The main room in every house is of course the living room.
It’s not only the meeting point for the household members, but it’s an area people host their extended family and friends when entertaining.
As such, it’s recommended to create a space that’s designed and decorative as much as it’s functional and comfortable for everyday life.
There are two main items the living room is decorated around, and they are usually those that are purchased first when moving into a new house: the couch and the coffee table that sits in front of the it.
Before Daniel and I started to design our coffee table, we searched {or to be precise – I searched} for some inspiration on Pinterest.
We already had the basic look we wanted {I mean, I wanted 😉 } for the table in our heads, but it’s always good to think out of the box and get some inspiration… after all – that’s exactly what Pinterest is for {by the way – I pin really cool things on my account, so you should follow me here, too ! }.
Our table isn’t perfect yet –it’s very, very close to it, but I’m a perfectionist and designing a coffee table isn’t something that should be rushed, so I decided to share with you parts of my private board of inspiration for the coffee table and selected items that are on my wish-list {or on their way to me already}, and after that I’ll give you the tips that I used when I chose how to design my own table… enjoy! ♡
{ Clicking on the image will take you to the source }
And now – the tips!
Whether your budget is large or limited, here are some excellent ways to design a coffee table – that will help change your living room from just another room to watch TV in, to a room that looks like something out of a home design magazine
1. CHOOSE THE BASE
The most important item when designing a coffee table is, of course, the table itself 😉
The table is the canvas on which you’ll place the rest of the items I’ll refer to later on in this post, and as such, it influences the final style & look of your table.
Do you like the rustic style? Industrial? Chic and clean? Masculine or feminine?
There’s a very wide range of coffee tables, both in the shape {rectangular, square, round, modular} and in the raw materials it is made out of {wood, plastic, metal, glass and even fabric!}, from which you could choose the one that fits in best with the style you are looking to have in your living room.
A nice and stylish coffee table is usually quite a significant expense, but even if your budget is limited, there’s no reason you shouldn’t be able to find a table that fits {or that you could easily adjust to fit} your personal taste.
After you’ve decided which style you want in the center of your living room {look in magazines, Pinterest, and roam around home-furnishing stores}, try looking for a second-hand table online and in Facebook groups.
If you're not really into second hand items, there are great options in IKEA with price range that fit every pocket – and you could modify it and style it according to your personal taste with the help of ‘IKEA Hacks’ guides that you could find here.
♡ MY PICKS ♡
2. DIVIDE AND CONQUER
After you’ve found the perfect table for your living room, it’s time to find the item that will help you divide the table into different areas which will the focus of your designs.
This is exactly where decorative trays come in, they will help you arrange and display all of the elements you’ll choose for the table without making it look messy and cluttered.
If the size of the table allows it, it’s recommended to choose 2-3 trays in different sizes, shapes and materials that fit well and add some interest to the table.
♡ MY PICKS ♡
3. STACK UP BOOKS
There’s a reason that there’s a very wide genre of books in different topics called “Coffee table books” – these are books with beautifully designed covers that are fun to look through when sipping coffee or wine in the living room.
Books like this are a great way to reflect your interests to people you’re hosting in your living room, they are conversation starters, and they add color and height to the table.
Designed books which styled beautifully with thick covers tend to be quite expensive, so if your budget doesn’t allow you to buy 2-3 books to decorate the coffee table – try finding old books with a cool vintage look in second-hand stores or stack up some nice magazines on the table instead.
♡ MY PICKS ♡
4. BRING NATURE INSIDE
Natural elements add color and interesting textures to the coffee table.
Try incorporating colorful flowers, decorative branches or succulent plants in your coffee table.
If you have a hard time keeping plants alive {like me ?}, there’s always the option to invest in a fake plant that looks just as good as a real one.
♡ MY PICKS ♡
5. DON'T SKIP THE CANDLES
Candles are back in style big-time when it comes to home design, and for a very good reason – they add a lot to the atmosphere and fill up the space with a pleasant scent.
When it comes to candles there are endless options to choose from and to match your personal taste – long and thin, short and thick, special shapes and scents you just can’t say no to.
♡ MY PICKS ♡
6. TAKE THE COASTERS OUT OF YOUR KITCHEN CABINET
Remember those nice coasters you bought during your last trip abroad, that are sitting in a dark corner in the closet since then?
Well, it’s time to show them off!
Not only are they super useful {no one likes stains from glasses on their table…}, but they are also nice decorative items that add interest to your table.
♡ MY PICKS ♡
7. ADD A SPECIAL ELEMENT
Know those items that make you want to take a step closer to get a better look? That’s exactly the element that will complete your coffee table.
It could be anything that attracts your attention – an object with special structure, an interesting texture or mesmerizing colors; the main thing is to reflect your personal taste that will add interest to the living room.
♡ MY PICKS ♡