Coffee table decor: arrange it with three objects, and know what to remove
A tray, three objects at three heights, and half the table left free: the method for decorating a coffee table that still works for putting down a coffee.
In this guide
To decorate a coffee table, place three objects at three heights, brought together on a tray or on a pile of books, and leave at least half of the table free. Everything else comes off.
A coffee table is not a shelf. You put down a coffee, an open book, sometimes your feet. The decor must leave room for that.
Start by removing everything
Empty the table. Look at what was lying there: remote controls, chargers, post, coasters. These objects are not decor. They need a box, a basket under the table or a drawer.
This is the first step, and the most useful. An empty, clean table is already nicer than a loaded one.
The rule: three objects, three heights
Florists work in odd numbers, because an odd number of items gives a balanced result. The rule applies to a table.
Take:
- a tall object: a vase, filled or not;
- a low, wide object: a dish, a small terrarium, a bowl;
- a flat object: two or three large illustrated books in a pile.
Place them in a triangle, close together. The pile of books can serve as a base for the low object.
Not too tall: people must see each other
A coffee table is at the centre of the living room. Sitting on the sofa, you look over it: towards the person opposite, or towards the screen.
So keep the decor low. A vase 10 to 20 cm tall is right. If you fill it, count the height of the bouquet, not only that of the vase. Sit down and check.
The tray, to bring things together
A tray turns three objects into one block. It has two advantages.
- It tidies. Small objects on a tray look tidy, even when they are not.
- It moves. Do you need the table for a game or a meal? You lift the tray away in one go.
Choose a tray that covers about one third of the table. On a round table, take a round tray. On a rectangular table, place the tray at one end, not in the centre.
A low vase
Our small green Mingus vase is 10.5 cm tall and 11.5 cm in diameter. It is wider than it is tall: it does not block the view, and it does not tip when the table is moved. It takes a few dried flowers, or it stays empty.
For a large table, a duo shows up better. Our two yellow vases are 15 and 18 cm tall. Fill only one of the two. The set comes with a bouquet of dried flowers or with five artificial tulips.
These porcelain vases are made for a dry display. This is an advantage on a coffee table: there is no water to spill.
A low terrarium, if the table gets light
A small closed terrarium is a good low, wide object. It recycles its water: there is no saucer, and nothing to spill.
Our size M fittonia kit is a low, wide bottle, 18.5 cm in diameter and 19 cm tall, with a cork stopper. It stays under the 20 cm limit. It holds a living fittonia, to be chosen from five leaf colours.
One condition: the fittonia needs bright light, with no direct sun. This terrarium suits a coffee table in a bright room, away from sun that beats on the glass. In the middle of a large, dark living room, skip the terrarium and keep the vase. After that, care is short: watering once or twice a year, and the bottle opened for a few hours once a month. To choose between the two families of terrariums, read closed or open terrarium.
According to the shape of the table
- Round table. A single group, a little off-centre.
- Rectangular table. One group over one third of the length. The other two thirds stay free.
- Large square table. Two groups on a diagonal: a tall group on one side, a pile of books on the other.
- Nesting tables. Decorate the largest. The small ones stay empty: they are for use.
What to remove
- Scented candles in numbers. Just one.
- Fragile, tall objects, if children or a cat pass by.
- Piles of magazines. Keep two or three fine books, and put the rest away.
- The fourth object. If you are unsure about an object, it is one too many.
In summary
- Empty the table, and put away what is not decor.
- Three objects: one tall, one low, one flat.
- Nothing above 20 cm.
- A tray to bring it all together.
- Half of the table stays free.
For a dining table, read our guide to the terrarium as a table centrepiece. To match several vases, see arranging a duo or trio of vases. All the models are on the design vases page.
Sources
- The Bloom Room: Floral Design Basics, West Virginia University Extension
- Creating a Closed Terrarium, Penn State Extension
- Technical data sheets from the maker of the vases and the bottle (dimensions, materials, intended use)
Frequently asked questions
What should I put on a coffee table?
Three objects at most, at three heights: a tall object such as a vase, a low object such as a dish or a terrarium, and a pile of two books. The rest of the table stays free.
What vase height for a coffee table?
A low vase, 10 to 20 cm. Sitting on the sofa, you must be able to see the person opposite and the screen over the vase and its bouquet.
Do I need a tray on a coffee table?
A tray helps a lot. It brings the small objects together as one block, and you move it in one go when you need the table.
Can I put a terrarium on a coffee table?
Yes, if it is low and the table gets enough light. A small closed terrarium needs bright light with no direct sun: the table must not sit at the back of a dark living room.
