Part of that mysterious ‘occasional’ category of furniture, entry tables are most commonly sofa, hall, or console tables that have just been located right outside the front door. As the first impression of your home, styling your entry table in a way that encapsulates your personality and the way you see your life is essential. While that may sound difficult, it’s actually not too different from the task of decorating your home with everlasting style in mind.
So how does one decorate the perfect entry table? It’s as easy as 1, 2, 3…
1. BE PICKY. SPECIFICS MATTER.
Proportions are key to any successful entry table.
When thinking about proportions, consider first the area you have to work with (windows, ceiling height, existing décor, the floor, the wall paint or paper, etc) and then find an table fits within those parameters. For example, if you’ve got a lot of empty space to fill in your entry way, choose a long entry table; if not, don’t. The same applies to entry table height, but there tends to be a lot less variation in this regard.
Width, like height, also doesn’t tend to vary as much; at least, not as much as the length. But width can become important if your guests are going to be looking at your entry table from a side angle rather than front on (e.g. because the table is against a left- or right-hand wall as they enter your home). In this case, width is the most important measurement of them all: you need to ensure the table is wide enough to display whatever it is you might display, but no wider. If it’s wider, your table will just consume unnecessary space, becoming awkward, inconvenient, and obtrusive. But if it’s too narrow for you to decorate, there’s little point having the table at all.
BONUS TIP...
An entry table will say something to your guests about your values, whether you like it or not. Many of us at 1825 interiors are drawn to reclaimed timber furniture for environmental values and an appreciation for family-friendly furniture, for example. Many of us also love the old-world feel of reclaimed timber. Regardless of your values, reclaimed timber is be a distinguishing detail which can add depth and dimension to the entryway of any home.
2. THINK ABOUT FURNITURE STYLES
While there are countless ways you can decorate your entry table, it’s important for the base unit to be consistent with the dominant furniture style(s) of your home. People commonly look at entry tables in one of two ways: as either a microcosm of their home (as a kind of summary of everything should expect to find in that house), or an introduction to it (introducing some key elements, but not trying to fit in everything). Neither is “right”, it just depends on your personal preference.
3. TRIAGE YOUR DÉCOR
As with everything décor, you should pick your personal stuff first: photos, books, journals, fruit and flowers from your garden, goodies you’ve baked recently, things you need on the go as you’re heading out the door, and so on.
Then pick your homewares: mirrors, ceramics, accessories, wall art, and anything else you think might suit your console table. If you’ve got young kids and/or pestiferous pets, you might want to avoid fragile décor like ceramics.
Just a note on mirrors: be careful! If your entry table is more like an “exit” table—i.e., it’s more for your family’s use heading out the door than your guests’ enjoyment coming in—then a mirror can be quite useful. If your entry table actually is an entry table, then you should only hang a mirror after careful consideration. After all, it’s pretty unlikely that the first thing your guests would like to see in your home is a reflection of themselves.
(Psst! Looking for some more creative ideas about how to use an entry table? Come this way…)