Decorating Ideas for a Coffee Table

Salvage a coffee table from a yard sale? Have an old coffee table to jazz up? Use these unorthodox ideas to make over your coffee table and give it a whole new look. Use your imagination, get creative in your techniques and accessorize with personal effects and you will have a coffee table that is better than new. Does this Spark an idea?

Top: Keys to a Unique Look

The top of a coffee table can set the tone for an entire room. It is essential that this fit the look you're going for. If you enjoy changing your coffee table often, say, to display family photos or seasonal paraphernalia, try overlaying your coffee table with a sheet of clear glass. Then you can easily display autumn leaves, pressed flowers, postcards, children's artwork and Christmas cards.

If you really want to give the table a makeover, take half a day and completely revamp the top. Try laying tiny kitchen tiles or creating a mosaic, leaving a quarter of an inch around the outside for a border. For a twist, create a raised border to make the tiles look inlaid. It's simple---just use strips of finished wood and a little bit of super glue.

Legs

The legs of a coffee table add additional flair to your theme. If the legs have sections, add interest by painting each section or ring a different color. For a modern theme, paint tiger-striped or leopard-spotted legs.

Adding Functionality

A good coffee table should be both decorative and functional. Place books, magazines, candles and maps on your coffee table, but try to do so tastefully. Magazines can be spread in a fanned design. As a rule, keep the items on top down to less than half the height of your coffee table; otherwise, the table becomes overpowered by the items.

Protect your coffee table and flash your style with some beautiful handmade coasters. Coasters can be made from a variety of materials, from cardboard to metal, and the materials don't have to be exotic or expensive. Sit down with a friend and create some decoupage coasters using glossy Mod Podge and favorite photographs glued to cardboard circles. Or, give squares of wood a coat of chalkboard paint---then you can write each guest's name on her coaster. The possibilities are endless.

Finally, be sure to utilize the space under the table. A beautifully patterned rug can do a lot to jazz up a drab coffee table. Carpet squares are another chic way to add color to a room and draw people's eyes toward your coffee table. Even a neat row of shoes or a basket of knitting yarns adds interest to the space.