Which of these statements fits your coffee-table style?

A. Accessories all look about the same size.

B. You use it to store piles of magazines.

C. It's the place to show how eclectic your tastes are — from Grandma's cut-glass vase to the folk-art statues from Mexico.

D. Guests have to move your "display" to put down their wine glass.

E. You can't wait to add to your pile of coffee-table books.

If any of these fit you, it's no wonder your coffee table doesn't look like those in magazines and show houses.

So what's the secret to a great-looking tablescape with minimal clutter and maximum impact? Joyce Weakley Shore, former president of the American Society of Interior Designers, Florida South Chapter, offers these "trade secrets:"

Leave leg room

The table should be set about 18 inches from the sofa or chairs. Put it close enough to make it easy for a guest to put down a drink but far enough away to prevent banging a leg when the guest gets up.

When you're shopping for accessories, look for unity. The key is repetition — of color, texture or material.

Although she used three differently shaped vases on the contemporary table shown in the accompanying photo, they are unified with the same color orange. Shore says the three shapes wouldn't work if they were orange, pink and green.

Scale it right

If the tabletop is small, the accessories should also be smaller scale so they don't overwhelm the space. The idea is to have enough room on the table so someone doesn't have to move anything to put down a glass.

Think tall

Many designers think the visitor's eye should be brought up from the low coffee table with a tall item. If you use a tall item, be sure it doesn't block anyone in the conversation area.

Find a focal point

Most coffee-table arrangements have a focal point — the item that attracts your attention because of its size, color or shape.

The three vases in the example appear as one and become the focal point.

The odd-number rule

Shore once overheard two women pondering some accessories. One of the women was holding two glass objects.

"You know you have to have three," her friend said. "I read it somewhere."

"Why do I have to have three?" the other woman said. "It doesn't make any sense."

Whatever you do, it should make sense. You can use pairs if you like, she says. Just think about what you are doing.

The odd-number rule comes from the fact that people are used to seeing items in pairs, Shore says, adding that different shapes, sizes and odd numbers provide contrast.

Off with the books

Shore suggests finding another spot for your magazines, and she doesn't like coffee-table books as accessories.

"It's too predictable. And we are looking for what isn't predictable."