10 Console Table Decor Ideas

Here, we take a look at some the best ways to decorate a console table. Check out the photos and tips from our staff for interesting style ideas, plus read a personal anecdote of console table-styling from our friend, partner and Instagram design guru @restored_haven.

1. Tray décor

A simple metal tray contrasts with the rustic texture of a raw wood console table’s butcher block surface. Trays open up style potential – leave them empty for minimalism or place a small candle (shown above) or other decorative staple within them. Also note the metal legs of this design, which creates an airy industrial-modern feel.

2. Gold + blue

There’s something so modern about gold and blue together; we have a feeling it has to do with the combination of the classic, ultra sophisticated combo of metal and bright, casual color pop. Here, a gold console table sparks against the crisp shade of blue in the vases over it. A simple white box balances the tone overall.

3. Clear table lamp

A clear table lamp is see-through (as the name suggests), which means that the space immediately behind, before and to the sides of it become part of the decoration itself. Clear also creates the optical illusion that the space as a whole is larger than it is – the spaces breathes, and light is able to fill up more of it.

4. Console behind chair

A console table behind an armchair is the modern equivalent of the console table behind sofa. Use this look in a foyer, where chair can serve as accent and table behind it can add dimension and practical storage space. Here, a blue console table provides a simple pop of color to the scheme.

5. Statuesque

A small statue on a console table is one of the most photographable looks of all time, especially when the statue is of a person or animal (with a face and personality, giving the air a dash of character). Here, a sitting buddha adds Eastern-inspired elegance.

6. Mix of textures

This aesthetic mixes a host of textures – including but not limited to glass, plant leaves, copper finish, flower petals, hardwood floors and a canvas backdrop. Each plays no small part in the grander vision. Add as many textures as you can like the vignette here, or stick to one or two for a simpler time.

7. Farm style

Feeling quainter? A farmhouse-styled console table is a farmhouse-styled vignette, as the tabletop provides ample surface for a display of treasures. Find a design with a panel on the bottom to double the display space. Note the basket of apples; using the seasonal produce of the day is always a fresh idea!

8. Piquing interest

Unusual objects – like this skeleton of a dinosaur – take a console table to 100%. Don’t dismiss more traditional accessories, like the trio of jars here, since they can balance out the more unusual designs. Other interesting ideas include shadowboxes (which are kind of like clear, see-though jewelry boxes) encasing small souvenirs, or a small picture frame, propped up, with a photo of a family vacation or a printout of a favorite poem.

9. Greek-like columns

Columns for legs inspire vintage – like really vintage, as in, Socrates-era Greece – aesthetics. If the first thought that comes to mind is, columns and pillars aren’t my thing, reconsider a new twist on materials (here, wicker transforms shape for modern times), and you just might find a new way to love the classic silhouette.

10. Criss-cross, applesauce

Crossing legs isn’t just for princesses and queens – this table here sits with its legs crossed – and crossed again, and again, and again. We’re also loving the ottoman to the side with its matching color scheme of white on black.

The Versatility of Console Tables

By Shelley Caldwell

Shelley is a wife, a mother of two, and an Interior Stylist. She has grown her Instagram following by sharing photos of her home – and telling her story – through the pieces that are in it. She has loved turning her newly built house into a home that her entire family can be proud of.

The beauty of a console table lies in its versatility and its ability to conform its function in any given space. Some of my favorite console tables that we have in our home are from Living Spaces.

One such table is the Reclaimed Natural Hand Carved Console Table, which contains detailing that makes it unique and why it works in our space. The contrast between a clean and modern stained staircase and a more traditionally-styled console table is what I love most. I picked up the warm undertones of the table through a caramel leather pouf and brought in texture with a mirror and dried floral arrangement.

In a similar space, slight changes make a big difference. I like the juxtaposition of more modern acrylic picture frames with the traditional feel of the console table, as well as the added texture of poufs and again, a dried floral arrangement. The open aspect of a traditional console table is also great for storing extra seating.

Another intricate piece from Living Spaces is the Black Hand Carved Console Table. This item is different in that it has more clean lines and is a better match in our master bedroom. It’s a great piece because it is not very deep and therefore does not have a large footprint, and it adds light texture to what could be read as a harsh piece. I put a few baskets underneath to hide cords from electronics.

Another reason we chose this for our master is because of the contrast in color and texture with our Dean Sand bed. The space was lacking a feeling of weight and intrigue, and the console offered up both.

Follow Shelley on Instagram at @restored_haven.