Stylish Side Table Decor That Pulls A Room Together
Sometimes it can be difficult envisioning the perfect side table for your living or family room, let alone decide what should go on it. IDK a lamp? Floral arrangement? Decorative Accents? And because we know you agonize over getting it wrong + having to do it over again, we’ve rounded up a handful of our own design ideas that will get you headed in the right direction.
But before we jump into side table decor, let's talk about a few foundational things, that as interior designers, we recommend you consider.
How To Select A Side Table That’s Perfect For Your Space?
For those of you who have worked with us 1-on-1 in the Seattle or Bellevue area (look at you go girl *wink*), you know that at our core, here at Elegant Simplicity, we believe the functionality of spaces precedes any conversation about it’s aesthetic.
So, what you want to do before deciding on what side table looks pretty in your room (we’ll get there — I promise) is to simply ask yourself — what function does it serve for us?
Is it paired with a coffee table? Well then, perhaps it’s merely decorative + you simply need enough space to display a few books or candles. Is it an extra place to set down a glass of water or hot cup of coffee? If this rings true for you, you’ll need to make sure there’s enough room for coasters Or, does your side table need to be large enough for a lamp to provide the space with adequate lighting for reading?
And just like that friend, it’s fairly easy to see how understanding the overall function, or purpose, of the side table in terms of how your family lives (or how you plan to use it) begins to direct your stylish side table decor decisions.
Are you catching what I’m laying down? :)
Selecting A Stylish Side Table
As a Seattle-based interior designer, when we’re designing a living room for clients, we almost always consider every other furniture piece in the room before we narrow in on side tables. Wondering why?
As a room comes together we want to be sure that it’s not only functional + cohesive but we also want to add a layer of depth to the design by introducing an unexpected element. Side tables are the perfect place in a room for creating contrast with style or materials.
Maybe you’re using a piece like an oversized garden stool (which technically isn’t a side table) as your side table. Or perhaps, you’re utilizing modern, clean lined + minimalistic furniture everywhere else in the room but you’ve chosen to introduce a splash of raw natural wood to the space in a handful of intentional ways
8 Tips for Styling Side Table Decor
Start with Function
Earlier, we talked about why our design process for selecting a side table (or any piece of furniture for that matter) begins by first looking at how your family will functionally use it. Well, the good news is — once you’ve identified what purpose your side table has, deciding what you need to accomplish this becomes fairly easy.
If you wanted a lamp, well then — we’re styling around the functional aspects of having a lamp. If you needed coasters for glassware + a place to set down your book, well then — we’re styling with these things in mind. It doesn’t mean they’re the only thing it just means they’re priority.
Which leads me to another point...
Less is More
As interior designers, we adore a swoon worthy home full of livable luxuries + decorative accents. That said, as professional organizers, in the Greater Seattle area, we strongly believe that you should absolutely, 100% hands down, truly love everything in your home. So, we’d be remiss if we didn’t remind you that your side tables (like your home) are more with less.
Yes. More beautiful + more functional with less stuff. This doesn’t mean bare, I promise :) It just means that everything we bring into your home must serve a purpose + have practical meaning for you + your family. Otherwise boo, it’s just stylish clutter.
Style With Things You Love
If you want to create a home that hugs your people or feels like the most comfortable part of your day then you can’t just go grab ‘stuff’ to fill your shelves with.
You know what I’m talking about… those outings with the girls (or your kids) where you’re looking for an excuse to ‘buy something.’ In that moment, those shiny new tchotchkes + decorative accents look like the perfect fix to fill that “what do I put there” spot in your home. But take my advice on this one, put it back. Because sooner rather than later you’ll be equally discontent with the items you brought home, because even though it looked good in the store, it doesn’t truly serve, empower or inspire you or anyone else in your family.
It doesn’t make the room more conversational by being intriguing or interesting; it doesn’t conjure up happy memories of a trip you took as a family or tell a story about who you are or where your family has been. It just sits there collecting dust on the side table. Invisible, until you decide you no longer want it.
Womp, Womp.
Long story short, the solution is to curate decor that has meaning to you. Ask yourself, where have you been what have you experienced in life that you’d want to showcase. A home should tell your family’s story so don’t be afraid to spend time, money to create a home that’s brimming with authentic, true to you character.
And if you’re curious about how to style those stop + stare bookcases you see all over IG and on Pinterest...we’ve gotcha covered! This post is filled with lots of free tips to get ya started!
Contrast is King
Where it makes sense, functionally, consider adding elements like baskets, mirrors, vases, jewelry boxes, candles, books, picture frames and of course greenery. Ultimately, you want to introduce items that have unique finishes and textures to create a sense of depth in your home.
And we know, girl, side table decor options for your home are literally e-n-d-l-e-s-s so while contrast in finish or texture is important, so too is visual balance.
Visual Balance
Balance in your side table decor comes in a variety of ways but the two we focus on the most are height + weight. If you have a tall table lamp on a side table you don’t want to pair it with a tall vase because it competes for attention. Instead, focus on decorative accents + greenery that help to balance how tall the table lamp is.
Likewise, if you have a large vase with floral on the end table you wouldn’t want to pair it with a sculpture of the same size because things can begin to look crowded + overwhelm the table in general.
We like to say, balance in your home is balance in your life –– and who doesn’t want that?
Symmetry or Asymmetry?
When it comes to side table decor, we believe a home feels more lived in with asymmetrical decorative accents. This doesn’t mean you can’t use the same baskets, candles or vases over again in the same room. It simply means mixing and matching a theme of texture, color or finish is a great way to create depth and character. And that we wouldn’t recommend an overly symmetrical approach to side table decor.
Create Odd Numbered Groupings
Creating groupings is pairing all the things you’ve learned about above: function, less is more, curating decor that tells your story, introducing contrast and ensuring visual balance into groupings that help to accentuate the character of your home.
We like to pair in groups of 3, 5 or 7 that look oh-so-fabulous together. Don’t be afraid to be adventurous because this is a ton of fun. And, as your interior designers we know we’ve struck the perfect grouping when the side table decor has a variety of heights, weights, sizes, colors, patterns + textures.
Step Back + Reconsider
John + I are always talking about how it can be difficult in design to see the forest through the trees which is a metaphor for lacking clarity of the big picture because one is so thick in the details of what is in front of them.
There’s probably not a more true statement then when you’re styling side table decor :) So, whenever we feel like something just isn’t working right, we take a step back + look at the room as a whole. In some cases, we’ll even leave the room + then walk back into the space to get a fresh perspective.
This can be extremely helpful when you’re trying to style tabletops like coffee tables, side tables, and dining tables as well as bookshelves because these pieces aren’t the focal point of the room. They simply need to accent the space with whatever the room needs.
Creating a dreamy home with positive energy that feels like a place you never want to leave isn’t difficult but it can be overwhelming. So, if that’s you — let’s carve out a time just for you.
To schedule a FREE 30-minute clarity call, grab your calendar + click here.