Shadow Box Coffee Table Ideas

You might think of a coffee table only as a place to rest your drink and hold magazines and maybe rest your feet. If your table is a shadow box style, though, it can be more than just functional. Shadow box coffee tables include either one large box, or several smaller openings, covered by a glass top. You can fill the table boxes with almost anything, making them an easy way to show off your personal style and add to your decor. Does this Spark an idea?

Nature

A shadow box coffee table is the perfect spot to incorporate natural elements into a room. Fill the wells with natural stones, shells, dried flowers, sea glass, driftwood or other natural items that coordinate with your decor. Create a landscape on a small scale in your shadow box table; for example, fill the box with clean decorator sand and arrange shells, rocks and driftwood to resemble a natural shoreline. Try changing the decorations to reflect the seasons. For example, in the spring, arrange bird nests, either purchased or found, in the shadow boxes and fill them with colorful faux eggs. In the fall, create an arrangement with faux pumpkins and leaves.

Memories

A shadow box coffee table can serve as a three-dimensional scrapbook, allowing you to share your memories and treasures with family and friends. If youve been bitten by the travel bug, a shadow box coffee table is the ideal place to display trinkets and memorabilia from your travels. Postcards, photos, ticket stubs and souvenirs are conversation starters when arranged in a shadow box. Create a collage to display all of your trips at once, or arrange the boxes by destination or specific trip. If you havent traveled the world, you can still devote your shadow box table to displaying your adventures. Use it to display memorabilia from your local adventures instead. Try turning the table into a year in review, displaying items and photos from everything youve done over the past 12 months.

Holidays

A shadow box coffee table can be a valuable addition to your holiday decorating. Fill the shadow box with items to reflect the holidays; for example, at Christmastime, fill the boxes with glass ball ornaments in various sizes. Memorial Day is a chance to turn your table into a tribute to the military members in your family; add photos, flags, medals and other memorabilia. Decorate with flags for the Fourth of July, and fill the boxes with spooky cobwebs, spiders and other creepy-crawlies for Halloween.

Sports

If you have a favorite team or sport, use your shadow box table to display your team loyalty. Fill the box with autographed memorabilia, tickets stubs and photographs. You can focus on your favorite professional team, or honor your own high school or college sports career in the table. For example, if you played on a championship team, arrange a team photo, newspaper clippings and small trophies laid on their sides or awards in the box. Or honor your alma mater, with photos, a spirit pennant, your varsity letter and other sports memorabilia.