daily, a glass tabletop will need to be cleaned more regularly; a pro tip to any glass owner is to use old newspapers in place of paper towels.
Furthermore, a popular combination of styles includes glass and metal. You will find that metal or chrome coffee tables are usually complemented with easy-to-clean glass surfaces. Metal pieces are often made from durable iron, steel aluminum, or other alloys. Metal furniture pieces are usually seen in a more modern and industrial interior design style.
Stone
To achieve a traditional, elegant look you may want to consider a table made from stone or slate. Oftentimes, the table will be marble-topped. The upkeep of a stone or slate table will depend on the type used when created.
Upholstered
Many choose to use a chaise or ottoman as their choice in coffee tables. Upholstered ottomans have cushiony rest places for your feet while still offering a sturdy tabletop. Furthermore, by placing a serving tray atop your ottoman, you can still rest your drink without the worry of a spill.
Coffee Table Decor Ideas
Picking out a coffee table for your space may be easy, but it's considering how to decorate a coffee table that may be overwhelming.
Many items can adorn the space on your coffee table, some you may want to consider:
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Books
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Magazines
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Catchall tray
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Decorative dishes
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Candles
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Coasters
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Vases
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Candy
You can also adorn the space with simple objects from your collections like crystallines or antiques. Many homeowners also like to place their treasured items on display like collectibles or artwork.
Anything that you feel— as the homeowner— is important or impartial to you, you can put on display.
The coffee table will be the piece of furniture in the room that catches the attention. In that case, make sure what you display on the coffee table is something you will want friends and family to notice.
How To Decorate A Coffee Table
How your coffee table is decorated can tie a space together.
When decorating your coffee table, remember there are many points to consider, such as:
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Proportions
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Balance
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Focal points
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Vignettes
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Placement
Proportions
Considering the right proportions for your coffee table is important. Centerpieces for your coffee table look best when sized correctly; they should be big enough to where they don't disappear in other decorative items, but small enough to where they don't distract from other pieces.
When choosing decorative pieces, try not to overwhelm your space and step back to observe your proportions after decorating. There should still be room on your coffee table for you to rest your feet, place your drink, set the remote down, or even a plate of food.
Balance
Balance is also a key factor in creating a solid coffee table display. To easily achieve balance in your setup, you can use symmetry.
A typical symmetrical set-up might include two stacks of books separated by flowers or a bowl of candy. The idea is to ground the display with the center object and then balance the set-up with the addition of side pieces like the books or magazines.
Focal Point
Create a focal point. You can use one of your favorite items to anchor your display or a vase of flowers. Anything simple and bright with color will create a focal point as the eye will be immediately drawn to it.
Create A Vignette
Style your area in a way that creates a vignette. Use items that belong together to create a seamless illusion; items can be similar in style, color, or shape to create the illusion. Furthermore, by placing certain items on your coffee table you are leaving an impression for your guests, not just yourself.
Placement
Last but not least, placement is an essential component of any coffee table display. First and foremost, the distance your coffee table should be from your sofa is 14 to 18 inches. After placing it a good length away, you now have to decide how you want your centerpieces to be displayed.
There are no set rules on how to set a coffee table like a dining room table, it mostly falls on preference. If you create a display you aren't fond of, try again. Coffee table decor is your chance to create something that shows your interests; centerpieces for your coffee table should express the type of subjects you're into and refer to your character.
Contact Us
To become better familiarized with your coffee table decor options, contact us today for an in-depth approach to decorating.
