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A stack of books, some florals, and one weird piece will turn your coffee table into an art installation.

The coffee table is the center of the living room. While it can be landing space for remote controls and magazines, it’s also a place where your style can come to life. There is some science to creating a stunning tablescape, such as using objects in varying heights, but the magic mainly comes from an artful mix of flowers, books, trays, and unexpected objects. Here, we highlight 41 chic ways to style your coffee table like the pros.

Place two treelike stools side by side in a formal seating area with upholstered furniture to add texture. Leave the tabletop bare except for one small object. Small gray tables break up a vibrant color palette in this Paris apartment.

In this Eileen Gray–inspired living room, designer Alexandra Loew used three small ottomans upholstered in Pierre Frey fabrics in place of a traditional cocktail table. While the ottomans are gorgeous on their own, a small silver tray for cocktails or flowers would add more glamour.

Balancing multiple accessories on a tufted ottoman can be tricky, so a pro tip is to anchor a decorative object on a tray. The tray and sculpture shown in this New York cottage are from the Huniford vintage collection.

A vintage cocktail table by Wendell Castle shaped like a leaf makes a statement on its own in this Manhattan penthouse. Top it with minimalist accessories, such as a flower-filled urn and low bowl.

In a neutral space with high ceilings, cherry blossoms in a Georg Jensen vase are earthy and airy. They also add height to the low antique Chinese cocktail table in this Palm Beach house.

On the square cocktail table by Thierry Jeannot, there are four points of interest. Each point varies in height, and a tall flowering plant adds color to the gray design scheme.

When you’re aiming to showcase a significant amount of accessories, a cocktail table with a glass top can provide balance. It doesn’t take up as much visual space as an all-wood design, for instance, and it keeps the focus on your display.

If the idea of mixing decorative objects, flowers, and books really isn’t your style, opt for one statement piece that reflects your personality. An eye-catching sculptural item or vase containing your favorite blooms is sometimes all that’s needed to complete a living room design.

Whether it’s a family heirloom or a ceramic you’ve treasured for years, incorporating a sentimental element into your coffee table decor adds a special touch. Plus, it’s the perfect conversation starter, something necessary for every interior.

A brass cloche is the singular (and somewhat mysterious) piece of cocktail-table decor in the living room of designer Shawn Anderson’s country-meets-gothic farmhouse in Memphis.

The circa-1950 Sphere cocktail table and lamp in this Buenos Aires living room are by Jean Royère. A simple white bowl and blooms add to the room’s monochromatic palette.

A duo of candelabras ties this living room’s gold elements together in glamorous harmony. The sofa, from designer Jean-Louis Deniot’s collection for Baker, is in a Martyn Thompson Studio fabric, the 1930s Jindrich Halabala chairs are in a JAB Anstoetz fabric, the vintage cocktail table is by Paul Frankl, and the gold side table is by Hervé Van der Straeten; the indoor-outdoor rug is by Galerie Diurne, and the artwork is by Franz Kline.

Designer Shawn Henderson pared down the cocktail-table decor in the living room of this Montana mountain home. The custom sofas are in a Studio Four NYC fabric, the custom settee is covered in a Hodsoll McKenzie fabric, and the custom swivel chairs and 1930s English wing chair are in fabrics from ALT for Living. The walnut cocktail table is custom, and the 1950s Austrian J.T. Kalmar floor lamps are from Bloomberry. A custom hooked rug by the New England Collection has a pattern based on a topographical map of the home’s site.

A feathery floral arrangement keeps the vibe of this family room nook cozy while adding height and drawing the eye up to the artwork by Zipora Fried. The custom sectional is covered in fabrics by Great Plains and Donghia, the cocktail table by Daniel Scuderi and the chandelier by Trans-Luxe are both custom, the Ecart International sconces are from Ralph Pucci, and the carpet is by Tai Ping; the walls are in a Dualoy leather, and the ceiling is painted in Benjamin Moore’s Bison Brown.

A bust sits on a cocktail table from India in the living room of designer John Robshaw’s Connecticut home. The living room sofa and its fabric are by John Robshaw for Duralee; the armchair, custom banquettes, and bone-inlay side table are all Robshaw designs.

The cocktail table inside designer Rela Gleason’s San Miguel de Allende, Mexico, home is an inverted polished tree stump, and a stone mill wheel serves as a side table. A ceramic vase and a leather-bound book keep the look classic.

A three-level coffee table sets the stage for drama in this Chicago living room. The 1950s chair is in a Dedar fabric, the 1930s orange lacquer–and-shagreen sideboard is French, the 1955 chandelier is by FontanaArte, the custom rug is by Beauvais Carpets, and the Venetian plaster walls are painted in Benjamin Moore’s Stonington Gray.

If your table makes a statement on its own, whatever you place on top of it is just a bonus! In a PR maven’s New York City home, the cocktail table and floor lamp are from West Elm . Atop the striped table are an array of stylish books, fresh flowers, and chic trinkets.

The sleek living room of a Manhattan apartment designed by Jamie Drake and Caleb Anderson of Drake/Anderson has two separate sitting areas and tables of various sizes throughout. The glass cocktail table by Fredrikson Stallard (right) is filled with feathers, the round side table is by Holly Hunt , the lamp atop it is by Charles Paris, and the custom rug is by Tai Ping .

In the living room of a weekend home in Bridgehampton, New York, designed by Steven Gambrel , the cocktail table is by Dos Gallos and topped with several vases and trays. The petite Thebes-style cane stools that accompany it are vintage.

This country house in southeastern Uruguay, which was built on the remains of an 1810 roadside general store, defies all design conventions. In the living room, the owners have opted for a vintage side table from France instead of a cocktail table. A single vase full of wildflowers draws the eye inside the stylishly stark room.

Don’t stop at one (or two) tiny cocktail tables. Stagger three tables throughout your living room and choose a different accent for each: say, a book, a candle, and a plant. This look worked well in Ellen Pompeo’s Hollywood Hills home.

Give your ottoman a makeover by styling a tray on top of it, creating the perfect place to display flowers, candles, and books, like in this Greenwich Village penthouse.

Adorn your glass cocktail table with fresh flowers for instant style. Add a few stacks of books and personal objects to give it an eclectic touch, like in this upstate New York home.

If your coffee table is tiny in size, like the one in this São Paulo duplex, all it needs is one of your favorite artisan bowls or plates to elevate it—especially if the rest of the room boasts maximalist decor.

Stack books on your cocktail table as a foundation for your collection of eclectic knickknacks. In an apartment on New York City’s Sutton Place, trinkets and miniature sculptures give the living room a chic but eclectic vibe.

In the living room of hotelier Ian Schrager’s New York apartment, two long tables divide the sofas. The visual illusion itself is the decorative piece—simple and effective.

In the living room of Kate and Rem Reynolds’s townhouse in Windsor Terrace, Brooklyn, the wooden cocktail table is Danish and accompanied by a pouf. Extra seating and texture play? Yes, please.

In the living room of antiques dealer John Pope’s Charleston, South Carolina, apartment, the statement red cocktail table was found at auction. It is topped with meticulously stacked sets of books and a sprinkling of trinkets that ensure the colorful table is still visible.

In Ibiza, Spain, this living room is outfitted with a mirrored 1980s cocktail table. The ceramic tiles reflect off the table and centerpiece, creating a psychedelic effect.