Posted by Dimitris Sazos
on December 02, 2021
During the holidays, the coffee table becomes the natural centre of the home: that is where the glasses land and where everyone gathers. The secret to making it festive without making it crowded is simple: a few well-chosen objects, and two thirds of the surface left free for real life.
1. One centrepiece, not scattered ornaments
Instead of spreading small objects across the whole table, work with a serving tray as a base. The rule that never fails: one tray, three objects, three different heights, for example a candlestick, a small garland and a candle. The tray keeps the arrangement gathered, and moves aside in seconds when you need the whole table.
2. Elements from nature
Wood, rattan, olive branches and pinecones bring a warmth that plastic ornaments never reach. In Cyprus, an olive branch in a low vase is the most affordable and most elegant festive note there is: it ties into any palette and smells like home.
3. White candles: the safe luxury
White candles at different heights are the safest festive choice: minimal, warm, and they match whatever you already own. Choose unscented ones for the table where you serve, and never leave them burning next to greenery or ribbons.
4. Festive styling that lasts all year
The smartest tactic: a permanent, neutral base, two or three art books, a ceramic object, a candle, and on top a seasonal layer that changes. For the holidays the garland and the gold come in, then they leave, and the table stays dressed. That way the room never feels «emptied» when the holidays end.
5. Glass jars with pinecones and lights
Fill a large glass jar with pinecones and tangled battery-powered fairy lights: warm light with no cables, and an arrangement that comfortably carries the whole winter, not just Christmas. If the table is small, the jar can go on the floor, beside the sofa.
Frequently asked questions
- How tall can the decoration be?
- Under 30 centimetres at the centre of the seating area, so it cuts neither the conversation nor the view of the TV.
- How do I keep it from looking crowded?
- Keep two thirds of the surface free. The coffee table is furniture for use, not a shop window.
- My table is too small for an arrangement. What do I do?
- A single object with presence, one candle in a beautiful holder or a low vase with an olive branch, is enough. Restraint is luxury.
If your coffee table cannot carry even half the festive mood, its time may have come: see the ceramic Venetia coffee table, the round Ithaki tables and the whole Coffee tables collection. And for the wall behind the sofa, see our six ideas.
