How to Style a Console Table, According to an Interior Designer
It’s time to clear off the mail and extraneous clutter from your tabletops in favor of a more styled aesthetic. Curator of all things chic in interiors, Liz Woods, principal of Liz Hand Woods Associates in Birmingham, Alabama, lends her expertise on how to style a console table—or flat surface—in an elevated, yet totally achievable way. To find an interior designer in your city, consult The Scout Guide Directory.
1.
Choose your surface
“Almost any tabletop in your home provides an opportunity for styling to some degree,” Woods explains. Some of her favorites include library tables (otherwise known as writing tables or larger desks) and coffee/cocktail tables, because they offer more surface-area, providing the opportunity to expand on your vignettes. But fear not, even smaller tables can be styled.
2.
Layer it on
When styling a table, your starting point is creating varying levels of height. “Trays, boxes, and books are great building blocks. Depending on the type of table, I might then layer in family photos, fresh flowers, or special pieces that lend some personality or interest to the overall scheme,” Woods says. Lamps, vases, or even artwork displayed on tabletop easels are other ways to add height.
3.
Consider a refresh
If you’ve created a classic vignette, Woods explains that you should be able to live with it for years. But if you’re the kind of person who tires of looking at the same thing, then consider making some tweaks to your display, whether that’s changing it seasonally or simply keeping up with the latest trends. This is also a great area to display new vacation souvenirs that hold meaning for you, photography, or simply rotating out treasured family heirlooms.
4.
Get cheeky with color
Tabletop accessories provide a great opportunity to introduce color to a more neutral space. “I often remind and encourage clients who want to add color to their interiors to embrace this opportunity as their first step,” Woods says. Urging those looking to experiment that sometimes less is more, and it may only take the addition of one strong colorful element to create the statement they seek.
TSG Tip 478 from Liz Woods of Liz Hand Woods Associates in Birmingham, Alabama. Liz Hand Woods Associates appears in The Scout Guide Birmingham.
For more design inspiration, check out Front Door Decor: How to Make an Entrance and Bright Ideas: How to Bring More Light Into Your Space.
Feature photo: Photography by Jean Allsopp.
