How to Style a Console Table: 5 Expert Tips for a Magazine-Worthy Look

Styling a console table effectively combines form and function to elevate your home's aesthetic and create a powerful first impression, a key principle in home staging. By focusing on strategic placement, layered décor, and dimensional variation, you can transform any entryway or living area from mundane to exceptional. These five expert-backed strategies provide a clear framework for achieving a professionally curated look.

The console table, a versatile piece of furniture often placed in entryways or behind sofas, serves as a crucial anchor point in a room's design. Whether your goal is to enhance your daily living experience or prepare your property for sale, a well-styled console table can significantly boost curb appeal and perceived home value.

Where is the best place to put a console table?

The table's location dictates its styling purpose. Placing a console table in your foyer or entryway creates an immediate visual impact for guests, setting the tone for the entire home. Conversely, positioning one behind a living room sofa adds depth and layers to the seating area, effectively defining the space. The first step is to decide if the primary goal is functionality, such as providing a landing spot for keys, or pure aesthetics. Based on our experience assessment, an entryway console often serves both purposes, making it a focal point for home buyers during viewings.

How do you decorate the wall above a console table?

The wall space above the console table is prime real estate for enhancing the area's functionality and sense of space. Hanging a mirror is a classic and effective choice. "A mirror not only offers a last-chance glimpse at your look before heading out," says Jill Metzler Wiese of Just Jill! Interiors, "but it also reflects natural light, making an entryway feel more spacious and inviting." This technique is particularly valuable in smaller homes or apartments where creating an illusion of space is desirable.

What is the best way to layer décor on a console table?

Achieving a curated, rather than cluttered, look relies on a structured, tiered approach. Think of styling as composing a visual story with three distinct layers:

• Base Layer: Start with larger foundational items like table lamps, substantial vases, or stacked books.
• Middle Layer: Add medium-sized objects such as decorative boxes or a group of hardcover books.
• Top Layer: Finally, incorporate smaller accents like trinkets, small sculptures, or floral sprigs.

This method creates depth and visual interest. Miriam Verga, partner and principal for Mimi and Hill, recommends corralling functional items like bowls for keys within a tray. "Doing so will create a look that grounds the bowl and adds visual interest," she notes.

Why is varying the size of décor items important?

A monotonous arrangement of similarly sized objects lacks dynamism. The key is to create a "dance of dimensions." Intermingle tall pieces, like a vase with branches, with medium-height items and smaller accents. This variation guides the eye across the display and showcases a more sophisticated design sensibility. Audrey Scheck, founder of Audrey Scheck Design, shares a practical tip: "We stack coffee table books horizontally to add height and serve as a base layer for other decorative objects."

How can lighting enhance a console table display?

Ambient lighting is the final element that brings a console table display to life, especially in the evening. A dimly lit table lamp provides a warm, inviting glow that illuminates your carefully arranged layers of books, art, and objects. This not only makes the display visible but also sets a relaxing mood for the home. Proper lighting is a critical aspect of home presentation that can influence a buyer's emotional response.

To ensure your console table styling is always effective, remember these key takeaways: always start with strategic placement, build your décor in deliberate layers, and prioritize a mix of sizes and textures. Incorporating ambient lighting will finalize a look that feels both personal and professionally assembled, ultimately enhancing your home's overall appeal.