HOW TO STYLE A COFFEE TABLE IN 6 STEPS
School assignments,takeaway orders, hair ties and chocolate wrappers somehow end up on my coffee table.
As our home continues to be everything, I’ve noticed that my coffee table is reflecting this! More and more stuff is piling up on it. School assignments takeaway orders, hair ties and chocolate wrappers somehow end up on my coffee table. And I’ve become so used to it in this state, that I’ve forgotten what is actually on it without all the rubbish. I know it isn’t a huge problem in the scheme of things, but a tidier and more organised environment does assist on making you feel better.
Research suggests that mess can make you feel depressed. For example, a study was done of women in their own homes. Over a few days they were asked to describe their home. The responses were measured as either a stressful home or a restful home. Those who used words that were seen as stressful, displayed a stressed mood during the day. And those who described their home in a more positive way, were less depressed.* So the research shows that keeping your coffee table tidy (and the rest of your home) will help you feel less stressed!
*Saxbe DE, Repetti R. No Place Like Home: Home Tours Correlate With Daily Patterns of Mood and Cortisol. Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin. 2010;36(1):71-81. doi:10.1177/0146167209352864
In the perfect world, a coffee table would never be used . It would be admired like those on the pages of magazines. But in my opinion, there are things you can do to try to achieve something that looks good and is functional.
Here are my 6 steps to create a functional and interesting coffee table:
Use large books or magazines – These will form different heights and platforms for your items. Use books with a hardcover that you will want to flick through while you are on your sofa. Or neatly stacked piles of magazines will do too.
Use something that is fun and unexpected – Have something that will make you smile. And can be a conversational piece! Here I’ve used a ceramic foot by the rather fun artist, David Shrigley.
Let there be light with candles that smell great – I love having a candle on my coffee table. Choose those that you like the smell of. Try bands such a Glasshouse or for a bit more cash, try Aesop or Diptyque. I like to put on candles at the end of the day to change the mood of the room.
Use a tray– Trays are great for keeping things in place. Trays come in all shapes, sizes and materials.
Have a vase or a plant for greenery – Having plants around is good for us. It helps get rid of air pollutants, reduce stress and it looks good. Use cut flowers in season from your own garden. Daphne, jasmine and gardenia are lovely scents to have inside.
Add a decorative box – Boxes are a great way to hide objects. Things like remotes can be hidden away while not in use.
Need some help? For help on getting clear on how you want your home to feel, please contact me and to receive helpful tips and inspiration direct to your email inbox, please sign-up to receive my “All Things Interiors” newsletter.