I’ve changed my den coffee table more than I personally would like to admit this year. Our den is rectangular, and the fireplace hearth takes up one entire wall. It make the space a little awkward to decorate. If I had it my way, I would remove a part of the hearth to open the room some more. That said, I’ve been struggling with the perfect coffee table, and I have to say, I think the 4th time was a charm!

First, I began with a WAY over-sized round tufted ottoman. The kids loved jumping off it, but it just didn’t fit. Next, was a smaller ikat round ottoman, but it was simply too small. Next, I moved to a rectangular-upholstered ottoman. The top was tufted with fabric, legs and base were wooden, and it had good storage underneath. However, the problem was it was too short, and I really disliked not being able to put a cup of coffee on it. Yes, I added a tray, but it still didn’t work for me.

Finally, I got this one from our local go-to furniture store, Celadon:

Sophisticated and the perfect length!

I love the shape, the abundance of storage space and the rustic look of it. The size is really fantastic because our sofa is actually very long. With this coffee table, now everyone can put their feet up. What’s even more fabulous is that the boys love it. They drive their toy cars on it and hide underneath – that to me is a good sign of a good piece of furniture!

Now, to the important part… how do I style this massive thing?!?!

To me, there needs to be a couple of particular items to make a great coffee table. Here are my recommendations:

1. Books.
2. A tray, bowl or a little something that can hold an accessory or stand alone.
3. Something with color – I always put an orchid on my tables. 
4. Something artsy – currently mine has the popular brass sea urchin on it.

I did some researching for you and found some great coffee table accessories:

This Everglades square tray is perfect for an upholstered ottoman.

Or try this fancy Pascual Mirrored Tray.

These Z Gallerie spheres are timeless and beautiful.

Aren’t these Bodega storage boxes eye-catching!

Finally, it’s time to style your table. Here are some design inspirations courtesy of some great minds!

I love the mix of colors, textures and patterns.

Amazing style from The Every Girl; love the books stacked underneath!

Ready to tackle your living room or den? And, don’t worry if you don’t get it ‘just’ right with the first purchase. Sometimes it takes a little experimenting to get EXACTLY what you have in mind. 😉