Photography by Susan Papazian
Often when Iย see the beautiful coffee tables of designers and stylists, Iย can’t help but think they look tooย gorgeous toย touch. But houses are meant to be lived in, they’re meant to be enjoyed and of course, get a little messy! So when Sarah Cichy, founder of boutique agencyย Piccolo PR showed me her coffee table, and said to me: “Yes itย should be beautiful, butย a cup of coffee needs to feel welcome here.” I thought: “This girl gets it!”
“When styling your coffee table think less clutter and more colour,” explains Sarah. “Simple, vibrant pieces will help empower, rather than overwhelm the room.ย I also like to start with the size of the table and select treasures to help balance it, rather than compromise the space.”
Purchasingย her coffee table from a Melbourne homewares store many years ago, it is oversized with strong lines. A huge fan of reading it also doubles as a bookshelf, housing Sarah’s extensive collection of books and magazines. “I love readingย — anything I can get my hands on that tells a story. I actually think Iย own more books than clothes, which is odd for a girl. So my coffee table naturally reflects this and is covered byย beautiful interior books Iโve collected throughout the years.”
Often introduced to new homewaresย as a result of her work, Sarah has to reign herself in when it comes to styling! “I have to repeat to myself: โLess is more Sarah, less is more.โ” Believing the coffee table should be an authentic showcase of your personality, she favours the quirky over the traditional. “Iโm a design-gypsyย myself, a little bit from here, with a little bit from there. Itโs unexpected really. Fresh flowers are often replaced byย foliage — such as fig trees — and candle holders become vases.”
Definitely not colour-conservative when it comes to decor and design, Sarah’s home — much like her coffee table — is a ‘colour-smash’.ย “Bubble pink andย green are myย favourite shades, for no other reason than I just love them!ย I always make sure anything displayed on myย coffee table helpsย bounce these colours around the room.”