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Whether you are looking to make a few simple updates or completely remodel your living room, your coffee table is a great place to start.

Family and friends tend to gather in the living room to be together, and with the coffee table sitting right in the center of the living room, it offers a perfect opportunity to create a special moment with your decorating.

Below are my 4-steps to help you style your coffee table like a pro, and a few essential accessories you need:

1.Selecting the right table to fit your need. Coffee tables make a living room feel cozy, and without them something may feel just a little incomplete.

When it comes to your coffee table, beautiful decorating starts with selecting a beautiful and functional piece of furniture. One of the first things to consider when selecting a coffee table for your space is the size and shape of the piece.

You can read more about my tips for getting the scale and proportion of your furniture and decor correct here.

Additionally, when it comes to your coffee table, always consider your intended purpose for the piece. For example, do you just want something to fill an empty space with a surface to decorate, or do you need a place that can also hold drinks or provide storage solutions.

In my own home, I wanted our coffee table to be large enough to hold a variety of collected decor, but we also needed it to be able to safely hold drinks because we did not have space for side tables on each end of the sofas. I say safely because we have a large, tall dog and his tail wags constantly and finding a coffee table that was large enough that his tail wouldn’t knock over decor or drinks was essential.

In our space, we wanted something that was roughly a 4-foot square. I searched endlessly but couldn’t find something to fit our needs with a price I was comfortable with, so we opted to build our own.

When you are looking for something specific like we were, remember that you have some options. You can build your own if you are comfortable with that, or even put two of the same coffee tables next to each other for a more substantial look. Using two nesting coffee tables is also a great option, especially if you need something more mobile.

If space is an issue and getting a more standard sized coffee table isn’t an option, opt for something smaller like a tray table that can be placed closer to the sofa and moved around as needed to accommodate guests.

Evaluating your need for the piece will ensure you are intentional in your selection and get exactly what you need.

Now on to the really fun stuff…styling your new piece!

2. Use a grid. This is by far my #1 tip for decorating any coffee table! When I am decorating a coffee table, I find it helpful to think of the table as a grid. This may sound complicated but it’s really all about creating a few guidelines for yourself.

You can see two images above of my own coffee table; the dotted lines in the second image show the grid pattern I used for this design.

Using a grid pattern will create different sections, which become the defined spaces where you place accessories.

Decorating in these different sections will help you spice things up and challenge you to try different things.

You can (and should!) also group together a few different accessories within the different sections. Grouping decorative accessories will help add more interest and give a layered look, which is key to good decorating.

Read more about how to group your decor here.

Below are a few grid patterns that you can use as a starting point to spark your creativity:

In most cases, odd numbered sections will look best, but as you can see on the grid guide, even numbered sections can work too.

Regardless of which pattern you use, always walk around your coffee table and view your decor from different angles, adjusting and shifting decor as needed to make the arrangement work from each angle. This brings us to step #3.

3. Vary height of decor. As you are admiring your newly decorated coffee table, always consider the vertical aesthetic as well. Sit on your couch and examine the height of the decor on your coffee table.

Check that your decor is not blocking sight lines, for example to the TV or to another sofa.

You’ll also want to make sure that you have created some variation in the height of your arrangement, which brings us to step #4.

4. Add coffee table books. If you have been following me for a while now, this will come as no surprise, but you need to add a few books! Trust me.

Books are absolutely essential to have displayed on your coffee table and are a great way to bring in some personality and interest.

If you’re here, it’s likely that you love decorating and design like me, or maybe for you it is photography, travel, or even fashion.

Whatever your interests, having books that reflect those interests makes your space personal.

I love to use old leatherback books, but I have also been collecting home design books for years at this point and they are some of my favorite pieces to incorporate.

Above are a few of my essential and very affordable interior design and home decorating books that I have used in my own home; if you are just getting started, these books provide a great jumping off point and can mix seamlessly with a variety of design styles.