Take one console table and...

Console tables are versatile pieces of furniture. Most often they are used as sofa tables, but such a narrow application limits  this amazing piece of furniture which can  add interest, character and serviceability to many rooms in your home.  A little creativity will turn this long, leggy table into a showpiece.   You can keep your application simple or you can layer to your hearts delight.  It all depends on the look you want to achieve.

Keep it Simple

 

Toby Zack Designs

Stark simplicity has its advantages if you have an interestingly shaped/coloured table.  The lines/colour alone can be the statement.  Add a little detail to the top and you've completed the job. I love the starkness of the black table and accompanying mirror in this very contemporary white and black room.

  Shoshana Gosselin

Keeping the display  on the top of this table simple in colour and quantity allows the table to be the design statement. Design tip:  paint out the vent under the table. It is much too obvious.

 Create extra storage

 

  photographer Sylvia Martin

In smaller rooms a console table with or without a shelf can solve some of your storage problems.  Of course the trick is to come up with interesting ways to do this. Stacked trunks and suitcases are a creative solution as are baskets.

source

The use of white unifies this arrangement  while the addition of green livens things up and creates a soft contrast. 

Store  extra seating
 

Houzz

Tuck away extra seating by filling the space under the table with upholstered ottomans or 18 inch cubes.

 

 Glenn Gissler Designs

I love this arrangement.  The ottoman is a good size for the space under the table.  There should be breathing room on both sides.  Stuffing in an oversized piece  will not give you the polished look you want. There is a nice play of dark against light and the arrangement on the table top works very well in terms of colour, scale and texture.

Rachel Reider Interiors

 Don't let limited space stop you from having an interesting and inviting  arrangement in a foyer or entrance.  By keeping the line of a table simple and using a monochromatic scheme you can have a lot going on in a limited space. It's also refreshing to see this combination with light wood. 

 

 Houzz

Not many people would consider a console table as a night table, but this works very well because it is smaller in scale and the stool tucks in nicely .  Just pull it out and it's ready for use. The green looks so refreshing next to the wood tones.

 Forum Phi

When you place a table behind a sofa you can still think about it as a place to store extra seating. 

 

Cristi Holcombe

Paired chairs on either side of  a console table also work well.   To flank a table with chairs you need roughly 6-8 feet of linear space. The scale of the chairs and the table should be in harmony.  A bulky table would overwhelm  smaller chairs.

 House Beautiful via Project Pretty

This same arrangement can be used behind a long sofa. 

Houzz

 And sometimes one chair is best especially when the table is near a corner.

Focus on the small things

 

BHG

Keeping a light  palette doesn't mean a boring room. It's all about what you do after you choose your large pieces and paint the walls. If you like the calm serenity of a muted palette, you have already arrived; if you are someone who likes change and colour , think about adding personality with accessories. Some things can stay the same over the long term, but others can be moved around or added. There's a long inspiration list when it comes to adding colour to a room.  

Ready made panels

If you usually tire of draperies  quickly, custom draperies may not be your best investment. Think ready made panels.  For a hundred dollars you can purchase lined ready made panels that can have several lives if you are a DIY er. 

 

 Combine two types of panels on one rod to introduce additional pattern.

 

Use them as a backdrop for a headboard or to visually centralize a window in a room.Tired of that application? Transform the fabric into a runner &/or pillows.

A throw

Not only is a throw a serviceable  object in home decor, it can be used to brighten a dull corner in any room. The splash of deep red in the throw and the flowers  above adds energy to this  black and white room.

Fresh flowers 

Nothing surpasses flowers when it comes to beauty, colour, form and texture. 

Fresh flowers in a crystal vase integrates well with any style of decor.

A brightly coloured table

Area Rugs

Whether large or small, a bright area rug can anchor neutral palettes and provide a starting point for the addition of other colours.This is an adventurous use of red and orange which would not be a personal choice for me.

Colourful pillows

 Art Work

 I think this art work would look good in our model room.  I like the addition of the blue and yellow to the orange red palette.  The right art work can bring any room up several notches. 

Let's have another look at that room with colour added.

 BHG

Adding reds and oranges with touches of yellow in the tulips makes everything sing. Does that black lamp bother anyone but me? Check out the next pic to see what happens when it is removed.

 We're getting more adventurous with the addition of two dark red end tables. This look may not be for everyone but it is a good example  of how to layer colour over a basically neutral palette. Check out additional rooms at Better Homes and Gardens link under the top photo.

Think iris or allium

 Do we develop an interest in a colour because we are exposed to it in different environments or do we like colours naturally and then see them everywhere we look?  A good question, but the answer is really irrelevant.  We are attracted to certain colours and having them around us adds  a positive note to our lives.

 I  encourage clients to pay attention to their colour voice. If someone comes to me and likes deep, earthy colours (really not in the  top ten right now), I don't try to convince them that light and airy is what is current.  It doesn't make any sense to paint your home in colours  you don't like just to be "in style".  Colour trends come and go, but if you look at really interesting  environments you will see that the most obvious characteristic they share  is their reflection of  the personality of the individuals living there.

 I love purple!  Do I love it because it is  a hot colour choice right now?  No, I've always loved it and it has existed in various ways in my home for many years. I love purple in all its guises and it just so happens that I love flowers and there are many purple varieties that are close to my heart...

 In my garden...

What hue looks best with purple?  Just look above, the answer is always in mother nature. Green in my book. If you want a neutral,  gray is best.  

 There are many ways to interpret a purple green colour scheme.

Canadian House and Home

Try it with a little dash of pink thrown in and make the green chartreuse.  

 lovehome

 A white sofa permits interesting wall colours.  While I love every shade of purple I could not live with it on my walls unless it was so toned it reads as gray. 

 

Rachel Reider Interiors

Think about the blue green of the sea on a quiet summer day for a different take on a purple green combo. 

contemporary living room design by  Designing Home

Smokey lilac always looks good with sage green. 

decorpad 

Sometimes a  neutral with a slight greenish undertone is just enough to do the trick. 

lovehome