A console table is a narrow table that stands against a wall: 25 to 40 cm deep, 75 to 85 cm high and usually 80 to 140 cm long. In a hallway it holds keys, post and a lamp; behind a sofa it gives a ledge for drinks and reading lights.
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Buying guide
The console table earns its place in the rooms where floor space is tightest. It asks for very little depth, gives you a surface at hand height and anchors a mirror or a piece of art on the wall above. Measure three things before choosing one: the width of the corridor, the length of free wall and the position of radiators, sockets and door frames.
In a hallway, keep at least 75 cm of clear walkway once the table is in place, and 90 cm if you often carry bags or a pushchair through. A typical UK hallway of 90 cm to 1.1 m wide takes a console table of 25 to 30 cm deep. Wider entrances and living rooms can take 35 to 40 cm, which leaves room for a lamp and a bowl side by side.
Most console tables stand 75 to 85 cm tall, close to the height of a kitchen worktop, so you can drop keys without bending. Behind a sofa, match the height of the sofa back or sit a few centimetres below it so the table does not look like a barrier. Under a window, keep the top below the sill.
Leave space either side of the table: as a rule, a console table should be no more than two thirds of the wall it sits against. Behind a sofa, choose one 15 to 30 cm shorter than the sofa so it is hidden from the front. Check that a door can still open fully and that the table clears any radiator by a few centimetres.
Because a console table sits by the front door, it takes knocks from bags, keys and wet umbrellas. Solid oak and other hardwoods can be sanded and refinished after years of keys and bags. Painted wood suits traditional homes and can be repainted. Metal frames with a wood, glass or stone top are lighter on the eye in narrow spaces. Marble shows rings from wet glasses and plant pots, so use a tray or coasters.
Hang a mirror or picture with its bottom edge 15 to 25 cm above the top, and keep it narrower than the console, roughly two thirds of its length. Add a lamp at one end for evenings, a small bowl for keys and something taller at the other end, such as a vase. Stools or baskets slid underneath use the empty space without crowding the walkway.
A shallow table with drawers can tip forward if a child pulls on it or leans a heavy bag against the edge. Many manufacturers supply an anti-tip strap; fix it to the wall with plugs suited to plasterboard or masonry. Felt pads protect wooden floors and stop the table sliding when someone brushes past.
The same narrow shape works in other rooms. Behind a sofa that floats in the middle of an open-plan space, a console table hides the sofa back and gives a place for two lamps. On a landing it holds a plant and a stack of books. In a dining room it serves as a slim sideboard for plates and serving dishes. Under a wall-mounted television, a low console tidies away the router and set-top box, provided there is a gap at the back for cables. In a bedroom, a console table of 40 cm deep doubles as a dressing table with a stool tucked underneath and a mirror on the wall.
Console tables are long and shallow, so measure stairs and tight turns on the way in, as well as the wall itself. Many arrive with the legs or frame to fit, which takes a few minutes with the tools supplied. Delivery is free across the UK and the exact date appears on the product page.
At a glance
| Where | Depth | Height |
|---|---|---|
| Narrow hallway | 20 to 30 cm | 75 to 85 cm |
| Wide entrance | 30 to 40 cm | 75 to 85 cm |
| Behind a sofa | 25 to 35 cm | Level with the sofa back |
20 to 30 cm in a narrow hallway, so you keep at least 75 cm of clear walkway. Wider entrances can take 35 to 40 cm.
Usually 75 to 85 cm, close to worktop height. Behind a sofa, match the height of the sofa back.
Hang it with the bottom edge 15 to 25 cm above the top, and choose one about two thirds of the table's length.
It is wise with children or pets in the house, especially for shallow tables with drawers. Use the anti-tip strap and plugs that suit your wall.