6 Thrifty Cottage Coffee Table Decor | Beautiful Simplicity

Coffee table decor can feel so complicated and expensive, so I wanted to share some beautiful and thrifty cottage coffee table decor ideas.

Okay, guys.

I have to tell you all something completely random before we get into this fun post.

Thank you.

I always say thank you at the end of the post, but I’m afraid that some of you might miss that because it’s tucked in at the very end.

I also think that if you have read that “thank you” it might not express enough how grateful I actually am.

So when I say “thank you” this is what I mean.

Thank you for being the sweetest, most compassionate, and kind person when you send me messages through email, IG, and YouTube.

I wish you could all see the sweet messages that you guys send me.

You’ve brought me to tears, made me laugh out loud, and everything in between.

I save these messages and when we finally get a dedicated office space for me I plan to print them out and hang them on the walls.

I started Open Doors Open Hearts to encourage women like me.

Women who wanted a beautiful home but felt inadequate to step up to the plate.

But the most amazing thing happened.

You beautiful women encouraged me.

You really will never know how much I value and cherish you and those sweet messages.

Thank you.

Coffee Table Decorating Ideas

Okay, let’s get into the fun ideas and inspiration I have for you when it comes to cottage coffee table decor ideas!

If you like the YouTube videos I create to go along with the blog post, then you can watch that HERE.

https://youtu.be/A4smv2WjYy0

Below I’m going to share some general ideas for cottage coffee table decor and then I wanted to have some fun and style my coffee table 6 different ways for inspiration.

How to make a cheap coffee table look expensive?

If you’ve been following along for a while you know my number one goal is to create a beautiful and safe space for my family while spending as little as possible.

These are the main ways that I am able to decorate my coffee table (or any space for that matter) on a budget.

• Shop secondhand (thrift stores, garage sales, flea markets, hand-me-downs, etc.)
• Vintage items add character and can be found relatively inexpensively if you shop right
• DIY decor/thrift store flips are a great way to add unique and beautiful pieces to a coffee table
• Think about practicality for a coffee table
• Less is more (it also reduces the clutter)

What can you put on a coffee table as a decoration?

• candles
• candlestick holders
• matches/match box
• candle snuffer
• unique vintage items
• greenery/stems
• books
• shallow bowls
• magazines
• photo albums
• vase or pottery
• baskets

How do I keep my coffee table clutter free?

I do four things to keep my coffee table clutter-free.

1. I style with less instead of more
2. I pick up each night before bed (this is not always with 100% success, but more of a general rule)
3. Take constant inventory of what I am allowing in my house and donate or trash items that we don’t need to keep (not just with the coffee table clutter)
4. Don’t forget about under the coffee table (I have baskets full of books and toys for the girls)

Cottage Coffee Table Decor

Step 1.

I divide the coffee table up into sections.

I almost always work with odd numbers.

But with a coffee table, I’ve found that you can split it up into 2 or even 4 equal sections and it will still work out visually.

My favorite amount of sections to work with are 2, 3, and 4.

Much more than 4 and you will have a cluttered coffee table.

Step 2.

Make sure the items you are decorating with coordinate.

This is something that I probably focus on too much.

But as a general rule I like to decorate spaces with items that would traditional be there.

Ex: Pitchers are beautiful for decor not just for function. But I usually will only decorate the kitchen or dining room with a pitcher.

Ex: In my mind, a photo album is a living room thing. So I won’t put it in the kitchen.

But when I’m thinking about the items coordinating I also think about the color of the items.

Neutrals are really nice for this because they coordinate with each other easily.

Then you can throw a pop of color into the mix without it throwing everything off.

Step 3.

Work in each section individually.

Ex: If I am creating a coffee table styling with 3 sections start in the middle section and then work in the left section and then the right.

It’s like a “to-do” list, or that quote about eating an elephant.

“How do you eat an elephant?

One bite at a time.”

In each section keep the rule of thirds in mind.

Odd numbers of objects are more appealing to the human mind.

It’s a science thing and I find it completely remarkable, but others might find it boring haha!

Step 4.

Think about the height variation in each section.

It’s okay for them all to be decorated with the same general height, but making each section different will give the coffee table a dimensional and elevated look.

My favorite way to do this is with pottery/vases and greenery or florals.

Step 5.

After you have each section styled, step back and look at it.

Does it feel cluttered?

Does it look balanced?

Move things around.

Maybe swap 2 sections.

Don’t be discard it and try again.

Step 6.

Less is more.

If you are struggling with 4 sections then reduce it to 3 or even 2 while you practice.

For some reason I always feel like Spring and Summer are lighter seasons.

So instinctively I stick with 2 sections during these seasons.

The Fall and Winter feel cozier and I like to style with a little more in those seasons.

So I often decorate our coffee table with 3 or even 4 sections during these seasons.

BUT practically this makes no sense.

In the Winter we are in the house playing games more than we do in the Summer.

So it would make more sense to flip this, but I guess we’re all allowed a couple vices.

This is one of mine haha!

Cottage Coffee Table Decor

Before I get into the ideas I want to share something about all the books I use to decorate with now.

All of the books that I am using on the coffee table now are books that I’ve collected over the past few years to reference for interior design inspiration.

I didn’t run out and go buy them all at once.

I try to save up gift cards that people gifted me for the holidays and my birthday to purchase them.

The books I used to use were all from garage sales and thrift stores.

I actually found some pretty cool Pottery Barn and Southern Living books secondhand a couple years ago and I still use them for my holiday decor.

I shared a hand full of them in the YouTube video this week.

Sooo the totals for these coffee table styles doesn’t include the price these books actually go for because they were gifts.

If you’re interested in purchasing one I’ll link to a couple of my favorites below.

My favorite : Feels Like Home

Made for Living

Down to Earth

$11.50 Cottage Coffee Table Decor

For this styling I went with 3 (or 4 sections depending on how you look at it).

I added extra height by putting the already tallest item on a couple books.

This isn’t necessary, but if you have kiddos that play with the coffee table decor it might be a good idea to put a vase full of water on books.

My girls spilled the water on the table and didn’t tell me or clean it up, so now I have a beautiful water ring on the coffee table.

You know, the coffee table I just refinished last summer haha.

I’m laughing today, but when it happened I had to take a few deep breaths to maintain my composure.

Then even after the deep breaths I still got upset.

But weeks later when I see the coffee table I seen a tangible memory of our pizza and a family movie Friday nights haha!

$11.00 Cottage Coffee Table Decor

I know fall is still a couple months away for the general public, but for a home decor blogger I’m already starting to think about it.

So for fun I brought out these darker and cozier coffee table decor items.

This black vase is actually a DIY that I made with a vase that was originally bright yellow at the thrift store for $2.

I created a post on the process that I used HERE to give turn it into an aged vase.

In that post I was doing it to a lamp, but the process I used is the same.

Significantly less expensive than the Magnolia, McGee and Co, or Pottery Barn alternatives.

Don’t get me wrong, they are all beautiful, but I can’t justify those prices for a Autumn vase.

$5.50 Cottage Coffee Table Decor

This is probably my favorite of all 6 options.

My plan is to take the open book and swap it out with a big photo album someday soon.

I have the best memories of flipping through my Grammy’s photo albums that she had sitting on the bottom shelf of her side table.

I’m not sure that my girls will like it as much as I did, but I do know that they LOVE looking at the pictures on my phone.

$4.50 Cottage Coffee Table Decor

In this styling I used a thrifted platter to “contain” all the little pieces.

That is how I use the books most of the time too.

I like to place a large flat piece like a platter, book, or basket below a cluster of 3ish objects it makes it feel less cluttered.

I find that visually it kinda becomes 1 if that makes sense.

$3.50 Cottage Coffee Table Decor

This styling is very similar to the $11.50 version.

All I did was make everything a little bit lighter and brighter.

Brass candlestick holders instead of black.

Pewter match holder instead of a black one.

Lighter tone shallow bowl instead of the dark brown bowl.

Isn’t is crazy how something as simple as that can completely transform the feel?

$0.50 Cottage Coffee Table Decor

This is such a simple and fun table styling.

My father-in-law and husband found these pulleys at the old family farm and gave it (and an identical match) because they thought they looked like my style.

Well they absolutely are!

In crazy awesome news I’ve seen them at a few thrift and antique stores for less than $10.

If you don’t have this pulley, but you have another vintage item you want to display this is a perfect way to do it.

A simple vase with florals and then a stack of books with the item on top.

There are so many ways to style a coffee table, this is just a few, but I hope that if you were looking for some inspiration or a few ideas you were able to find some from this post.

Have a great week!

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Have a great week! XoXo

Open Your Doors,
Aliya

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