The plan is coming together. You've got the couch where you want it, and the end tables in place. Your armchairs and ottoman, your console table and other pieces are in their ideal spots. Now it's time to add the finishing touches. A framed photo, a set of whimsical knickknacks and maybe a bouquet of flowers and you're set. Still, where to put flowers? This is where you start asking yourself questions such as, "do I need a vase on my coffee table"?
While there are no interior-design police who will issue you a citation for failure to properly display your purple tulips in the proper porcelain in a precise location, there are general guidelines for floral displays that most designers follow. When a floral arrangement is used on a coffee table situated between two seating areas (i.e. the sofa and the opposing armchair) that arrangement should never prevent the parties seated in either spot from being able to make direct eye contact. This means, simply, that if you do have a vase on the coffee table, it needs to be short and squat or leave it empty.
Coffee Table Ottoman
Of course, there are a lot of bowl shaped vases that would suit the location exquisitely. Use a small, jar shaped pottery vase to hold a nosegay of lovely silk violets surrounded by puffy wisps of baby's breath and you won't be interfering with eye contact. Some vases, of course, do look as nice empty as with flowers. Why not arrange a few in a collection and let them simply be pretty?
If you're asking, do I need a vase on my coffee table? The answer is no. You might, however, want one. If you do, just be sure you choose one that is suitable for the location and that makes the room look just like you want it.