5 Ways to Style a Wood Console Table
For today’s 5 Way Wednesday series, I am sharing ideas that you can use to style a wood console table.
Console tables work well in just about any room in the home, including entryways, living rooms, smaller dining rooms and bedrooms. They are often called ‘entryway tables’ and yet are similar to ‘sofa tables.’ These tables are a great place to store items that need to be easily accessible or to simply display decorative items. For this reason, they are both functional and a beautiful addition to your home.
1. Style a console table with dishes.
Where to use this console table: dining room or breakfast nook
How to style the tabletop: When creating a decorative vignette, first, create a triangle shape with a group of three items by varying the height. For example, cake stands work great for this. (So do stacks of books or wooden risers). Lastly, leave room on the top for food if this is being used similar to a buffet table.
How to Style the shelves: Show off your collection of dishes, pitchers, or cutting boards while making them easy to access for meals. Group smaller dishes in trays to create one visual element and avoid the look of clutter.
Typically, you want to fill about 2/3 of the visual space in a design. With this in mind, add height to the stacks of plates with tall pitchers or place on cake stands. Without the pitchers, the plates would not fill the space and be proportioned appropriately in the space.
2. Style a console table with balance.
Where to use this console table: Entryway, bedroom or living room
How to style the tabletop: Symmetry is an easy ‘go to’ styling tip. Two lamps, two stacked pumpkins on either side of one large mirror…works every time! In place of the pumpkins, you could add fresh flowers.
How to style the shelves: You can use symmetrical or asymmetrical balance, but consider alternating the two on different levels of shelves . For instance, the tabletop is symmetrical with the same lamp and pumpkin. However, on the bottom shelf, I used one large basket and then a group of items on the other.
When decorating any room, use a variety of materials. For instance, this shelf contains a wooden basket, metal wire boxes, glass vase, ceramic pumpkins and lamps, and soft textiles.
Tip: Larger pieces of decor have more impact and won’t look as cluttered as a lot of small items. Therefore, when styling large console tables, look for large containers for extra storage like vintage crates, woven baskets, decorative trunks, and trays to gather smaller items.
3. Style a console table with color.
Where to use this console table: Entryway or living room
How to style the tabletop: For longer console tables, I like to use a set of matching lamps. Then, place 1 to 2 decorative objects on either side of the table. The blue glass demijohn is placed opposite the one on the lower shelf to create more visual interest through angles.
How to style the shelves: Use a set of decorative boxes, vintage suitcases or a trunk to style the wood console table. Consequently, I like to break up a set of three boxes by placing one large on the opposite side of the smaller two boxes. However, using one larger truck or a smaller set of three boxes stacked together always works well.
In addition, bring in a theme or particular color scheme by repeating similar elements. For example, several blue and turquoise pumpkins are placed throughout the table to lead the eye through the space. Similarly, I used a set of turquoise glass jars to add a pop of color to this room!
Tip: Rearrange the shelves and replace the pumpkins for a vase of fresh flowers for year round decor!
4. Style a console table with seasonal decor.
Where to use this console table: entryway or living room
How to style the tabletop: Again, I like to create seasonal vignettes next to the lamps. Display a few decorative items of varying sizes like these pumpkins, but really play off different textures when using neutral decor. Always add a natural element, like faux greenery or dried wheat stalks for Fall!
Tip: You can get personalized stamped books from Brook Stacks, here. I chose the names of my family members, but you could get your favorite words, too. For instance, ‘pumpkins, campfires and fall leaves!’
How to style the shelves: Visual interest is achieved by using variety! Therefore, if you prefer a monochromatic look with neutral decor, use a variety of textures to spice it up. I used objects that are chippy, smooth, bumpy, spiky, grainy and soft…
Next, balance can be achieved with different objects that have similar visual weight. Simply, they take up similar space. For example, the crate filled with lots of small pumpkins has the similar visual weight as one large pumpkin. By layering or grouping small items in a crate, they present themselves as one unit. Therefore, when you look at the styling on this shelf, you see two sets of two objects rather than lots of pillows and pumpkins.
Notice, how I place similar items opposite one another on the shelves. Specifically, this works when styling any kind of shelf. For example, two pumpkins on the top left are opposite two on the bottom right, text on the books are placed across from the text on the pillow.
Tip: Layer a pillow with a fun quote or decoration in front of a patterned pillow.
5. Style a console table with cozy finds.
Where to use this console table: Bedroom or family room
How to style the tabletop: For this example, think simplicity. Place a medium sized decorative object, like this pumpkin, near one of the lamps. If your console table is 4 feet or less, one lamp is sufficient.
How to style the shelves: Again, console tables are great for extra storage. Store pretty pillows, folded quilts or floor pillows on one side to soften the wood console table. Then, place a collection of 3 baskets in varying sizes or 2 baskets of the same size on the other side. Next, add greenery to bring a fresh feel into the space.
Tip: Raise potted greenery by placing a cake stand or stacks of books into the basket.
Where to find wood console tables!
Here are a few of my favorite console tables… the one that I have styled above is the Everett foyer table from World Market, but I also have a smaller wood and white console table from Kirkland’s. You can read about how I styled it differently in my breakfast room, entryway and bathroom on this blog post.
Solid Wood Console Table 4 Foot Wide Console Table
Wood and White Console Table Gold Modern Console Table
Thank you for stopping by the Cuter Tudor Blog to learn how you can style a wood console table. If you have ideas for something that you would like to see styled 5 ways, leave me a comment, here or send an email to amy@cutertudor.com! I would love to hear from you! Happy styling, y’all!
