How To Style A Console Table; Dissecting The Design

The Surface
By starting with the surface, you’ll determine how big of statements you’ll use for the rest of the decor and accents.  Here, MKR has utilized the modern, clean design of a glass console table as the blank canvas to allow room for a show-stopping lamp, colorful art and statement stool to really shine. 

Other gorgeous options include ornate tables like this blue raffia, this natural grasscloth, and this bone-inlay console table.

One thing to consider: some console tables like this one have a lower, second shelf.  This will allow for more styling space, but will limit the use of stools and ottomans. 

Art
Think of oversize wall art as the anchor of this space.  A bright, bold piece centers the vignette and gives it the dimension it deserves.  

Don’t want to invest in an original piece just yet?  Check out Minted and One Kings Lane for beautiful options for framed prints and printed canvases.  

The Lamp
The next piece is a no-brainer; the lamp.  Not only will you want a lighting source on in this styled vignette, you will need the added height and interest it brings.  A table lamp instantly unifies the art and the styled items on the table.  MKR incorporated a stunning Mary McDonald statement lamp to great effect. 

More gorgeous options include this gold bamboo table lamp, this gilded beauty by AERIN, and this simplistic, and really reasonably priced, white table lamp. 

Stools & Ottomans
This part is what makes the space so pin-worthy!  Stools and ottomans are the perfect marriage of form and function, and they really take the vignette to the next level. 

Whether that’s a Moroccan leather pouf, a set of X benches, the White Hand Stool from Waiting on Martha as pictured above, or two chinoiserie garden stools, this detail always helps tie the space together.  Not to mention, it gives you a place to set your bag in the entryway! 

The Book Stack
A stack of books instantly delivers the balance on the table that you’re aiming for; arrange 1-2 stacks with a variety in sizes—they don’t have to be perfect!  Have fun with your book selection, picking out titles and covers that show your personality and interests.  And MKR always reminds us to incorporate a pop of red in a vignette; here she used Art of the 20th Century to do the trick. 

Book stacks also act as the perfect pedestal for your favorite accents like a balloon dog, these geometric objects, a brass skull or this gold urchin. 

Something Fresh
You can never go wrong with fresh blooms or greenery in a styled vignette.  Here, an orchid provides another point of interest and added height.  If you find yourself with a green thumb, having a live plant gives you the perfect excuse to enjoy this styled space throughout your week!  And if you can’t ever keep a plant alive, consider a beautiful faux option like this one. 

For the Trinkets
When you’re considering how to make this space as functional as it is beautiful, don’t forget a place to stash your car keys, especially if the console table is in the hallway or entryway. Decorative boxes and trinket dishes, like this one and this one, are the perfect additions to your book stacks and accents.