Ensuring that our pieces are properly fitted to your home is so important to us here in OB. We truly believe that your space should be filled with pieces that are perfectly balanced between functionality and beauty and so much of that rests on how furniture is styled within the home. Our hallway and console tables are some of our most popular pieces so we want to help you in bringing your console table to life by giving you a step by step guide in how to style it for your space. But first...
What is a console table?
A console table is a relatively narrow piece of furniture. At about 80 cm tall, console tables are usually slightly higher and more narrow than a standard table as they are not typically designed to accommodate seating and are purely functional as tables. Console tables are ideal for narrow spaces where you want to place a piece of furniture but don’t have much space, for example, in a hallway, porch or behind the sofa. They usually have a flat top surface for displaying decorative items and/or a lamp.
Hallway Table Styling
Console tables are often used in hallways for functional and decorative purposes. In fact, they are so popular for hallways that they are often referred to as ‘hallway tables’. The hallway is a great place to add a console table as it’s usually a small area where bulky furniture would not fit. Adding a table will provide some storage space to set your keys, purse and other items that are normally scattered around a hallway.
This Industrial Style Console Table with 2 drawers is just the perfect console table to add in a hallway. The combination of steel frame and top makes it a sturdy piece of furniture that will last for years to come. It features two spacious drawers that will provide ample storage for your hallway essentials. This console table sits at 100 cm in width which makes it the perfect console table to add to a hallway but a small width to style!
When you're dealing with a small surface area be selective with your styling and try to style asymmetrically. We like to style small widths with a right angle triangle in mind, starting with the tallest piece on one side and continuing to slope into the opposite corner. It's also a great idea to utilise the open space beneath the console for storage and styling, baskets or a shoe rack make a great solution in a hallway.
Mississippi Meanders I Print €110 | Black Smoked Glass Vase 2 sizes €49.50 | True Grace Cedarwood Classic Candle €36 | Seagrass Baskets Set of 3 €69
Styling a Console for the Living Room
A living room is another area of your home where you can add a console table. They are perfect for anywhere that space is an issue but surface area is needed. Places like behind the sofa are great places to use a console table as it’s ideal when adding a lamp or holding drinks or snacks in the living room when you are entertaining guests.
The Minimalist Mango Wood Console Table is a stunning piece of furniture that will add a touch of elegance to any room. The slimline structure is just perfect for narrow spaces, making it an ideal console table for behind the sofa. Sitting at 1.2m wide, it's a stylist yet functional console table for your home. The slim open shelf is ideal for behind a sofa in an open plan space as it at a functional height for dressing with books without obstructing the table top.
When styling a console behind a couch you can go wider with your display as a three seater sofa will be approximately 2m in length and able to take some bolder accessories. Try a medium to large lamp and a bold plant to add some height behind the sofa, but leave plenty of space for use! If your sofa is in an open plan area this leaves plenty of room to use the open base for basket storage or a magazine rack.
White Ceramic Lamp with Linen Shade €185 | Pair of Decorative Ceramic Leopards €35 | Seagrass Baskets Set of 3 €69 | Antiqued Mirror and Brass Tray €29
How to Style for a Dining Room
Dining rooms traditionally have a sideboard but sometimes they can be too bulky so a console table makes an excellent alternative for additional surface area while keeping walkways clear and spacious. However styling the console while leaving ample surface for service can be a tricky balance!
This Ceramic Tiled Console Table Nest | Set of 2 is just gorgeous when adding to a dining room. It’s just a lovely colour when you are wanting to add a splash of colour to your space and double up on surface area at the same time!
The key to dining room consoles is to choose a bold piece of furniture and pair that with something eye catching on the wall, leaving your console free for dinner party buffets, drinks or as a little cocktail station when in use but minimally styled for everyday with a simple vase or ornament. We like to use large pieces of artwork or a feature mirror such as the Geometric Brass Wall Mirror for low maintenance but high impact styling. Mirrors should be hung no more than 30cm above the top of a console for a balanced look.
Roman Style Bust €58 | Small Stoneware Mustard Vase €8| Mousey Cheese Servers Set of 2 €28 | White Marble Chopping Board €55 | Geometric Brass Wall Mirror €390
Explore our entire console table collection here.
