How To Style A Buffet or Side Table

Who better to start off my brand new ‘How To’ series than having Nicole from The Builders Wife as my first guest!

As fate would have it, Nicole and I had the same hairdresser. My hairdresser mentioned my name to Nicole and then Nicole started cyber-stalking me. I noticed Nicole liking a lot of my posts and so I decided to cyber-stalk her. It was then I realised that her home, that regularly features on her blog, was just up the road. I contacted her to confirm if she did, in fact, live in the same suburb and the rest is history! Now we’re neighbours and friends!

Over to you Nicole!

Being a Builder’s Wife, styling came as a challenge for me. It took time and practice to make my home look the way it does and I had plenty of help along the way.

Today I’d like to share with you, my 5 tips to styling a buffet or side table. These tips could be applied to just about any flat surface, like a bedside table, shelf or coffee table.

5 tips to styling a buffet or side table

1. Have a Theme

Group similar items together, for example, candles or photos, then add little trinkets that match those items, keep similar colours together also. Mix inexpensive and quirky items together to create an interesting story.

2. Use Light

Add a group of candles or a lamp or two to help create the mood of your side table or buffet. The light draws the eye to the area you have styled, and so it should, you want to show it off!

3. Use Various Heights

You don’t want to have all your items lying flat on the table, add some interest by using different heights. Perhaps place a mirror over the top of the table to draw the eye from the table up. Varying heights will draw different people to different pieces. Use a stack of books or magazines to assist with height.

4. Always Use an Odd Number of Items

Use several items similar in size in shape in a group to create maximum impact. For example piece together several blue and white ginger jars of varying heights but similar sizes to give a real wow factor. Groups of 3 or 5 are more visually appealing than groups of even numbers.

5. Have Fun

Decorating should never be stressful, it should be a reflection of your unique personality. There is a lot of joy to be had in creating these spaces, if it doesn’t work, try again. Enjoy the process and that will shine through in your finished product.

Finally, the displays in our home change a little with the season. Decorations for Easter, Christmas, and Birthdays are used on our tables as well. In spring we are more likely to use fresh flowers and winter fruit or foliage to freshen the space. You are limited only by your imagination.

Nicole xx