The Best Coffee Table Books & How To Style Them

Coffee table books are seriously one of my favorite things to use as decor throughout my home. As I’m writing this in my office, I’m looking around to see if there is a surface in sight that doesn’t have one. And there is. My kitchen/dining nook does not have a stack of coffee table books. But seriously that is it. I love coffee table books for so many reasons- I get a ton of inspo from them, you can style them pretty much anywhere, and guests love to flip through them! Today I’m sharing the best coffee table books & how to style them.

Shop my favorite 16 books here. I have & love each of them!

1. the obvious one – on a coffee table

I love to style coffee table books on my coffee table in a couple of different ways.

One way to style your coffee table books on your table is inside a basket, like above. Just add a small vase of flowers and a candle, and you have a simple coffee table look! You can shop the look above here.

Another great way to style your coffee table books on your table is with separate stacks, like above. I love the different layers and height it adds by doing it this way. Shop the coffee table look here.

I also love a combo of the two, like the photo above. Shop the combo look here.

Lastly, keep it simple and add a stack of books, a vase with flowers or greenery and bowl or tray, which is great for coasters and/or remotes. Shop the look above here.

2. on a bedside table

Coffee table books are the perfect item to fill up a large space on a bedside table shelf! I also love to style them on the top of the table if there is room! Shop our guest bedroom here.

3. on a dresser

Another great place in a bedroom for a stack of coffee table books is on your dresser! You could top the stack with a decorative object, or leave it, like I did above. Shop our dresser look here.

4. on a console table

A stack of coffee table books topped with a decorative object always works on a console table! As far as decorative objects, think candles, vases, small lidded baskets, small pots, concrete bowl, marble objects, etc. Shop the console look above here.

And the easiest way of all is topping a single, large book with a beaded garland, like above. Shop my console table look here.

5. open shelves

There are so many different ways you can display your coffee table books on open shelves.

In the shot above, I’m showing you 3 different ways you can display your books on your shelves.

Turn the spine of the books around, and stack them in the middle of the shelf using bookends.
Lean them against a wall stacking a bookend against them.
Stack them horizontally, and top the stack with a decorative object.

p.s. My shelves are huge, but these tips work on any size bookcase or shelf!

p.s.s. Think outside the box when using bookends! Above, I have used a small vase, as well as an empty basket.

Shop my shelves here.