17 Festive Coffee Table Ideas to Make Your Living Room Shine This Christmas
When I’m decorating for Christmas, I try to sprinkle holiday magic in every corner of my home. While the tree and mantel get most of the attention, I’ve learned that the coffee table is a secret weapon for creating a truly festive atmosphere.
It’s the centerpiece of the living room, where we gather for cozy chats and hot cocoa, so it deserves a little holiday sparkle too.
Decorating your coffee table can instantly elevate your living room’s holiday vibe. Whether you love a minimalist look or a full-on festive display, there’s a style for everyone.
In this list, I’ll walk you through 17 of my favorite Christmas coffee table decor ideas to help you find the perfect inspiration for your space.
1. Showcase Vibrant Red Berries
I love using natural elements, and a tall vase filled with vibrant red berries is an instant Christmas classic. It adds a pop of festive color and a touch of elegance without being overwhelming.
I place the vase on a round tray to keep it contained and add a few small, lighted tree figurines around it. This creates a cozy and inviting scene, leaving just enough room for a tray of cookies and hot cocoa for those chilly evenings.
2. Decorate With Frosted Pinecones
For a simple yet elegant look, I often turn to pinecones. I pile frosted pinecones into a beautiful white-footed bowl. It’s an understated choice that brings a touch of winter nature indoors.
To complete the look, I pair the bowl with a white jug filled with fresh winter greens. This combination feels both rustic and chic, perfect for creating a serene holiday atmosphere.
3. Fill a Bowl With Festive Bells
I think there’s something so charming about the sound of jingle bells during the holidays. I fill a decorative bowl with shiny gold-toned bells for a fun and festive centerpiece.
Sometimes I let a few bells spill out onto a wooden tray below for a more relaxed, layered look. I like to add a Santa snow globe and a small vase of flowers to create a whimsical and cheerful display. It’s a family-friendly idea that brings a bit of holiday magic to the table.
4. Display a Classic Christmas Plant
You can’t go wrong with a beautiful Christmas plant. I stack a few cloth-bound books and top them with a classic white poinsettia or a delicate amaryllis. This adds a touch of life and natural beauty to the display.
To add a bit of contrast, I sometimes place a small, wrapped gift next to the plant, tied with a rich velvet ribbon. It’s a simple arrangement that feels both sophisticated and festive.
5. Take a Minimalist Approach
Sometimes, less is more. For a minimalist Christmas look, I keep my coffee table decor clean and simple. I stack a few white books and place a scented candle on top.
A small, elegant object, like a gold-toned wishbone, adds a subtle festive touch without creating clutter. This approach is perfect for modern living rooms and creates a serene, calming holiday vibe.
6. Cluster Charming Bottle Brush Trees
Bottle brush trees are one of my favorite holiday decorations. I love clustering a few of them on a round, galvanized tray. The different heights and shades of green create a mini winter forest scene.
The rustic tray contrasts beautifully with a wooden coffee table, making the whole setup feel cozy and inviting. It’s a simple idea that adds a lot of charm and character.
7. Create a DIY Ornament Display
A DIY ornament display is a fun and easy way to add color to your coffee table. I found a kitschy, vintage-style sleigh figurine and filled it with shiny red and gold ball ornaments.
Placing the white sleigh on my white coffee table makes the colorful ornaments pop. It’s a bright, cheerful centerpiece that feels both nostalgic and fun.
8. Style a Classic Silver Tray
For a more elegant and cool-toned look, I use a vintage silver tray as the base for my decor. I arrange matching silver taper candlesticks, a few sprigs of greenery, and a trio of frosted mini trees.
The mix of metallic and natural elements creates a sophisticated, wintry feel. It’s a timeless look that brings a touch of glamour to the holiday season.
9. Fill Jars With Twinkling LED Lights
I love the warm glow of string lights, and a simple way to use them is by filling glass jars with battery-operated LED lights. It’s an easy DIY that creates a magical, twinkling effect.
I like to layer in other natural elements like pinecones and fresh greens around the jars. Adding a scented candle enhances the cozy atmosphere, making the coffee table feel warm and inviting.
10. Cluster Mercury Glass Tree Figurines
Mercury glass has such a beautiful, vintage-inspired shimmer. I create a stunning centerpiece by clustering several mercury glass Christmas tree figurines of varying heights.
I arrange them with some fresh greenery and a few clementines for a pop of color. The mix of textures and finishes looks gorgeous, especially in a room with midcentury modern decor.
11. Choose Subtle, Coordinated Colors
For a cohesive and polished look, I match my coffee table flowers to my Christmas tree decorations. If my tree is decorated with soft pink and gold ornaments, I’ll arrange a bouquet of pale pink roses for the coffee table.
This creates a harmonious flow of color throughout the room. It’s a simple trick that makes the decor feel intentional and professionally styled.
12. DIY a Candle Display in a Wood Bowl
I love a good DIY project, and this one is both easy and beautiful. I take a large, rustic wooden bowl and fill it with a bit of moss. Then, I nestle several flameless LED pillar candles of varying heights into the moss.
The result is a warm, glowing centerpiece that looks fantastic on a square coffee table. It brings a cozy, farmhouse feel to my family room.
13. DIY a Rustic Taper Candle Holder
If you have a vintage trunk as a coffee table, rustic decor is the perfect match. I made a simple but beautiful candle holder from a birch log by drilling holes for taper candles.
I place it on the trunk alongside some scattered winter greens and a few vintage books. This creates a cozy, cabin-in-the-woods feeling that is perfect for Christmas.
14. Create a DIY Branch Display
I love bringing the outdoors in, and this DIY display is a creative way to do it. I fill a clear glass vase with a base of small rocks to hold some natural branches in place.
Then, I decorate the branches with small faux flowers and charming felt ornaments. It’s a centerpiece that adds height and a touch of whimsical, natural color to the coffee table.
15. Decorate With Festive Ribbon
Ribbon is such a simple but effective decorating tool. I like to weave a generous amount of black-and-white patterned ribbon through a base of winter greens on my coffee table.
I then add a few bowls filled with baubles and some pillar candles. The ribbon adds texture and a graphic punch that looks stunning in my all-white farmhouse living room.
16. Display Green Glass for a Pop of Color
For a budget-friendly and creative idea, I sometimes raid my kitchen cabinets for green glass bottles. Grouping them on the coffee table adds a subtle hint of Christmas color.
I pair the glass with an organic wood bowl filled with pinecones. The contrast between the smooth glass and the rustic wood creates a balanced, boho-style look.
17. Style in Groups of Three
One of the best styling tricks I’ve learned is the “rule of three.” I group objects on my coffee table in clusters of three, making sure to vary their shapes, sizes, and heights.
For example, I might pair a small potted plant, a stack of books, and a decorative object. This creates a balanced and visually appealing arrangement that brings harmony to the display.
Conclusion
I hope these ideas have inspired you to create a beautiful Christmas coffee table display of your own.
A little bit of festive decor in the heart of your living room can make all the difference.
Get creative, have fun, and let your personal style shine through this holiday season.
