Julie's Dining Room: Accessorizing a Console Table

We have a sad, little console table that sits underneath one of the DIY circle prints in our dining room.  I hadn't given this table much thought since putting it in the dining room, but I knew that I needed to do something with it to help bring together the look of the room.

Even though mine was neglected, console tables are a great way to bring color and unexpected accessories into any room or hallway.

via Alice Lane Home

via DecorPad 

via DecorPad

via DecorPad

I wanted to accessorize the table using things we already had.  And by "things we already had" I mean Clay threatened divorce if I spent any more money on accessories.

Because Brooklyn isn't the greenest city in the world, I like to have plants in each of the rooms in our apartment.  Because I find most house plants ugly and hard to keep alive, preserved boxwoods are my favorite "plant" to use in decor.  Not only do they look great and bring a pop of green/life into any room, they also don't need to be watered.  Just mist them whenever they start to look a little sad.

I picked up this one at HomeGoods.  I think it is this one from Restoration Hardware, only I paid $50 instead of $145.  I practically threw it in my cart when I saw it.  If you don't have luck finding a preserved boxwood at a store like HomeGoods, the Restoration Hardware boxwoods are great quality and well-priced.

The frame holds the poem that Clay's dad wrote to him on our wedding day.  I love framing notes, drawings, and cards from our loved ones.  The gold stones say "believe," "hope," and "peace" on the underside and were given to me by my mom before the big move to NYC.  I stacked the books to bring more color into the room.

I love the look of stools/benches layered underneath console tables.  I picked up a really beat up stool from our local thrift store for $15, spray painted it gold, painted the feet black, and added a cream linen to the seat cushion.  Eventually I think I'll paint it a more exciting color, but it works for now.

Since throwing this together I've also added a small floral acrylic painting that I picked up at the flea market. Other console table ideas you could try are leaning art or a mirror against the wall, accessorizing a pretty tray, displaying a collection, or adding an interesting lamp (or pair of lamps).  Regardless of how you decide to accessorize your console table, I think it's always a good rule of thumb to display something natural and add some height.  Of the images above, which do you like best?  Any other tips for accessorizing console tables?