6 Stylish Coffee Table Decor Ideas to Elevate Your Space!

#1: Start with a Large Tray

I always use a large tray on my coffee tables. I love that they keep everything neatly corralled, and if you want to clear off your coffee table to use it for playing a game or setting out a spread of food, you can take everything off with the simple lift of a tray. Trays are also a great way to add some contrasting texture or color to keep things interesting.

For the acrylic coffee table in our family room, I use a large 28″ square wood tray that takes up a large chunk of the coffee table but still leaves room for my husband to throw up his feet (we keep a designated “foot pillow” nearby for him 🙈):

Sources: 28″ square tray (similar) |  Black and white striped box (similar) |  Brass cranes  |  White coral (similar) | Gray geometric rug | Floor poufs | Faux fiddle leaf fig tree | Woven plant basket

I had the hardest time finding a large square tray that I liked, but ended up finding the perfect one on Etsy. The Etsy shop where I found it no longer exists, but you can find an almost identical tray in multiple sizes at {this Etsy shop}.  They offer them in a wide variety of colors with a velvet matte or gloss luster finish.

On the living room ottoman/coffee table in our previous home, I used light woven trays to add some brightness and texture:

Other sources: White vase  |  Faux eucalyptus  |  Gold wishbone (similar)

My exact tray is no longer available, but you can find a similar one {here} in multiple sizes. {This set of two woven trays} is also great for coffee tables. I used the smaller of the two on {this budget friendly glass coffee table}:

#2: Add Flowers, Plants, or Other Natural Elements

I use flowers, plants, and other natural elements throughout my home because they add life in a way nothing else can! So it’s no surprise that they’re one of my favorite coffee table decor ideas. During the spring and summer, when we have flowers blooming in our yard, I keep small fresh flower bouquets on our coffee table:

You can add even more life and personality by placing your flowers in a unique planter. I’m pretty obsessed with this brass swan planter:

You can find similar planters {here} and {here}.

If you don’t have flowers or flowering branches in your yard, grab an inexpensive bundle of tulips at the grocery store. Or, for something that will last a lot longer, add a plant. Snake plants are one of my favorites because they are so hardy and thrive even under occasional neglect:

I also absolutely LOVE the look of small fiddle leaf figs like {this one} that I have in {this gray planter}:

They’re a lot more finicky and require quite a bit of light. While I couldn’t keep one alive in our previous home, I’ve had luck so far in our sunroom.

Don’t want to use fresh flowers or plants? There’s no shame in going faux! As an example, I mixed some faux peonies similar to {these} with a couple of faux hydrangeas make a simple but pretty little arrangement:

Another example with more variety is this mix of faux florals, including mauve silk roses, blush peach dahlias, silk cabbage roses in mauve pink, dusty pink mums, hydrangeas, and seeded eucalyptus (all from Afloral {here}):

Check out my post on the best artificial flowers to see more of my favorites.

There are a variety of natural elements that you can use to add life to your coffee table too! For example, I have {this dried star pod} on the stack of books on the end of our coffee table in one of the photos above. There are also a ton of natural elements outside your door that you can find and use for free! A few ideas include a bowl of pinecones, feathers, or elements from the sea such as driftwood, shells, or coral.

#3: Add Height with Coffee Table Books

Books are another of my favorite coffee table decor ideas. They’re perfect for adding a layered look, plus it’s nice to have some interesting coffee table books for your family and guests to look at.

Books about the area you live in, your favorite state or country to vacation in, or a favorite hobby are other great choices. Also consider getting a bunch of your photos off of your phone and computer and into one of {these cute digital photo books}. That’s future coffee table goals for me!

You could also use this as an opportunity to add color and pattern to your space by choosing books or wrapping one in a remnant of a favorite fabric:

Check out my post on fabric book covers for the simple step-by-step of creating them.

#4: Add Book Toppers

Along with some stacked coffee table books, I often add a book topper or two. These can be just about anything from the large gold wishbone I used on my fabric covered book above (you can find a similar one {here}) to decorative magnifying glasses,

a small piece of coral like {this one}),

{this wood bead garland with tassels},

or a sea glass bead necklaces like {these}:

You could also go for a simple, organic look with {these wood links}:

#5: Use Decorative Boxes for Stylish Storage

Decorative boxes are the best! There are so many beautiful options, and they’re great for stashing things that you don’t want cluttering up your table. For example, I’ve used include {this black and white pinstripe box} (also check out {this similar option}) to hold extra TV remotes, our lighting remote, and my photo flash drives I need every now and then while laptopping on the sectional:

This small square marble box works beautifully for holding drink coasters:

{This rectangular box} is perfect for holding both of the TV remotes in our sunroom}:

And we currently have {this rattan and cane box} on our family room coffee table holding our TV and fireplace remotes. Our fireplace remote has to stay wirelessly connected to our gas fireplace even when it’s off, so this box with the open weave cane around the sides is perfect:

#6: Add a Little Quirk

Now that you’ve got your coffee table essentials in place, it’s time to have some fun and add a few quirky things you love! For me, it’s often brass animals (I don’t know why but I can’t get enough of them!) like this pair of brass cranes (similar ones available {here}):

For you, it might be something related to your favorite hobby or a piece that simply has some history and special meaning. Put it all together, and you’ll have a coffee table that’s the star of your space!

Room Sources: TV console (similar)  |  Chandelier (satin bronze)  |  Rattan chair  | Lee Industries sectional |  White tasseled corner pillow cover (similar)  |  Antelope pillow cover  | Matted art with brass frames

Thanks so much for stopping by today! If you’d like to makeover other parts of your living room too, check out my must-have tips on decorating your living room, my post with ten family room ideas, or my post on living room corner ideas. And if you’re looking for a coffee table, check out my coffee table size guide to make sure you get one that’s the perfect size for your space!

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