Are Your Wooden Beads Designer-Approved Coffee Table Decor? Here's What We Know

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Some interior designers dub the boho-style wooden bead strands that could be found draped over many a coffee table or mantel in the 2010s superfluous and impractical. But count designer Whitney Vredenburgh, the owner of Indiana-based Nested Spaces Home Staging & Design, among those willing to embrace it. Though the main gripe surrounding the chunky garlands is that they don't serve any real function, Vredenburgh noted in an exclusive interview with House Digest that "decor is meant to bring meaning to a space — it should be a reflection of you and your interests or things that inspire you."

In other words, do what you like and feel free to save any strands that speak to you. "If you have decor beads from a trip or they evoke a special memory, then I say keep them," Vredenburgh said. "For decor on coffee tables or bookshelves, which is where you see most beads, I suggest something that holds a special memory for you. Something from a trip, a museum, something you've made."

After all, it's not as if interior design can never prioritize form over function. As Vredenburgh pointed out, "We often will use fillers in vases like moss stone or moss spheres, sometimes we use orbs or links or candles on a table as well." So go ahead, have a ball with your wooden beads.

If you've come around to the idea that decor beads can be more than just an unexpected material to try in your holiday garlands, Whitney Vredenburgh has some tips for getting into the hang of things. Whether you opt for a classic wooden variety, like the Elifel Large Wood Bead Garland, or a colorful version, such as Fenisam Handcrafted Farmhouse Wooden Decorative Beads, there's a way to style it with intention. "I love using the rule of three," Vredenburgh told House Digest in an exclusive interview. "Bring in three items (at least) with varying heights and textures or color to create visual interest."

While that can absolutely be, say, your beloved bead strand, draped next to a tray that's topped with a vase, planter, or candle, there are plenty of cohesive combinations to try out. To best implement this design rule to decorate your coffee table, you'll want to find three pieces that complement one another without being exact copies. "Some vignettes to consider are coffee table books as a foundation, paired with an empty bowl next to candle sticks or large candle or a piece of greenery," Vredenburgh shared. "Or a tall vase with stems, next to a coffee table book, paired with an orb." If practicality is your goal, consider working with useful components such as storage trays, candles, or catchall boxes.

To really put your aesthetic on display with your wooden beads, it's smart to focus on ways to add decor to a coffee table without letting it look cluttered. That means playing around with various textures, scale, and height while also focusing on items that serve a function. But should you wish to add something that simply sparks joy, have fun with it.

"Your eye will tell you what works," designer Whitney Vredenburgh stressed in her exclusive House Digest interview. This applies to more than just the coffee table. "It is fun to try different options for console tables, coffee tables, and bookshelves." While nothing creates a homey feel quite like items that hold special significance, noted the pro, "There is no right way to style a table or shelf. I would go with something that has meaning or a color you love."