Console tables and sideboards are extremely useful when it comes to storage or a place to park your keys, but with their length and need for wall space they can sometimes be a bit confusing to style. We take you through the key ingredients for sideboard and console table styling so you can get it right every time.

Have a statement wall piece

Whether it's a single piece of wall art, an eye-catching mirror or a gallery wall, you want something that stands out to draw the eye up and make use of the whole wall. Make sure you keep it proportional and, where you can, link colours or materials for cohesion.

Get creative with your choice of decor

Decor gives you a chance to show off your personality and break up the visual monotony of structured elements. Find inspiration in your favourite books, an ornate lamp, beautiful ceramics, candles and candle holders or bouquets of flowers. Decorative bowls and trays are also a great option for storing everyday, on-the-go items such as keys. Sideboards also give you the opportunity to display glasses and servingware such as crystal decanters or timeless coupes. 

Play with symmetry and height

Select decor pieces in a variety of sizes to create visual interest and flow. Taller items such as lamps, vases or even leaning artworks will balance out the length of the console or sideboard and can help to connect the surface and wall pieces. Be sure to style in clusters or groups of three, with taller items at the back and smaller at the front to avoid the styling looking flat. Keep the styling either perfectly symmetrical (ie. objects of the same height at either end) or stagger your pieces so they are displayed in harmony with the points of visual weight in your wall art.

For more styling inspiration, check out Marble console table styling looks.