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Summer Coffee Table Styling Plus 7 Tips for Styling a Coffee Table

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Hi everyone, hope you are enjoying your summer and lots of sunshine! Today I am participating in a summer blog hop with 8 other bloggers to bring you 9 creative summer ideas for home. I hope you will take a moment to stop by and see what everyone else has to share. I have linked each one at the bottom of this post.

Summer Coffee Table Plus 7 Tips for Styling A Coffee Table

Have you ever given much thought about what goes on your coffee table? Call me weird, but I have a thing about keeping my coffee table(s) looking neat. I find that they tend to be the center of attention in a living room or family room. There are times when I have had to set my table off to the side so the small kids would not run into them and other times, I completely did not add one to a room. But even if it is off to the side, I still like to keep it neat. I am particularly picky about loads of mail and all kinds of random un-necessaries making their home on our coffee table. As a result, I keep baskets and other organizational items around the area for easy organizing and for keeping junk away from the table.

Coffee table styling-

You have probably heard me talking about adding more and more home decorating topics on this blog. Much more than I have already being doing. But because we are in the middle of selling our home and moving, I have not dedicated time as I would like toward that goal. Plus, it is not very practical to be trying to focus much on decorating while cleaning, de-cluttering, and packing to move.

However, I have a few spots around the home that I tried to keep pretty neat even in the midst of packing. One of them is our coffee table. I find it helpful to have something pretty to look at in the midst of packing. Not that the overall home was in disarray:) 

faux flower

Since it is summer time, I decided to add a little bit of coastal accents to this table. A Caribbean girl has got to have some coastal in her American home right?! Right. Of course, I could have gone with different colors but this worked out for the moment until I decide to change it up in our new place.

coffee table in the livingroom -

Last year, I found this coffee table from Ikea’s half off section because it was missing two small screws. It is very large, has a double stand, and was only $22. My husband replaced the screws in less than 5 minutes. 

Coffee table from Ikea

I decided to keep things pretty simple but still beautiful to look at in the middle of the living room. I love the beautiful simplicity of home and have been learning that less is more and makes for little clutter. If you have ever struggled with styling your coffee table, I would love to share with you my 7 tips for styling a coffee table.

  1. Choose Items with Varying Shapes and Heights: Round up a few favorite items with varying shapes and heights. I had all these coastal inspired items that had no place to call their own. I decided to bring them out to the table. Varying shapes and heights will add some visual interest to the table. You can already see the items I collected but here is  a little bit of explanation about some of them.

Coffee table coastal items

I purchased two of these coastal glass planters from Ross dress store a few years ago and I have been using them as candle holders. It is really easy to change them out seasonally. Usually, I switch the candles for different colors depending on the season.

lantern

Not sure where I got those nautical rope balls but I have two of them. I think I may have gotten them from Jo-Ann fabric on clearance last year. I love using them as fillers in tiny spots. They fit nicely.

Coffee table rope ball

2. Add Some Natural Elements: In this case, I filled a glass jar with some natural seashells that I already had on hand. 

coffee table shells

3. Add Books: I love adding books to give some more height and interest to a shelf or table decor. I found have a couple decorative books like this around the home. 

Coffee table book

4. Add a Plant (real or faux): I love adding a plant to my coffee table because plants tend to make everything look better. I chose to use some faux this time as I had a bunch of them around and there are no real plants growing around our yard yet. I should have gotten some pretty yellow flowers from the neighbors.

coffee tabe flower

I also added another faux plant on a stack of magazines at the other end of the table.

green faux flower

5. Use a Tray for Corralling: Once you’ve gathered your favorite items it helps to have a tray to corral them. It keeps the items neatly and all in one place. 

coffee table

6. Keep it Simple: Personally, I do not think that the items on a coffee table need to be complicated. Choose a few favorite pieces and add them for a sense of visual interest. Save lots of room for when you intend to work at your table occasionally. There are times when you may have your coffee or other drink set on the table. Or let’s be real, even get comfi and put up your feet sometimes. The point is to keep it simple and uncluttered.

I use the bottom shelf of the table to hide books. Our sample wedding photo book has been claiming the spot for months now. It is also helpful to have a small basket to keep TV controls. 

coffee table styled-

7. Keep an Overall Color Scheme: Make things less complicated by having a general color scheme. My table is pretty neutral because I think it would look too busy if I used a variety of colors. 

coffee table in the livingroom -

This is the view from the opposite side of the room, facing the TV. Notice that the items are not blocking the view of the TV. I used to keep the tray in the middle but found that I was constantly moving it to the side to watch TV. No one says it has to be in the middle and even if they do, oh well. Guess I am breaking all the coffee table rules. From this view, I used baskets to hid all the TV chords. And just in case you are wondering about the unusual color of the TV (because I get asked about it a lot), it was a free 42″ TV that my husband won from one of his business trip conferences. 

coffee table style

So there you have it, my summer coffee table and some of the tips I used for styling it. Hope these will give you some ideas of where to begin if you struggle with styling your coffee table. 

Don’t forget to stop by and check out the creative summer ideas from these other ladies. 

9 Creative Summer Ideas_vertical 

9 Creative Summer Ideas

Summer Matching Game – Free Printable // Wellies and Lemonade
Simple Summer Farmhouse Centerpiece // Making Joy and Pretty Things
Summer Mantle Inspiration // Sunshine and Munchkins
You’re Here: Summer Coffee Table Styling // Flourishing at Home
DIY Summer Wreath // Checking in with Chelsea
Front Porch Summer Decor // Restyle It Wright
Farmhouse Style Summer Tablescape // Craftivity Designs
Summer Tray Makeover // North Country Nest
Summer Entertaining Tablescape // W. Collective

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28 thoughts on “Summer Coffee Table Styling Plus 7 Tips for Styling a Coffee Table

  1. Your coffee table is perfect for bringing summer indoors. Those rope balls are my favorite. You really got a great deal on your coffee table at Ikea!!
    Selling your house and moving? Wow! You will be a busy lady for the next while! I’ll be excited to see your new home and all of the fun decorating I know you’ll be doing there!

    1. Ahhh thank you Shirley for your kind words. I love Ikea and was really happy to find the 1/2 off section! Quite busy is a great way to description the move but it would be fun to decorate the new space.

  2. I hate a messy coffee table, too! I have a nautical inspired tray on my coffee table to keep things neat. I love that your tray is not in the middle of the table. I think it looks better when things are arranged a little different. Love it!

  3. Rules, schmules! ๐Ÿ˜‰ Your coffee table looks great, and the decor we choose has to be practical. I love that you are able to have a neat, summery coffee table, yet it is still a practical choice for watching tv with the family. It’s a small detail, but I really like the book because it adds height but also, the cover has a summery look!

  4. Staging coffe tables are very difficult. This turned out perfet and your tips are spot on. Best of luck to you in your move. Its dificult when you have little ones. Your space looks amazing

  5. I feel the same way about coffee tables! They are the center of the room and must be neat and visually interesting..its a place to show off your personality! I love using trays also to corral interesting elements. Hope the move went well!

  6. I love how your summer coffee table looks and your tips for styling it are perfect!! I really like the tray in the center with different height objects. It creates such a pretty vignette. And all the natural elements really remind you of summer.

  7. I just hit up JoAnn’s clearance rack this past weekend – they have the best stuff and it’s so inexpensive! I love the cross between nautical and farmhouse and can’t wait to incorporate some of your ideas in my own home!
    Best,
    Kelly

  8. Gorgeous! my favourite colour combination is the brown from twine with nautical blue they go so nice and gives a calm feel, but tell me how are those pretty things around your coffee table holding on with your kids, tell me all the tips so I can try with my toddler!

  9. I love having a coffee table but haven’t been able to have one since I started having kids. They just love playing on it or under it or around it and it’s not worth the stress to me. I love your tips for styling that can apply to anystyle of decoration!

    1. I am glad you loved the tips!!! I also have not used a coffee table in a particular room for sake of the kids (our family room). They loved playing in there so it made sense to keep the space free.

  10. Love everything about this tablescape! Especially that the table itself only cost $22! Nice score! I love to use plants too. They can really warm up a decorative vignette.

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