Sofa tables (also used as hall and console tables) were originally designed for placing directly in front of a sofa—much like our modern day coffee tables—for serving tea, dining, writing letters, and other things people used to do all those years ago. These days, they are usually relegated to the back.
But not all is lost for the sofa table. There are several ways of making your sofa table stand out, and in this blog I'll share some handy tips on styling your sofa table and putting it back in centre stage, so to speak.
Here are three questions to consider:
1. WHERE WILL YOU PLACE IT?
If the sofa table is positioned against a wall then you can confidently display fragile items on it. However, if it is placed in a high-traffic location then it is quite likely that kids (or pets in one of their crazy moods) will bump into it eventually, sending your precious knick-knacks crashing to the floor.
2. WHAT WILL IT BE USED FOR?
Functional, decorative, or both—why is your sofa table in your home? If it's a functional piece of furniture, you'll want more space for working and only a few useful accessories such as a small bowl for keys or loose coins, or a basket on the shelf underneath for magazines, etc. Of course, prioritising practicality doesn’t mean you have to forgo style: add an interesting lantern, a photo frame or a bunch of fresh flowers in a pretty vase. And even if your sofa table is purely decorative, your décor will come alive if you give it room to breathe and resist the urge to keep adding more!
3. WHAT IS YOUR STYLE?
Take a look at your sofa table and where it is placed (or will be placed) in your home. Will it work well with your existing décor? If you're more into the mid-century look, your sofa table should bear simple or quirky ornaments—avoid anything overly embellished. Meanwhile, a French Provincial sofa table with intricate designs and cabriole legs would look stunning when paired with silver and glass accessories.
To accessorise your sofa table:
- Add a lamp or two. Having “his and her” lamps on each side of a sofa table adds an elegant touch to your living area as well as much needed light. Aside from being reading lights, lamps can also be a reflection of your personality.
- Photo frames are great way to display your favourite family photos. Choose a number of them in different sizes and shapes but with a common theme (such as black and white or shabby chic) so that they look cohesive yet interesting.
- If you want to create a fresh feeling and add a pop of colour to your room, you can't beat flowers. If you're the type that wants to set and forget your decorative fruit and foliage, artificial greenery has come a long way and will look convincing for as long as you want it. (Just remember to dust it!)
- There’s a candle holder to suit any décor—lanterns, candelabras, and hurricanes in all shapes, sizes and colours. They also create intimacy when lit.
- Knick-knacks and personal treasures—like a big shell you found on the beach during one of your family’s summer holidays—also make great decorations for a sofa table.
In most homes, the sofa table is often given little or no attention and is really just there to occupy a space—if it's there at all. Increase the versatility of this piece of furniture by styling it to become a beautiful and functional element in your room.