Console Tables

Buying guide

How to choose a console table

A console table is a narrow piece that sits against a wall. It gives you a surface for keys, a lamp, photos or plants without taking up the floor space of a full cabinet. Most homes use one in the entrance, behind a sofa or under a TV or mirror.

Measure the wall and the walkway

Measure the wall where it will stand and leave room on both sides so it does not look squeezed. In a hallway, check the walking width that remains once the table is in place, especially where doors open outwards. A slim design such as the gold console table keeps the passage clear.

Display or storage

• Display only: an open console with a single surface suits a lamp, a vase and a tray for keys.
• Display and a mirror: the gold console table with a round mirror gives an entrance a finished look and a last check before you leave the house.
• Storage: the cream console cabinet with gold trim has a top drawer and glass-panel doors for glassware, books or items you want to show but keep dust-free.

Matching the rest of the room

Gold finishes work well with cream, white and grey walls, and with glass or marble coffee tables. If your living room already has a gold or glass coffee table from our coffee tables range, a gold console ties the two together. Our guide to furniture colours and finishes explains how to mix metal tones with wood.

Styling tips

Keep the top light: a lamp, one plant and a tray are usually enough, with a basket underneath for shoes in an entrance.

Care

• Dust with a soft, dry cloth; avoid rough sponges on gold finishes.
• Clean glass with a glass cleaner sprayed on the cloth, not straight onto the frame.
• Use mats under plant pots so water does not sit on the surface.

For more living room pieces, see our living room furniture page and the living room layout ideas guide.