Console Tables: Sizing and Styling an Entry or Hallway

Measuring your hallway step by step

Many farmhouses and village homes around Rome have narrow front halls with radiators, heat registers or a stair newel in the way. Before you pick a console, take four measurements:

1. Wall length between door casings, trim or the stair post. Aim for a table about two-thirds of that span.
2. Clear walkway from the wall to the opposite obstacle. Subtract the table depth; what remains should be 36 inches or more.
3. Height to the window sill or light switch, so the top does not block either.
4. Door swing from any closet or entry door, so it never hits the tabletop.

Behind a sofa or under a TV

Behind a sofa, the console should sit at or just below the height of the sofa back and run a few inches shorter than the sofa on each end. Under a wall-mounted TV, a low piece such as the minimalist TV console works better than a tall hallway table.

Styling that stays practical

Use the rule of three: one tall item (a lamp or a branch in a crock), one medium item (a framed photo) and one low tray for keys and mail. In winter, add a small boot mat on the floor beneath so wet gloves and hats land somewhere other than the wood. A narrow driftwood console fits halls where every inch counts; more options are in our consoles collection.