Entryway table decor ideas – interior designers explain how to make a great first impression

For many, entryway table decor ideas have become a recent obsession. They're the new must-have vignette for your home – a place to display the perfect cut branch with a few curated objet that encapsulate your design style. 

Entryway tables set the tone for what the rest of your home is going to present guests, a glimpse of what's to come once they make it through into the rest of your space. 

Yet, however you might focus on the good looks of your entryway table, it can serve a practical use too, so consider decor which best serves your overall entryway ideas. 

To inspire you to get creative in your entryway, we asked interior designers for their top tips for styling table decor in this space. 

Entryway table decor ideas 

First things first – before you can decorate your entryway table, you need to find the right piece of furniture for the space. 

'Entryways are the first impression of your home, and you want it to make a statement, while still having it flow with the rest of your space,' say interior designers Berkeley Minkhorst, co-founder of North Carolina-based House of Nomad. 'When decorating an entryway, considering the scale and shape of the table are equally important. A round table is a great solution to fill an odd or large area nicely, while a long rectangular console can be perfect against an empty wall with the proper styling.'

1. Create juxtaposition 

To make a real impact, create a juxtaposition between your entryway table and the decor on it. This can be through color, size, shape or even material. 

'When we choose accessories we will mix materials, looking for pieces that are a juxtaposition to the furniture they are placed on,' says interior designer Tanya Selway of Los Angeles-based Stelly Selway. 'So if its a wood bench, we'll want to choose a different material like glass or a ceramic.'

In this narrow hallway, jade figurines and draping florals create an interesting form against a low console table. 

2. Choose objects that mean something to you 

Where you're styling console table decor, you can afford to be selective with your choices. Plus, by choosing something which means something to you, it's likely to be seen by most people entering the house – everyone has to pass through this room after all. 

'When styling a console or entry table, we like to look for accessories with a soul and a story,' says Benjamin Stelly, the co-founder of Stelly Selway. 'They can be found items or antiques, but your styling will be original and automatically elevated. We gravitate towards pieces from makers who have a relevance to the client or project, that speak specifically to their interests.' 

3. Play with height

'No matter the table, styling with different heights and textures is crucial,' says Kelley Lentini, co-founder of interior design studio House of Nomad. Stacking books is a great way to artificially add height if needed, as well as acting as book organization, as shown on this entryway table as a way to round out the styling and pair with the matching glass vases. 

'For this project, it was also important to add color in this otherwise black and white foyer to bring in a sense of warmth and texture, without it feeling overdone,' adds Kelley. 

4. Include a catchall

Always losing your keys? Then include something on your entryway table to be the place to look first. It doesn't have to be a basic bowl, you can choose a beautiful, design-forward tray or vessel, but whatever it is, make sure it's easy to just throw your keys in when you walk in the door. 

'We love an entry table for a pop of greenery, some simple styling, and a place to house a catch-all bowl or tray,' says Aly Morford, co-founder of Pure Salt Interiors. 'Here, we opted for a round pedestal table to contrast the angular staircase and linear millwork and the result is the definition of divine.' 

5. Style with seating 

Having seating in your entryway is a real practical addition, but you don't have to decide between an entryway table and a separate chair, as this space created by architectural firm BBA Chicago and interior designer Pam Maher goes to prove. 

Tucking a few stools under a table, whether a round design or a console, not only helps fill the void underneath your furniture, it's really useful too. 

'I love adding seating under entry tables, as it does double duty,' says Pam. 'Here, it provides drama and scale with well-placed accessories, plus a place for guests to sit to remove shoes.' 

6. Add impact with foliage

Where once eucalyptus, then dried grasses, were the interior design trend du jour for filling vases and pots, right now it's all about finding the perfect branch. A cutting with the right proportions can add a real sculptural element to any space, but is especially dramatic in a hallway. 

In this design by Jessica Gersten Interiors, luscious green stands out against a completely neutral palette that extends to the styling of the console table. Our top tip? Go bigger with your branch than you'd think. The best versions of this trend are beautifully voluminous. 

7. Hang a mirror to your entryway 

What do you hang over an entryway table? There's a good case to be made for keeping to decor, whether that's wall art or a decorative wall display to make your entryway a space with real wow factor. However, the entryway is the perfect place to double-check yourself before heading out the door, ensuring there's not a hair out of place before stepping out into the world, so why not complement your entryway table with a mirror. 

Usually, the best mirror is the biggest one, but for a hallway, choose the right mirror that suits your entryway table decor in terms of style and scale. In this design by Calgary based-designer Reena Sotropa, a classic hanging mirror has been used to round out the display, complemented by the set-up of vase and freestanding picture frames. 

How do you style an entryway table?

Styling an entryway table draws on the same design principles as many other areas in the house, from coffee table decor to decorating bookshelves. 

First up, consider how you can achieve a sense of balance. This doesn't need to mean symmetry necessarily, but creating balance, whether on the table itself or across the wider scheme is important. Play with height and volume until the entryway table feels perfectly proportioned - it's a personal preference as much as anything. 

As well as playing with height, texture, form and color within your design, consider the 'rule of three'. This is a stylist's golden rule for grouping objects in threes, the magic number. This works for both individual objects placed together, and groups of smaller collections of objects.