Covet My Coffee Table: With Lucy Fenton of Fenton & Fenton

While eclectic is a bit of a hackneyed word, it’s hard to think of a better term to describe the style of Lucy Fenton, the owner of much-loved Melbourne interiors store Fenton & Fenton. Drawing on her extensive travels, Lucy manages to combine seemingly disparate objects with stylish aplomb – think vintage one-off finds with bold textiles, statement artwork and plenty of colour and texture too. As we bring back our much loved feature Covet My Coffee Table today, we’re delighted to have her share a snippet of her home with us!

And as can be expected from an interiors bowerbird like Lucy, her coffee table is an ever-changing tableau. “My coffee table styling changes all the time, but I’ve always got a bit of colour, some greenery and books, books, and more books. I love to mix exotic and one-off finds with contemporary pieces, mixing up shapes and styles. If anything, this has become my signature look,” says Lucy whose lounge room features a coffee table that was designed by her and her team. “It’s the Mahal design and the top is Indian white marble and the base is a powder coated steel. I selected the white on white for our own home, but it also comes with a black marble top or a black frame too. Being a smallish room, I didn’t want anything too heavy and felt a round table would soften the otherwise angular shapes in the room.”

The all-important coffee table styling ingredient – books!

“The right coffee table can make or break a space. It’s a bit like fitting the final piece in a puzzle. Too big and it can look clunky, too small and it’s not functional. So form and function are key to getting it right. The coffee table is one of the hardest working pieces in a house. The kids play around it, you serve food and drinks from it, it holds books, treasures and memories. In most instances, it’s smack bang in the middle of a room too, so it should complement the rest of the space,” says Lucy.

Lucy’s coffee table features a Fenton & Fenton wire cube, selection of books and aloe vera in a vintage glass vase

Currently, Lucy’s coffee table features aloe vera cuttings displayed inside a vintage coloured glass vase, picked up at a market in Daylesford, VIC. “It complements the delicate display domes and glassware by the talented Amanda Dziedzic that also feature in our living room.” The wire cube is from Fenton & Fenton and it is displayed alongside an array of books. “Being a fashion and interior lover, there’s always a pile of books for end of the day inspo. A coffee or side table just doesn’t feel complete without a stack of my favourite books. I love it when guests flick through them and I love checking out what other people are reading when visiting their homes,” says Lucy.

“Being a total colour enthusiast, I love how what you put atop a coffee table can change a space, alter a mood and tell a story about who lives in the house. I don’t like coffee tables (or much for that matter) left empty, but also not too hectic either. Only ever put pieces you really love on your coffee table, and don’t forget the books and plants or flowers. They bring colour and personality into a space.”