A console table is usually the first thing you see when you open the front door, or the narrow surface behind the sofa that catches everything. Styling it well is mostly about the wall above, a little height at one end and somewhere for the keys to go. Here are ten easy ideas for a hallway or living room console, plus what to do with a very narrow one. Prices were correct when we published this guide, and each product page always shows the current price.
The short answer
Hang a mirror or lean art at the back, put a lamp or one tall piece at one end and a low group at the other, and give keys and post a bowl so they do not take over. Keep the front edge clear, and use the space underneath for baskets or a stool.
1. Start with the wall
A mirror or a piece of art above the console does most of the work. In a hallway a mirror bounces light around and gives you a last look on the way out. Hang it with its bottom edge a little above the tallest piece on the table, or lean a large frame against the wall instead.
2. Add height at one end
A lamp, or a tall vase with a single branch, gives the arrangement a high point. The V-shaped vase (£52), about 24.5cm tall, holds a bare branch beautifully, and the molten glass vase on wood (£31), about 27cm tall, suits a stem of eucalyptus.
3. Balance it with a low group
At the other end, group two or three low things: a short stack of books, a small bowl and a candle holder. The contrast between one tall end and one low end looks relaxed and deliberate.
4. Give the keys a home
In a hallway the console is where keys, post and sunglasses land, so give them a bowl and the rest of the table stays tidy. A generous bowl copes with a busy household; for just the keys, the mini amber glass bowl (£18) is about 12cm long and looks good even when it is full. Our guide to what to put in a decorative bowl has more ideas.
5. Bring in something living
A plant makes a hallway feel cared for. A glass terrarium keeps it tidy: the large diamond terrarium (£29) in a brass-finish frame with an open top makes a centrepiece, and the slimmer lantern terrarium (£19) suits a narrow table. Plants are not included, and an air plant needs no soil at all.
6. Choose pieces that fit the depth
Consoles are often only 25 to 35cm deep, so measure before you buy. Long, low and slim pieces work best. The glass vase terrarium in dark tung wood (£35) is only about 5cm deep, green-tinted glass set into a block of wood, so it fits even the narrowest hallway table with a few dried stems.
7. Layer from back to front
Put the tallest and flattest things at the back (art, a mirror, a tall vase) and the smaller objects in front, overlapping slightly. Layering gives a shallow surface depth.
8. Use the space underneath
Baskets for shoes and scarves, a pair of stools or a stack of large books under the console make the whole piece look finished and keep the clutter off the top.
9. Light it
A small lamp is the most useful thing on a hallway console: it welcomes you home on dark evenings. Keep candles for a living room console you are sitting near, not a hallway where coats and scarves brush past.
10. Leave the front edge clear
In a hallway, people put things down in a hurry. A clear strip along the front edge stops things being knocked off and keeps the arrangement looking intentional.
Hallway, living room or behind the sofa?
- Hallway: a mirror, a lamp, a bowl for keys and one living thing. Practical first.
- Living room: art, a sculptural piece and a little candlelight; more room for display.
- Behind the sofa: keep it low so it does not block the view, with a lamp at one end for reading.
Common questions
What do you put on a console table?
A mirror or art above, a lamp or tall piece at one end, a low group of books and a small bowl at the other, and something living such as a terrarium or a stem in a vase.
How do you style a console table in a hallway?
Put function first: a mirror, a lamp and a bowl for keys. Add one plant or vase, keep the front edge clear and use baskets underneath for shoes and bags.
How high should a mirror be above a console table?
Hang it with the bottom edge a little above the tallest object on the table, so the two read as one arrangement rather than floating apart.
What do you put on a narrow console table?
Slim, shallow pieces: a wall-mounted or leaned mirror, a slim vase or terrarium, and a small bowl for keys. Measure the depth before you buy anything.
Browse our vases, bowls and glass terrariums, or see how to style a mantelpiece and what to put on a coffee table.
