Have You Met Miss Jones first came to my attention many years ago when I was working in women’s magazines. I loved their wares from the start – with more than a subtle nod to seventies ceramics, the colour palettes and retro detailing have always been on point. So, it’s with much excitement that we bring you the coffee table styling of the owner, Jennifer Jones.
A mix of books, greenery and plenty of ceramics (of course), Jennifer’s coffee table doesn’t disappoint. “We love books in our family and so there are always piles of books on the coffee table, ranging from design and cookbooks to our daughter’s favourites. As a mad ceramic collector, I also use the coffee table to display my newest acquisitions. These amazing blue pieces are from a weekend I spent in Chiang Mai last month, hand picking items for our recently opened Bondi store,” says Jennifer.
“We love plants too and the recycled rubber pot from Garden Life houses a chalk stick succulent which is toddler friendly and robust! The little fabric bunny is one of a series from a divine shop in Seminyak which sells the cutest baby clothes. Teddie, our daughter, loves them.”
The space is a constantly changing tableau – reflecting Jennifer’s changing tastes. “Being in the homeware industry our house is constantly changing. I can’t help myself when I see a new trend that I love emerge! The coffee table is a great space to draw attention to the things we love most at that time so it tends to change at least every few months,” says Jennifer.
And rather than one coffee table, Jennifer’s lounge room includes two positioned together. “We wanted to have a large table to gather around. We bought it from our fabulous friend David at Orson & Blake. We love it as it houses lots of books underneath and the marble top gives a great sense of style to our living room.”
With a toddler in the house (something Jen and I know all about!), the coffee table is not only robust but highly functional too. “I think it needs to be 100 per cent functional and in our house, it needs to be able to take a bit of a battering! We spend a lot of time around the table, usually eating meals sitting on cushions on the floor with Teddie or playing with her musical instruments or drawing. I wanted something neutral as we tend to change the style of our living room every year at least. It needed to work with a multitude of rugs and soft furnishings.”
As for styling tips, Jennifer is a fan of discreet storage. “A great box or small lidded basket is perfect for hiding remotes and bits and pieces. We have printed polaroid size pics from our family Instagram so a great bowl to display those in is a cute way to have photos at easy reach that isn’t a device,” says Jennifer. She believes books (with an ornament on top) plus something living are essential too.
“Fresh flowers are the ultimate but with a small child, a plant is more stress-free and the health benefits cannot be undervalued. This is usually corralled in a great and generously proportioned tray that can double for snacks on the couch too.”
Shop Jennifer’s designs online | Browse our other coffee tables
