How to Style a Coffee Table (Plus Round Table Inspiration)

My simple formula for a coffee table that looks collected, not cluttered, plus five round coffee table looks to inspire your living room.

raquelgerlani

October 5, 2026

4–5 minutes

The coffee table is the heart of the living room. It is where the morning coffee lands, where friends gather around a bottle of wine, and where a few beautiful objects quietly tell your story. Styling it well is not about buying more. It is about editing, layering and choosing pieces that feel like you.

Here is the simple formula I use in my own home, plus five round coffee table looks to inspire yours.

Raquel Gerlani's styled coffee table at home — My coffee table at home.

Shop my coffee table ↗

1. Start with a tray to anchor everything

A brass tray on a coffee table holding a candle, a small bowl and a bud vase

A tray turns a scatter of objects into one intentional moment. Choose something with texture or warmth: brass, marble, lacquer, woven rattan or aged wood. Place it slightly off-center and gather your smaller pieces inside it. Bonus: when you need the table for dinner on the sofa, you can lift the whole vignette off in one move.

2. Stack your favorite books

A stack of coffee table books topped with a small ceramic object

Coffee table books add height, color and personality. Stack two or three horizontally, largest on the bottom, and let the spines face the sofa. Pick titles you actually love (fashion, travel, interiors, art) and then crown the stack with a small object, like a candle, a little bowl or a sculptural piece.

3. Play with three heights

A coffee table styled with a tall vase of branches, a book stack and a low bowl

The eye loves movement. Aim for one tall piece (a vase with branches or a candlestick), one medium piece (your book stack) and one low piece (a bowl, a box or a tray). This high-medium-low rhythm is the secret behind almost every styled table you have ever saved on Pinterest.

4. Bring in something living

Fresh garden roses and a bowl of lemons on a coffee table

Fresh flowers, a single stem of greenery, olive branches or a small potted plant instantly make a table feel alive. If fresh is not realistic every week, dried stems, a bowl of lemons or a beautiful piece of coral or wood give the same organic softness.

5. Group in odd numbers

A grouping of three candles of different heights on a coffee table

Groupings of three or five look more natural and relaxed than pairs, which tend to feel stiff. Think of your table as two or three small clusters rather than a row of single objects.

6. Layer textures and finishes

Close-up of mixed textures on a coffee table: stone, ceramic, brass, glass and linen

Mix materials so nothing feels flat: smooth ceramic next to rough stone, glossy brass against matte linen-wrapped books, glass beside wood. Keep the palette calm (creams, warm neutrals, a touch of black or gold) and let texture do the talking.

7. Add one personal piece

A seashell and a small vintage trinket box styled on a coffee table

A shell from a favorite beach, a trinket box from a trip, a candle in a scent that feels like home. One personal object is what makes a styled table feel like your table and not a showroom.

8. Leave room to breathe

A minimal coffee table with a small vignette and plenty of empty space, a cup of coffee beside it

The most elegant tables have empty space. Leave at least a third of the surface clear, for a cup of coffee, a remote or simply calm. When in doubt, take one thing away.

Styling a round coffee table

Round tables are softer and more social, but they follow slightly different rules. Because there is no “front,” the table is seen from every side, so I style it to look good from wherever you sit.

Center your focal point. On a round table, a centerpiece in the middle (a vase, a tall candle or a sculptural bowl) feels balanced from every angle.
Echo the curve. A round or oval tray repeats the shape of the table and makes the whole look feel cohesive.
Work in a circle. Arrange smaller pieces around the centerpiece like the points of a triangle, rather than in a straight line.
Keep it lower. Since people see it from all sides, avoid anything that blocks the view across the room or the conversation.

Round coffee table inspiration

Five looks to borrow, each built on the same simple formula.

The Riviera

Round travertine coffee table with lemons, travel books and an olive branch

A travertine table with a low bowl of lemons, a stack of travel books and a single olive branch in a stoneware vase. Sunny, relaxed and very European.

The Parisian Apartment

Round dark wood coffee table with a brass tray, taper candles, a book and garden roses

A dark wood pedestal table with a round brass tray, a pair of taper candles, a fashion book and a small bouquet of garden roses. Romantic with a little edge.

Quiet Neutral

Round cream plaster coffee table with a sculptural vase, dried stems and a linen book

A cream plaster or limewashed table with a sculptural ceramic vase, dried pampas or wheat, and a linen-bound book. Everything in tones of ivory, sand and oat for a calm, gallery-like feel.

Warm Wood and Woven

Round walnut coffee table with a woven rattan tray, hurricane candle, trailing plant and wooden bowl

A round oak or walnut table with a woven rattan tray, a hurricane candle, a small trailing plant and a wooden bowl. Cozy and organic, perfect for a family room.

Glamorous Marble

Round green marble drum coffee table with a lacquer tray, crystal votive, trinket box and white orchids

A white or green marble drum table with a mirrored or lacquer tray, a crystal votive, a trinket box and a tall vase of white orchids. Polished and a little bit dramatic, ideal for entertaining.

The quick formula

Tray + books + something tall + something living + one personal piece + empty space. Start there, edit until it feels effortless, and refresh it with the seasons.

I’ll be sharing more of my home finds soon. In the meantime, you can shop my favorite decor pieces on ShopMy.