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Coffee table styling is the finishing touch a living room. Often the last piece of furniture to be bought – after seating and storage – coffee tables are often, even unintentionally, the focal point of a living room, so getting the styling just right is a must.  

These are the coffee table styling ideas and tips our decorating editors – and key interiors experts – want you to know about. Unsurprisingly, there are some key rules to follow that will ensure your coffee table will look fabulous on top and be functional to boot – adding it to your list of living room ideas will make your space shine.

1. Pare back coffee table styling

It may seem counterintuitive in an article about coffee table styling to tell you not to put too much on a surface, but let's be practical – even the most formal of living rooms needs to be functional. This means making any coffee table styling impactful, but leaving plenty of space on the table top for you to put everything on it that you need to during the course of a day.

2. Use curves to create a contrast

Focus on making spaces feel comfortable – and one way to do that is to incorporate a seating plan that centers around a coffee table. Choosing a round coffee table is a clever styling trick – just as with a circular dining table, it encourages sociability in a space. To boost character, go vintage

3. Style up a coffee table tray

If your coffee table doubles up as a footstool or if you use it regularly for work and need to spread out paperwork, limiting coffee table styling to a tray that you can easily move on and off is practical – it's a great way to focus the styling at one end or centrally on the coffee table, which boosts its impact.

4. Keep coffee table styling simple

With any room styling, always remember that simplicity is best. We also think better when a coffee table is clutter-free, it helps clear the mind and makes it easier for us to relax. 

Use your living room’s look or theme to guide or contrast with your coffee table styling – if the feel is busy then keep your table minimalist, or, if the rest of the scheme is pared back in style then use the coffee table to pack a punch – this can still be done on a minimal basis; for example, keep books on a shelf underneath and keepsakes and ornaments on the top, that way you have a clear separation between pieces. 

5. Play with levels

Coffee table styling can help with a room's proportions. So if your living space has low ceilings, it makes sense to pick a coffee table that's purposefully low, too.