How to Style a Coffee Table So It Never Looks Cluttered, According to Interior Designers

A well-styled coffee table completes the look of any living room, but finding the perfect arrangement is easier said than done. Since the living room is an area where many families spend a significant amount of time, you want to curate a design that is both beautiful and functional. Too many decorative items leave little room for placing drinking glasses, remotes, and other practical items, making your coffee table feel more cluttered than intentionally styled. To help you strike the perfect balance, we spoke to interior designers who shared their tips for styling a coffee table that doesn't look too busy.

Start With a Foundation

Choose a foundation for your coffee table arrangement that you can base the rest of your design around. For interior designers, this typically consists of a well-curated stack of books. "I do two to three books per stack, arranged in a messy, Tetris-like formation. The books are often facing different directions, and a little haphazard," says interior stylist Julia Stevens. She recommends linen-wrapped books, adding that many books look better once the sleeve is removed.

Incorporate Other Details

Once you've selected the base of your design, you can layer in other objects to fill the empty spaces, such as low bowls, greenery, and candlesticks. "Books ground the arrangement and provide layering; a vase with flowers or greenery introduces height and softness; a sculptural object adds artistry and personality; and a tray brings order, corralling candles, coasters, or smaller items so they feel intentional," says Kerrie Kelly, creative director of Kerrie Kelly Design Lab.

When choosing details for your coffee table, consider items that have a personal connection. "I love introducing 'soulful items' that tell the story of your personality," says interior stylist Steve Cordony. "A brass bowl you picked up in Mexico City, a bust sculpture gifted from your Greek friend, or a vase handed down from your mom."

Consider Scale

Play with height and scale when arranging your coffee table so it doesn't feel one dimensional. "I use the 'high-medium-low' or 'triangle' approach—one taller item (like a vase), a medium element (such as stacked books), and a low piece (like a bowl or candle)," says Kelly. "This creates a balanced, pleasing composition that draws the eye around."

Create Groupings

Cordony likes to create groupings of items on one table for visual intrique. "Your eye should travel around the vignette and allow you to discover," he says. "You want the items to tell their own individual story but also work together." One grouping could be a stack of books, while another could be a candle or vase with flowers. Cordony aims for three to four groupings per table, depending on its size.

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Mix Materials

Mixing materials, such as pairing stone with glass or wood with ceramic, gives your coffee table depth. "I'm not the biggest fan of repeated materials. For example, a wood bowl on a wood coffee table is a no-no in my mind," says Stevens. "A mix of materials is key. Veiny marbles and porous travertines complement a slick metal quite nicely. Contrast is usually a good thing because it keeps things visually interesting. Beauty usually happens in the spaces where things don’t actually match."

Consider the Space

How you style a coffee table largely depends on the space it is in. "A coffee table is a low piece of furniture, and the items on top of it should be low, too. Occasionally, in a room with high ceilings, a taller branch arrangement works wonderfully. But you need to look at the space as a whole and assess what it is asking for," says Stevens. "While leggy dogwood might work in a brownstone parlor, it might overwhelm a studio apartment."

Avoid Overcrowding

One of the biggest mistakes people make when styling a coffee table is adding too many items. "If you're working with an extra-large coffee table, you have a lot of square footage to fill and run the risk of it looking cluttered," says Stevens. "In that case, go for fewer large items, such as the classic John Derian book with the big eye on it or Rose Uniacke's At Work book. You might also consider bringing in a large tray to consolidate items. If the tray is striking enough, sometimes that's all you need."

Make It Functional

Functionality is a key element of a well-styled coffee table, but how much empty space you leave depends on your lifestyle. For example, if you eat dinner at your coffee table every night, you will need to more negative space than someone who never uses their living room.

Also consider the functionality of the items you display on your table. "I don't love when there are too many objects layered on top of books, as they might prevent someone from actually opening the book to read it," says Stevens. Our experts also note that trays or lidded vessels can be worked into your design as a practical, but aesthetically pleasing way to hold remotes and keys.