How to Choose the Best Console Table?
Table of Contents
Top Best Console Tables Based on Reviews and Price
Why You Need a Good Console Table?
The console table is a piece of multi-purpose and stylish furniture usually placed against the wall of an entrance or in a living room. It’s quite practical when placed by the entrance because you can put keys, directories, handbags, etc. there. It adapts to all situations and can accommodate a small lamp as well as a dozen people.
It can be used as a table, a sideboard, a desk, and more. But since there are many designs, construction materials and models to choose from, here are criteria to consider to make sure you choose the best console table.
Top 8 Factors to Consider When Buying a Console Table
#1 The style: Classic, Baroque, Contemporary or Design Consoles?
Baroque Console Table
A baroque console table will hardly blend with ultra-modern armchairs and sofas. Check the lines of your furniture. Are they thin or thick? What is the material of your coffee table? Can we find a style match between the proposed console table and the rest of the furniture? You can ask for a metal-glass, wood-aluminum, stone-brass alloy furniture, etc.
Contemporary Console Table
The contemporary is located halfway between the modern and the classic. The cuts are simplified; the materials are lighter and go everywhere. In other words, they are more suitable for everyday interiors.
Modern Console Table
This is generally the designer. There are LED accessories on the underside of the console to highlight it. All materials are present, and very often combined for a rare and unique rendering: wood, wrought iron, stone, glass, stainless steel, waxed concrete.
They are demanding pieces of furniture. But you have to beware of the practical side. The designer style isn’t always practical. It, however, gives pride of place to aesthetics at the expense of storage.
Classic Console
This can complete an opulent and sober interior. It is generally made of old and noble materials such as wood, natural stone, travertine, marble or granite. It can also be in an alloy of metals worked in an antique finish with its colors like gold, silver, etc. The range of styles here is relatively vast.
From the Baroque to Louis XV type, with tortured or straight cuts, the classic style is a style apart. It blends with very specific spaces. This type of console is a work of art on its own and requires space for it to be seen.
If the console is placed in an entrance, such entrance must be sufficiently wide and high. If possible, a ceiling height of at least 2.50m is required.
#2 The Type and Frequency of Use
Determine the functions of the console table and in particular the frequency of use. If it will remain more of a console than a table, its style will have to match the atmosphere of the room and the colors of the wall against which it will be positioned. Think of the objects and elements that will be placed there to integrate them (or not) into the existing decoration.
#3 The Materials: Metal, Glass, Wood or MDF?
For the Base
You have at your disposal a wide choice of compositions of different materials for your extendable console. First of all, the base can be made of metal, wood or glass depending on the aesthetics sought.
- Metal for a modern and aesthetic look: Metal brings to the console furniture a contemporary design while being sturdy. In the case of an extendable console, it allows you to unfold 4 feet between which you place your extensions. The metal of the base is generally square or rectangular. It is available in stainless steel, chrome, white, black or taupe colors to adapt to all your decoration desires.
- Glass, to play on transparencies: Glass is a translucent material widely used in the making of designer furniture. Glass feet bring lightness to your furniture and allow you to play on the lights to compose your room. It fits perfectly with the very concept of the console.
- Wood, for a compact, trendy and beautiful look: Many extendable consoles are made of MDF, a very solid wood material that offers a wide choice of finishes. Wood style, your furniture will look simple and blend with every design. In white or black lacquer, it is contemporary and trendy.
Once you have chosen the material for your table console base, you have to choose the material that will make up the tabletop. For an ultra-modern look, consider mixing materials such as glass and wood or metal and glass.
For the Tray
Depending on the console model chosen, you have a main tray and extensions. According to your desires, you can play the card of a sober and rectilinear design, or mix the materials for a more unique result.
- Glass tray: Glass is used to make versatile, resistant and low-maintenance furniture trays. It can be translucent or opaque. The glass of your tray or your extensions can also be colored black or white.
- Wood tray: Wood is ideal for bringing a little warmth into a room. Whether natural or tinted gray or wenge, it is often synonymous with conviviality. The wood of a tray, combined with a metal base, will be the most beautiful effect in a designer interior or workshop style.
- The MDF tray: MDF is a composite material made from wood. It is covered with paint, lacquer or decoration that acts as a finish. Light and very solid, MDF is widely used in the world of furniture. It offers many qualities, including its resistance and durability. It is also an ideal economical material if you are looking for a cheap extendable console table.
#4 Extendable or Fixed Console Table?
Fixed Console Table
If you decide to acquire a fixed console for the entrance where to put your keys or your bag when you return home, it is important to choose a console table that will match as much as possible with the current decor. The consoles are practical, functional and optimal for saving space: leaning against a wall, they take up little space, but they offer a surface large enough for their intended use.
In its simple and non-extensible version, some of its function is to highlight decorative objects, vases, lamps; sculptures, mirrors, and trinkets.
Extendable Console Table
Other than the fixed consoles, the extendable console has also appeared on the market. These are very narrow small tables (about 45 cm wide) but which can extend up to 3 meters. These are, therefore, tables that can be kept closed and opened when the opportunity arises.
The extendable console can be transformed, in a few minutes and in any environment, into a perfect dining table. It is identical to a classic fixed model when closed. But thanks to its extensions, it can accommodate up to 12-14 people at the same time. This makes it essential for lunches and dinners but above all, for interiors where space is reduced.
#5 The Different Extendable Mechanics
The term “extendable console” describes a piece of furniture that unfolds to make room for a dining table. However, there are almost as many extensible systems as there are tables. Each of these opening mechanisms is adapted to a different need and must be adapted according to the desired use and the space available. You will find on an extendable console 4 main mechanics:
- Folding extensions: As its name suggests, this system consists of extensions located on either side of the main tray. Thanks to a simple system of hinges, the extensions unfold to enlarge the surface of the console. This simple system makes it possible to design cost-effective extendable consoles that allow you to install a small dining area in a kitchen or a student bedroom.
- With flaps: Folding tables offer many advantages. The table is perfectly hidden in a simple narrow console with a sober design. It is most often equipped with casters to move it with ease. Some models even hide 6 matching folding chairs for optimal space-saving.
- With integrated sliding extensions: The extensions are in this case placed under the tray, and a system of metal slides makes it possible to stretch the sides of the console to unfold the table. This simple and robust mechanism offers great ease of use.
- With removable extensions: This extension system is the most advanced. But it is also the one that allows you to obtain the largest models of tables that can seat up to 10 or even 12 people. The console constitutes the structure of the table base, which unfolds perpendicular to the wall. The piece of furniture stands out in the middle, and two sliding rails unfold on either side to create a structure that will be used to accommodate the extensions. If the table has more than 2 or 3 extensions, a central leg must be added to support the weight of the tabletop.
#6 Choose the Right Design
Aesthetics is an aspect that should not be underestimated. On the web, several thousand console tables will be available to you, but to ensure a winning purchase, you will have to trust your instincts. The most trendy console tables will not necessarily be the ones that suit your interior. The furniture that enjoys special attention from users is one that has additional storage space for books or other decorative trinkets.
If you think that the console table with shelf is too large, you can opt for a simple model without any artifice. The rectangular or square solid wood console tables will go perfectly in tight spaces like hallways or entrances.
To make this furniture even more welcoming, add a mirror above or next to the console. If you are fond of vintage style, the raw wood console tables should meet your expectations. Use console tables with drawers and long, thin legs.
#7 Choice of Colors and Textures
Don’t forget the colors and textures. A light-colored console table will find its place with dark-colored wooden furniture. Play with contrasts! And it works the other way too. A brightly lacquered console table will proudly take center stage in a living room with light beige sofas. The bright and soft colors will always be complimentary.
#8 The Dimensions of the Tray
Although trays with wider dimensions may take away the beauty of the furniture, you still want the console to be within a good range of sizes. When choosing your table, ensure it stays within the 35 inches to 50 inches range. This will give you enough space for placing items while looking compact.
Final Thoughts
The console table is never chosen at random. Before making a purchase, you will need to determine the functions and the frequency of use of the table.
If you want decorative furniture, ensure the table style is in harmony with the room’s atmosphere and also with the wall color against which it will lean. The choice will depend on the material because some are made “to last”. Meanwhile, others, which come with unbeatable prices, will force you to reinvest sooner than you think!
Apart from the material, think of the possible aspects and finishes that will bring a touch of originality to your console. The timeless classics are there; so also are the solid wood model, metal (steel, aluminum, etc.), tempered or tinted glasses, Formica, and medium-density fiberboard (MDF), which will mostly require minimal maintenance.
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