Whenever I watch HGTV most women say, “The kitchen is the center of my home.”
Well, if I could figure out how to stop messing up Pinterest recipes that might be the case for me, too. [Why do they never work?!]
But for now I’m 22, and Paul still loves me if I force-feed him a Lean Cuisine, so the coffee table is the center of mine. It’s where my girlfriends and I live-tweet the Bachelor, bible study happens, and Paul and I relax after work. [For those asking, no we don’t live together. But have you ever been to a bachelor’s apartment?! I don’t really like watching Pretty Little Liars over there…he’s got no food and no throw blankets.]
Mine has to be functional, i.e. fit a bowl of popcorn, but I also like it to feature my favorite little pieces I know I won’t get sick of. I wanted to share three ways you can decorate yours on the blog today!
I love that my coffee table is exposed wood because it doesn’t show finger prints! It blends a lot of my textures together, while not taking away from my gold pieces. When you decorate your coffee table I think the most important things you need are:
1. Coffee Table Books
2. Old Magazines
3. Trays
4. Candles
5. Gold Accents
When arranging them think in groupings of three. A tray with it’s contents would be one, a stack of magazines with a candle on top is two and a jar for your remote is three. This allows each grouping to make a statement, without overwhelming your table.
| Style 1 |
This is how my coffee table is typically set. The trays with coasters allow room for my drinks and I love the easy access of my coffee table books when I am lacking inspiration.
| Style 2 |
This is just a little variation from the first section if you want it to look a big more simple. Arrange two stacks of coffee table books on the side and divide with a tray for drinks in the middle. This is also great if you have kids because it is so easy to straighten quickly.
| Style 3 |
This is my favorite option for if you are like my mom and have a ton of little pieces. The first image below shows a hodgepodge of items. Seriously, my mom had this many pieces when we were kids. She did not believe in baby proofing her decor. She said, “If my kids aren’t going to learn to respect pieces that don’t belong to them at a young age, they never will.” So I grew up with the fear of God in me over the coffee table.
Align one side of your table with a tray to fill your little pieces and enclose that section with smaller coffee table books. Because of the size of the books they don’t have to count as an individual grouping. That counts as one section because they are all in alignment and smaller. 🙂 The trays also keep little babies [or men’s] hands off your pieces.
Shop the Tables
Table 1:
Chanel Book: Link
Kate Moss Book: Link
Dior Book: Link
Tom Ford Book: Link
Tray: Link
Candle: Link
Mimosa Candle: Link
Urchin: Link
Tray: Link
Coasters: Link
Table 2:
Chanel Book: Link
Kate Moss Book: Link
Dior Book: Link
Tom Ford Book: Link
Tray: Link
Coasters: Link
Zebra: Link
Candle: Link
Urchin: Link
Matches: Link
Table 3:
The Little Dictionary of Fashion: Link
Cupcakes & Cashmere: Link
Tray: Link
Chanel Book: Link
Candle: Link
Mimosa Candle: Link
Coaster: Link
Zebra: Link
Urchin: Link
Bowl: Target [Old]
| Shop All My Coffee Table Pieces |
I cannot wait til we kick our cheap little coffee table to the curb and invest in a great piece! Love how you styled yours!!
Wow you are only 22!?! When I was 22 I was a mess and had completely lost interest in college. I wish I would have had myself together half as much as you do. Great job!
gorgeous! this is just the kick i needed to finally straighten mine out… now if only we didn’t use it for dinner 99% of the time!
Love your styling ideas! I’m always at a loss with what to do with our coffee table since it’s a big square, but it’s wood too, so I love your touches of glam : )
What size python tray do you have? I noticed there are three options on the Furbish site, but I like the scale of yours.
Hi Emily! Thank you so much! 🙂
I have the small size!
I love the last arrangements. The colors and all the delicate items look so lovely.
xxAlicia
Between the Pearls
Really loved this post! I love your blog and have just heard the sweetest things about you from Laura at Shop September. 🙂
xo – anna
http://www.fleurdille.com
Katey, I love this post! I enjoy your posts about home decor because although I feel like I have an eye for putting together outfits, my home definitely needs inspiration! Why I can’t just apply my fashion eye to my home, I will never know! Love, love, love it! 🙂