In today’s homes, the coffee table has become the focal point of a living room, reflecting taste, travel, and cultural fluency.
The coffee table has evolved into a deliberate styling moment, reflecting taste, travel, and cultural literacy. Across the UAE, tastemakers are approaching coffee table curation with the same care they give wardrobes or art walls, blending books, objects, florals, and trays into compositions that are effortless, personal, and highly photogenic.
Books form the visual backbone of any successful coffee table. Luxury interiors frequently feature oversized volumes from Assouline, whose titles such as Dubai Wonder, Arabian Leopard, and The Impossible Collection of Design double as sculptural elements. Their bold spines and rich imagery provide instant gravitas. For a quieter, more intellectual tone, collectors often layer in art and architecture titles from Phaidon or Rizzoli, which introduce depth without overwhelming the palette. The mix, one statement book paired with slimmer editions, keeps the composition dynamic rather than static.
Objects come next, chosen for materiality rather than ornament. Sculptural bowls in travertine or marble from The Line Concept are popular for their understated presence, often left empty to let the stone speak for itself. Decorative accents from L’Objet, particularly their porcelain and gold-detailed pieces, add a refined gleam without tipping into excess. For those who favour heritage craftsmanship, crystal paperweights or small sculptures from Lalique introduce quiet opulence through form and light.
Florals soften the arrangement and bring movement to the table, but restraint remains key. Tastemakers favour low, architectural arrangements such as single orchids, ranunculus, or seasonal greenery—placed in sculptural vases from Venini or minimalist vessels by Aesop, which have become design staples in UAE homes. In warmer months, fresh blooms are often swapped for olive branches or dried florals, prioritising longevity and ease.
Anchoring everything is the tray, an often overlooked but essential element. Leather trays from Ralph Lauren Home or lacquered designs from Bvlgari Home bring structure to the composition, elevating everyday items such as coasters, matches or a candle into part of the visual narrative.
What makes the modern coffee table so compelling is its replicability. These are not fixed displays but evolving ones, such as when books are restyled as they are swapped, travels add new objects, or seasons shift. In an Instagram-led visual culture, the coffee table has become a signature of personal style. When curated well, it balances beauty with lived-in ease, inviting both admiration and use, and offering a glimpse into how a home and its owner truly live.
