3 Tips for Decorating a Console

Hi Everyone,

Kara has been really great about keeping our online presence going.  I keep promising her I will be better about posting on Facebook and doing some blog posts.  So I decided that I would start posting design tips that everyone can do and may need a little help with. For starters lets talk basic rules for decorating a console table.

3 Tips for Decorating a Console Table

Console Tables are great pieces of furniture to add to your home.  They can create an entry, add dimension behind your sofa, or fill in that blank wall you just can’t figure out how to style. 

Today I will demonstrate three different ways to decorate a console. As the base of these designs I'll use this great little table and beautiful Blue Heron Painting the girls got in while Kerry and I were playing in Ireland and Scotland.  The main colors we are using here are coming from the Painting.  We have various colors of blue in the bird’s feathers along with some red accents.  The black lines in the picture are balanced with the black console.  We will pick up the white in the frame and background in our accessories.  When putting colors and accessories together it's important to create balance from top to bottom and side to side. If something doesn’t look quite right it is probably because the balance is off.  (Another Blog Post)

1. Move My Eye Left to Right

In this picture the items on the table are in an Asymmetrical arrangement.  Your eye starts out focusing on the tall oars on the left side. It will then flow across the painting and down to the picture frame and canoe.  Your eye then picks up the antlers on the bottom shelve as they bring the white down from the picture creating balance in the vignette.  Can you see how the colors in the painting are picked up by the accent pieces?

2. How About some Symmetry

In this arrangement the identical tall candle sticks on either side of the table create symmetry.  Instead of your eye flowing from left to right your eye focuses on the whole arrangement.  The blue orbs in the middle pick up the blue from the painting.  We also created symmetry and balance in the design by adding the white shore birds on the bottom shelf bringing down the white from the painting and tying in the bird theme. 

3. Creating a Collected Look

Because the heron is a lake bird, we can add a collection of boats and still be cohesive in our design.  We will combine our collection with an asymmetrical design with the tall sailboat on the left and then flowing to the right with a setof wooden sailboats.  The large canoe on the bottom carries our boat theme down and the colors in the canoe balance with the painting.

These are three fun ways to decorate your console table.  You can also apply these tips to your fireplace mantle.

I hope you try some of these tips in your house.

~Lori

Is there anything you see you in these pictures you just fell in love with?  All items can be purchased in our Garden City Store. For more great items checkout our online boutique here.

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