11 Coffee Table Ideas For Every Style And Budget

Coffee tables are making a true style statement right now - and can give your sitting room a lift in an instant. The best thing of all this season? The options are limitless, and the rules are: there ain't no rules! As long as you love it and it serves its purpose you're all sorted! Here's my pick of 11 coffee table ideas for every style and budget.

1. Going boho (above) - the vintage chest in photographer Anna Malmberg's Stockholm home adds texture to the space and doubles up as storage! I'm sure it has plenty of stories to tell too!

2. On a high - Lauren MacLean rests her wares on a Superellipse Side table* from West Elm (the slim size makes it ideal for small spaces) in her Montreal apartment. For something a little lower, try the Superllipse coffee table*.

3. Vintage blues - queen of colour Sofie Amalie made her coffee table using a coloured laminate MDF board that she bought from a carpenter who had leftovers and attached it to some legs. "There are many great coffee table legs to be found online in places like Etsy," Sofie tells me. The table adds a pop of colour while balancing out the art work on the back wall in her wonderful apartment in the Danish capital.

4. Going Low  -all of the tables in Lovisa Häger's Stockholm apartment, including this 'barely there' low glass Lair coffee table, are her own fabulous design. 

5. Doubling up - Swedish photographer and visual storyteller Jasmina Bylund has combined a Menu Turning Table* with a By on design in her cosy Stockholm home (note - look for tables with different heights so they can overlap).

6. Keeping it clean - the super talented Katerina Dima has opted for a Menu plinth marble coffee table* in her minimalist Norwegian home, adding to the contemporary look and feel of the room.

7. A round-up - Laura & Nora of Design Tales and Our Food Stories fame have rounded up two lovely Frama Sintra Side Tables in their Berlin home. I love how they've combined black and white marble. Plus they can move them around depending on who's sitting where. Smart!

8. On a roll - Swedish photographer and stylist Karin Boo Wiklander has squared up with a FontanaArte Tavolo Con Ruote glass coffee table in her 'super snygg' West Coast Home. The shape works particularly well with an L-shaped sofa and large open space. Just make sure your kids keep their paws off, or there'll be a whole lot of polishing required!

9. Bench mark - I've been using a simple rustic bench as a coffee table in my living room for years and it's so handy. Not only is it extra long, it also doubles up as extra seating at the table and as a place for books and clothes at the end of my bed. These guys* sell similar (very beautiful) benches like this.

10. Cool Concrete - freelance interior stylist and CEO of Molge Decor Carla Sofie Molge has opted for a simple round Gallery Coffee Table from House Doctor, a contemporary, monochrome look which is perfectly in keeping with the rest of her soothing Danish home.

11. Feeling reflective -  and last but not least, perhaps one of the hottest trends right now, a Kristina Dam Mirror Table bounces light around in the heart of Sidsel Garsdel's elegant Copenhagen home.

Did you have a favourite look?

I love the mirrored ones - and I'll always have a soft spot for vintage!

Have a fabulous day friends!

Niki

Affiliated links marked with *

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Spring has sprung in a lovely Swedish space

 I love it when the doors and windows can be flung open, the sun streams in and you can pad about the place bare foot and fancy free. This Gothenburg apartment captures the spring vibe perfectly with it's light-filled open plan living space, balcony and bright pops of green. I love the mix of old and new - Scandinavian modern, vintage and industrial, what a perfect blend? And who needs a large backyard to have a herb garden - I really like the idea of using the full height of balcony railings for important culinary ingredients, how about you?!

Styled and photographed by the Alvhem team.

If you're looking for a big plant for your home why not source one second hand? One of my friends, Gen, bought beautiful greenery on Blocket (Sweden's version of Gumtree) - in fact you can see it in her sitting room here. You never know if someone in your neighbourhood or a local business are looking to get rid of some beautiful greenery?! (More plants and flower inspiration here).

Try Etsy for industrial pendant lamps.

Other lovely light-filled homes which are bound to brighten up your day include this idyllic Danish cottage, a back-to-basics Oregon cottage, and  a pared-back Finnish cabin. Or if you're thinking outdoors - this Montreal oasis will always be my favourite - imagine?!

Have a lovely sunny day!

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A small, yet truly inspiring studio apartment!

I've shown many, many small spaces over the years - the majority of which are located in Sweden, but some have been in far away places too, like this tiny home on wheels!  And today I stumbled on another inspirational small space - the studio apartment of Lauren Maclean. Located in Montreal, Canada, Lauren's home is a mere 500 square foot (46 square metre).  Dramatic high ceilings and beautiful period features provide a striking backdrop for a blend of vintage and mid-century pieces as well as some striking works of art. It really does go to show, that some of the best homes come in small packages, don't you agree?!

Photography - Lauren Maclean

What a great space? The more I look at the pictures, the more I notice! 

I particularly love the one-off vintage pieces, mid-century furniture and lighting (how fab is that Pelle chandelier ceiling light?!). How about you? 

A quick note on where some of the other key pieces are from: art (over desk) by Lysa Jordan,  Wishbone chair, modern dresser, sofa by design republic,

You can see more of Lauren's apartment over on her fab instagram feed, and a full interview here.  

Have a lovely day!

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The lovely, relaxed home of a Berlin DIY blogger

Helloooo friends! I hope you had a great weekend? Here, it's been an eventful one. On Friday evening I had a live radio interview about my new Lagom book. Except I got the time difference muddled up and when they called from Montreal I had a house full of kids. In my panic I ended up whisking them out into the garden in their socks!! You can just imagine the scene). Thankfully it did get a little more relaxing after that! And now Monday morning has rolled around again (I've got a feeling we're all going to rock this week?!). Despite doing my best to embrace the chill outside (I'm wearing my Swedish Shephards as I write) I am starting to wonder how I'm going to get through the impending darkness of autumn / winter. I'm thinking plenty of DIY and crafts? What do you say? If you're thinking the same - Laetitia Delorme of Monochrome DIY, is our girl! Berlin based Laetitia describes her DIY ideas as 'a world away from chichi and sequins - everything revolves around tinkering and self-making'. Think fab minimalist brass mirrors, semi-flower wreaths and decorative ice-cubes. You only need to a snapshot of her home - as well as pictures of the home of Berliner Claudi's (see the full tour of her home here)- to see examples of how her DIY ideas blend beautifully with mid-century finds an abundance of plants. Roll on Autumn!

Photography: Laetitia Delorme / Monochrome DIY

 Photography: Claudi - Do It But Do It Now

Despite being more of a close-up / snapshot tour of each of the homes rather than the complete picture, don't you find the style to give off  the loveliest vibe?

Get the look from Laetitia and Claudi's homes: Source fab mid-century modern teak furniture here,  mirror from Sissy-Boy, these terrarium's are similar, café notice board, string shelves, Eames side chair.

If you'd like to see a little more of Laetitia's home take a peek here and Claudi's home here.

Speaking of Instagram - I'll be taking over the reigns of the HarperCollins US instagram feed today where I'll be sharing snippets from my new Lagom Book - as well as talking more about the Swedish lifestyle (which, excitingly, seems to be on everyone's lips right now - which reminds me - I need to nip out and by a cinnamon bun in a minute, purely for inspiration purposes of course....). I'd love it if you have the time to stop by and say hi (it's my first ever take-over so it'll be great to see a friendly face!).

Have a great start to the week!

PS my top ten tips to a de-cluttered home.

PPS words to live by: "Be a cactus in a world of delicate flowers"

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Could you while away summer days in this Swedish garden?

I know it's only Thursday but I'm already gearing up for the weekend and looking forward to some down time in the garden with my family. We've got so much to do to our outdoor space so I've been pouring over inspiration lately (I'd probably do this even if we didn't have anything needed doing...!). Today I'm inspired by this outdoor space. It's a beautiful Swedish which fills me with ideas from the roses over the door, and the hollyhocks lining the wall of the house, the different social areas (cute kid alert) and 'secret garden'. I hope you get some ideas too.

Photography: Jonas Ingerstedt (with kind permission. Sköna Hem. 

Could you while away a summer's day in this garden?

In my (small) garden I've decided the key requirements are: a comfy area for lounging, a social yet relaxed covered (possibly using white linen) dining area, making it as green as possible, beautiful scents wafting from flowers in bloom, the sound of running water, and candle lights. Achievable in 5 metres square? Hmmmm, optimistic. But dream big as they say....

What are your outdoor space essentials?

More garden inspiration can be found on my Alfresco board, as well as previous posts of this beautiful Montreal oasis, eating alfresco and outdoor showers /bathrooms.

Have a lovely day!

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A wonderful Copenhagen home

Happy April Fool's day! Have you fooled anyone yet?! In the UK you've got until midday but in Sweden you've the whole day - and then, once fooled you call your poor, unsuspecting subject a silly herring. What about in your country?! I'm oh so excited about today's home tour photographed by Tia Borgsmidt for the wonderful Danish magazine BoligLiv. It's the home of Marie and Andreas and their two children Uma and Morris just over the bridge in Vesterbro, Copenhagen. The space is teeming with personal items including art and furniture they've either inherited or sourced from antique and second hand markets. It's such a wonderful, unique home!

 

Photographer: Tia Borgsmidt (with kind permission) for BoligLiv, found via Coco Lapine

Anything in particular you love about this space?

I spy design items including the AJ floor lamp, Ant chairs, and the Flowerpot VP3 desk lamp. Pick up mid-century treasures at Lauritz.

Love to see that Marie works at Central Hotel og Cafe, the world's smallest hotel. I recently booked it as a birthday trip for my husband and I and our breakfast will be served in this cafe. I can't wait!

I'm also excited to introduce a new sponsor today. Montreal based Irene Suchocki is the incredible fine art photographer behind the oh so fab online shop Eye Poetry. Her work combines her love of travel with her dream-like aesthetic which include city collections such as  Paris, City of Love (I'm looking at you, Erin), New York, New York, and Italy, La Dolce Vita. My personal fine art photography favourites include night glitter, ordinary silence, and plain sailing, how about you?

Have a lovely day!

PS don't miss out on the t-shirt soft bedlinen give-away here!

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