How we style our homes is an extension of our personal style and sensibility. The humble coffee table is an opportunity to express individual style and create a space nurtures our senses and provide moments that feed happiness and contentment.

We love the approach of iconic interior designer Kelly Wearstler who sites an exploration of juxtapositions: indoor and outdoor elements, contemporary and classic, raw and refined.

'There’s a sense of placing no boundaries or restrictions on style, without sacrificing comfort and usability. Highly textural vintage pieces layered with contemporary designs from artisans and makers can create a wonderful dialogue, as does offsetting floral patterns with strong geometric pieces. To me, luxury is about textures and sensations, but also storytelling; it is the compilation of a collection of objects, each with their own history and character, arranged in harmonious composition. Each piece has a unique and inspired narrative to tell, and it is when these narratives are nurtured within a space that it truly comes to life.'

This might include objects you have collected on your travels, stacks of favourite coffee table books, natural elements like shells or scupltured rocks, scented candles (our favourites are Diptique and Aesop), a textured tray for layering, sentimental trinnkets, handmade ceramics and of course some pretty blooms, we love orchids and hydrangeas. It doesn't need to be a bunch sometimes a single stem has the biggest impact.

Interior stylist Colin King, recently published best-selling book, Arranging Things. As its title implies, the tome serves as both an instructional and photographic ode to the distinct art of laying out objects. 'For me, styling is a way of looking. It’s about creating simple vignettes that bring joy to a home. A bowl, a candlestick, a branch—these objects can become so much more when arranged thoughtfully. It’s all about the power of placement,' King says.

'People often get caught up in choosing coffee-table books, thinking they need a certain size or weight. I like to play with scale and even include pamphlets or smaller books. I create stacks of two or three, using some as mini pedestals. They become platforms or risers for other objects, adding a sense of topography. I prefer fairly plain covers on top because they showcase other items nicely. Plus, orienting the covers to face the sofas and chairs encourages guests to pick them up and flip through,' King explains.

For larger tables, create a cluster of objects with contrasting textures but a similar colour palette and different heights. Consider books on one end of the table and objects on the other. 

Shop your own drawers and cabinets, discovering similarities among the objects you have is part of the fun. They say change is as good as a holiday so take some time for yourself to nurture your creativity and change up the landscape of your table with the new season.

A favourite quote about design is by Charles Rennie Mackintosh: ‘There is hope in honest error, none in the icy perfections of the mere stylist.’ Things don't need to be perfect, in fact we like them better when they're not. 

With love, Lanamara xx