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If you’ve ever picked up an interior design magazine and taken a look at the pictures, you’ll have noticed something: impeccably dressed coffee tables. They’re everywhere. But why?

It turns out that for many people, the coffee table is the centerpiece of the room. It’s the object around which all other living room furniture congregates. And so dressing it is a necessity.

Great, so we’ve established that. But how should you dress it to emulate what you see in the magazines? Let’s take a look.

Use Personal Items

Your coffee table should be unique to your home. And what better way to give it a unique appeal than to dress it with something specific to your family. Heirlooms work exceptionally well as focal points for coffee tables, especially those that are more ornamental in purpose.

Group Objects Together

Interior designers somehow manage to pack a lot of objects onto coffee tables without making them appear cluttered. The way they do this is by grouping objects together by type, making them look visually as being part of a set.

Use Large Bowls And Plates

One of the best ways to complement your coffee table is to use a large bowl or plate. These plates can serve a purpose – such as holding easy-to-reach snacks, or they can be purely ornamental: it all depends on the type of atmosphere you’re trying to create. Don’t be afraid to go big: designers use oversized ornaments all the time to develop a sense of scale.

Be Asymmetrical

One of the mistakes that many novice interior designers make is being too symmetrical when dressing their coffee tables. There’s no need to line everything up so that one side of your coffee table reflects the other. Asymmetry helps to build both character and depth, giving your table a more sophisticated look. What’s more, the proper use of asymmetry helps some aspects of your coffee table stand out more.

Split Your Coffee Table Into Three Sections

Splitting your coffee table into three sections is a good idea. One third should be dedicated to functional space that you can use for your coffee cups, one third to ornaments, and one third to space that adds balance.

Choose Visually Interesting Coffee Tables

Some coffee tables are bland, especially those from major retailers. If you want your coffee table to make a splash, it’s often necessary to go to a designer and buy one bespoke. Yes, it might cost a lot of money, but your reward is something unique that will last forever.

Interesting coffee tables play with different shapes and finishes. Edge-wood designs retain the physical appearance of the grain of the wood, creating an earthy, organic feel. Other designer tables experiment with new materials or shapes, making them the perfect addition to a modern abode.

Use Sculptures

Many interior designers adorn coffee tables with beautiful sculptures, breaking up the uniformity of the surface of the table and creating visual impact. You can choose abstract sculptures or classical models of the human form. The choice is yours.