While we’re focused on putting the finishing touches on our new home (for the new year), we wanted to share some tips for arranging a coffee table just parfaît! Whether you are working with a large or small surface, follow these 5 simple rules to make it magical:

  1. Opt for odd. You probably know that odd numbers please the eye (3 colors in a vignette!). This same rule applies to elements on the coffee table. Take the example of the pictures below. On the small stool you have 3 items – 1) books, 2) a plant, and 3) a rolled piece of vintage trim. On the butler table you have 5 – 1) books, 2) beads, 3) flowers, 4) a candle, and 5) petrified wood. Asymmetry catches peoples eye; in the words of Frank Eggelhoffer from Father of the Bride I & II, “It works.”
  2. Go au natural. If you go with the odd number of 1, stick with something natural. Aka a plant. Or flowers. If you can’t keep them alive, we get it. That’s why god made succulents.
  3. Tell a story. The next element we [almost] always include are books. They call them “Coffee Table Books” for a reason – obvi. Stack these for fabulous effect. Use the subject to share your interests (and give your patient date something to flip through while you’re still getting ready).
  4. Stay curious. We’re all about the element of intrigue. Whether you’re incorporating a major statement, such as a Yoruba Crown, or something more subtle, such as handmade Ghanaian glass beads or vintage Lakai trim, bring in the object d’art and show off the traveled sophisticate that you are! So fab.
  5. Consider color. Your table top will enhance the color palette of your space, so use it to your advantage. Be intentional with your choice. Combine a stack of blue books with blue beads or a leafy plant near a green curio.

Now, fire up the Nespresso and show us what you got!