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The Coffee Table Styling Formula You Should Know

From the Archives, a Helpful Styling Formula to Remember
Filed Under > Styling "How-To's" & Tips

The coffee table styling formula you should know, Waiting on Martha
The formula you should know for coffee table styling, Waiting on Martha
How to styling your coffee table
The Coffee Table Styling Formula You Should Know

As MKR taught us before, styling a beautiful coffee table is really quite simple.  She summed it up with a fool-proof coffee table styling formula: Books + Flowers + Trays + Objects + Depth.  

No matter the size or shape of your coffee table, the surface is a wonderful opportunity to showcase items as part of a collection and reflection of you and your life.  While I know a coffee table can seem daunting the best way to start tackling the table is by thinking of your coffee table in quadrants; designing each quadrant separately, but making sure they fit with the big picture, or rather the coffee table as a whole. 

First, coffee table books are an obvious must.  They offer great conversational pieces, offering a hint of personality of the home owner.  Coffee table books serve as the perfect landing for smaller, decorative objects (like the animal magnifying glass), and also play into the depth (part of our fool-proof coffee table styling formula) of the coffee table by adding varying heights. 

The next piece of the puzzle is a no-brainer, flowers.  Flowers add life to any space, and who could deny how beautiful freshly cut blooms are?  Of course, fresh flowers on a weekly basis can start to get expensive, so another great option is a small plant like a topiary, succulent or cactus that’s easy to care for (see our list of our eight favorite, easy indoor house plants).  And while I never thought I would once say it, faux flowers have come a long way.

Decorative trays easily corral and organize smaller items so the surface doesn’t appear messy. As pictured above, MKR uses a faux python tray to house her collection of Japanese calligraphy brushes (which also add strong pops of color).  Trays are great especially for smaller items such as candles, matchboxes, coasters, or any other small and decorative trinkets. Lastly, add a few larger decorative objects such as these extra large dominos and voila a perfectly styled coffee table!  Cheers, Kat

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Photography, Kathryn McCrary for Waiting on Martha

Styling a Dramatic, Yet Cozy Sitting Room

Take a Peek Into My Personal Refuge
Filed Under > MKR's Home Tour

Dark grey sitting room with dramatic armchairs, Waiting on Martha #interiors #bedroom #coffeetableBar styling ideas, Waiting on MarthaCoffee table styling, Waiting on MarthaFiddle fig tree, Waiting on MarthaStaffordshire dog on bar cart, Waiting on MarthaGrey sitting room with dramatic arm chairs, Waiting on MarthaBlog-Interiors-SittingRoom5
Coffee table decor ideas, Waiting on MarthaDramatic armchair in sitting room, Waiting on Martha

When envisioning how I wanted to style the dark grey sitting room in my master bedroom, I knew I wanted it to be a truly relaxing refuge.  Being it’s an extension of an already tranquil room, I wanted to create a space that welcomed cozy nights to watch movies by the fire, and slow mornings to sip on coffee cuddled up with a book or magazine.  

My bedroom (as seen here, here and here) dons a warm, dark grey on the walls and ceiling.  This color has an obvious dramatic effect on the room (because when have you known me to shy away from bold design?), but a dark grey room is also incredibly calming.  Word to the wise, though… it’s hard to pick the perfect paint shade of grey, so be sure to test out a few swatches near and away from the light.  Light matters a LOT with grey paint as it has a tendency to pick up and reflect color, tones and hues.  Try to think of grey in two different families; warm and cool.  Warm grey will sometimes appear green while cool grey can seem sometimes blueish.  Always keep that in mind when choosing your perfect grey.  

For the accompanying decor, I wanted to highlight the juxtaposition of dark and light while still embracing that calm feeling.  By choosing classic light linens, warm ivories, lacquered whites and bright gold, as well as a tiny pop of red (because every space needs that a pop of red!), I feel I accomplished just that. I kept the drama alive with these statement armchairs which are are surprisingly incredibly comfortable.  Pull over my all-time favorite furniture staple, x-benches, and I promise you’ll quickly find yourself embraced in a bear hug and perched up in one of them in no time. The white and gold coffee table (similar here) houses all of my current reads, and always shines with a few fresh blooms.  And of course what room of mine would be complete without a bar cart?  I snagged this black bamboo gem from Pottery Barn and it’s the perfect size for the space.

Our sitting room is full of drama, but still so cozy and incredibly inviting…something that was important to the Mr. and me. I couldn’t be more thrilled with the result, and find myself sneaking up to the room to unwind with a glass of wine earlier and earlier these days. Truly, MKR

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Photography, Rustic White for Waiting on Martha

AS PICTURED: Armchairs | Side table | Coffee table (similar here) | X Bench Ottomans | Coffee table books here and here | Staffordshire dogs | Bar cart | RYE acrylic accents | Monkey Dish | Carpet | Gold candle 

Styling a Woodland Wonderland Holiday Table

Styling The Perfect Holiday Feast, A Post From The Archives
Filed Under > Entertaining

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Rue19 

A pristine log cabin and a table set for a holiday feast.  A table adorned with giant, handmade wooden candelabras and sweeping florals with sugared fruits. Each place setting marked with hand-cut place cards laid perfectly on Juliska’s Country Estate dinnerware.  And the menu!  Braised short ribs, glazed sweet potatoes, wintry kale salad and butternut squash creme brulee with red wine cranberries from our friends at Homespun.  In our opinion, it doesn’t get any more holiday-lovely than that, and this shoot was full of the holiday table styling I like to bring out year after year. 

Our magical Woodland Wonderland Dinner, specially styled for Rue Magazine’s Holiday Issue, was well-worth pulling out of The Archives to share for even more cozy holiday table styling inspiration this year.  Cheers, Kat    

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Photography, Rustic White | FLORALS, LINDSAY COLETTA DESIGNS | FOOD, HOMESPUN ATLANTA  | CAKE, LUSH CAKERY | FURNITURE, CRUSH EVENT RENTALS | INVITATIONS & PLACE CARDS, YES MA’AM PAPER GOODS | LOCATION, ATLANTA HISTORY CENTER

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