So how does one reach the Goldilocks zone of just right?

For me, styling is a way of looking.

Its about creating simple vignettes that bring joy to a home.

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Photo: Billal Taright

A bowl, a candlestick, a branchthese objects can become so much more when arranged thoughtfully.

Its all about the power of placement, King says.

Below, King shares his top tips for how to pick and style coffee table decor.

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A coffee table arranged by Colin King. “There’s no strict formula because every coffee table is different,” he says. Here, he embraces sculptural accessories.

Theres no strict formula because every coffee table is different, he says.

But remember: the best things come when preparation meets improvisation.

Embrace negative space; it gives your chosen objects room to breathe and makes each one feel more significant.

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“I like to add one element of nature as my final touch,” King says of coffee table. Here, a coffee table with flowers as well as stacked books.

I like to play with scale and even include pamphlets or smaller books.

I create stacks of two or three, using some as mini pedestals.

They become platforms or risers for other objects, adding a sense of topography.

I prefer fairly plain covers on top because they showcase other items nicely.

A coffee table arranged by Colin King.

Theres no strict formula because every coffee table is different, he says.

Here, he embraces sculptural accessories.

Putting out things you want to see every day or that evoke some sort of memory is really important.

This includes ceramics made by friends, antiques from far-flung places, and found objects.

It can be anything you discover around the house or on the street.

I might have books on one end of the table and my objects on the other.

Shop your own drawers and cabinets!

I like to add one element of nature as my final touch, King says of coffee table.

Here, a coffee table with flowers as well as stacked books.

Many people use trays, but I dont love that because I prefer to cover things up.

My goal with everything I style is [for it] to feel unstyled.

Ive learned to trust my pictures over my eyes.