How to Style an Interactive Coffee Table
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A well styled coffee table is an aesthetic gift. An interactive coffee table is an invitation to engage, be curious and to play.
For most of its eight years of life under my many roofs, my coffee table has remained bare. It was the occasional perch for drinks and snacks, and its edges a siren call to my children’s softest parts. When you have three dogs, two of which have their original tails, and two tiny humans, it’s no time to indulge your aesthetic whims.
With the earthly departure of my last pup and my two kids at ages approaching a degree of physical trustworthiness, I reimagined how life could be infinitely better with an accessorized low stature table. Beyond the aesthetics, I imagined a surface that would invite interaction. With the shepherding in of a new post-mask era, I pictured friends joining me with a drink in the living room and the contents of the table adding to the conversation.
To achieve this vision of engagement, I gathered the following elements.
Books/Magazines. With the dark walnut wood and iron sides of the table, I knew I wanted the books to be lighter in color. Coffee table books can be anything that moves or excites you, but deciding on a color palette makes for an intentional look. I spent a glorious afternoon in The Elliott Bay Book Company in Seattle carefully selecting three books on design and architecture, and every time I look at them, or turn the pages therein, I get a little thrill. The latest design mags are great for keeping things fresh and current.
Candles. Each night as I relax into the sofa to read, watch a show, write or work, I light a candle. It’s a visual and olfactory cue to take a breath and transition to a different stage of the evening. When I have guests, it’s an additional sense to activate in my hospitality offerings. There’s also the satisfying auditory strike of the match on my handmade match striker that marks the moment of fiery eruption.
Farmhouse Pottery Match Striker
Living things. My home is full of greenery, so the coffee table is no exception. I chose lavender from my garden and my go to eucalyptus, which feels very bringing-the-outside-in, and invites closer inspection of their full leaves and delicate blooms.
Coasters. A practical necessity to preserve a wood table, but choose thoughtfully. I selected my coasters to be one of the few items in the room that wasn’t white, black or taupe. Just a hint of pink that picked up the hint of pink in one of the sofa pillows. For your own home, choose an accent color that is elsewhere in the room or a finish that contrasts with the table like wood with metal or a painted finish.
West Elm Vintage Vogue Sunrise Coaster Set
Extras. An extra could be beautiful shells, wood beads or preserved moss. Something tactile and perhaps a souvenir from a beloved trip. My extras include selenite crystals, said to block negative energy and represent purity and light, and palo santo, whose benefits include the relief of anxiety and depression. Something I am intimately familiar with.
I am so thrilled with how my coffee table turned out, and I hope you consider investing some energy into styling your own interactive table.
Can’t get enough design? Check out these past posts.
How to Style a Family Bookshelf