No living room is complete without a coffee table in it or, at the very least, an ottoman that doubles as one. Coffee tables rest in the center of our living rooms, and in an ideal world, we'd have them styled to the nines with books, candles, and decorative objects for an elevated look and feel. However, that's most often not the case.
A realistic coffee table holds our remote controls, coasters, and maybe even an old cup from the night before — it's the practical items that take center stage. That's why when styling a coffee table, it's important to consider details like the dimensions of your table, its shape, and what objects blend best with your home's decor scheme. A coffee table is not meant to look cluttered but should instead contribute to your overall decor.
To better understand the table-styling process, we asked interior designer Shea McGee, who stars in Netflix's "Dream Home Makeover" and is the creative genius behind Target's Studio McGee line, for some pointers. "I like to think in groupings," McGee tells POPSUGAR. "On a round table, I'll think in groupings of three, and on a rectangular table, I will maybe do four to five groupings so that we can get levels and mix up the shapes and textures." But the one thing that McGee always starts with? A tray. "I think it's the easiest way to set a really good foundation for your coffee table."
The McGee & Co. designer says she uses all sorts of objects to make up her table groupings: beads, bowls, candles, trays, books, flowers, and more. So to accomplish that perfectly styled coffee-table look, we've done the work for you and rounded up the best display items for the job. Keep reading to see all of the objects for yourself (and remember to think in groupings of three or four).
Shop coffee table decorations by category:
