Console Tables: The Furniture Pieces You Don't Know You Need Until You Do
So I was at my friend Sarah's place last weekend, and she'd just moved into this new apartment. Boxes everywhere, you know the drill. But she had this gorgeous console table by the entrance—just sitting there, looking perfect while everything else was chaos. That's when it hit me: consoles are basically the MVPs of furniture.
They're not flashy. Nobody really posts about them on Instagram. But man, they do everything. Keys, mail, that weird decorative bowl you bought because it "spoke to you" at the farmer's market—it all lives on the console.
At HORNE, we've become kind of obsessed with consoles from three brands that really get it: Design House Stockholm, Woud, and Asplund. Each one brings something totally different to the table (pun not intended, but I'm keeping it).
Scandinavian Design (Or: How to Make Simple Look Complicated)
You ever notice how Scandinavian furniture always looks so... intentional? Like someone spent months perfecting the exact angle of each leg? That's Asplund in a nutshell. Their pieces have this clean, no-nonsense vibe that somehow makes everything else in your room look more put-together.
Woud is similar but different (if that makes sense). They do this thing where modern design meets actual life. Like, you can have kids and pets and still own their furniture without having a nervous breakdown. Trust me, I've tested this theory.
The "Statement Piece" Dilemma
I used to hate statement pieces. Too dramatic, too much pressure. But Design House Stockholm changed my mind. Their consoles are like that friend who's interesting but doesn't dominate every conversation. They add personality without making you rearrange your entire life around them.
Skagerak by Fritz Hansen is on the opposite end—they're all about that timeless Danish craftsmanship thing. The kind of furniture your grandfather would approve of, but modern enough that your teenager won't roll their eyes.
The Ones We Actually Use in Our Own Homes
Our team has pretty much tried everything at this point. Here's what actually works:
The Asplund Tati Console Table sits in our showroom manager's entryway. Metal frame, multiple top options—it's like the Toyota Camry of console tables. Reliable, versatile, never lets you down.
Woud's Array Sideboard reminds me of those fancy architectural digest homes, except you can actually afford it. Those slatted doors? They hide approximately 47% more junk than you'd expect.
Design House Stockholm's Arco Console Table has this half-circle frame that shouldn't work but does. It's like wearing socks with sandals—wrong in theory, perfect in practice.
The Skagerak Georg Console Table is what minimalism looks like when it's not trying too hard. We sold three last month to people with impossibly small entryways who couldn't fit anything else.
Why We're Not Your Average Furniture Store
Okay, full disclosure: there are cheaper options out there. Lots of them. But here's the thing—we sleep better at night knowing we only sell stuff we'd actually put in our own homes. Whether you're drawn to Design House Stockholm's weird-in-the-best-way designs or Woud's "I look expensive but I'm not trying to bankrupt you" aesthetic, we've already done the homework.
Check out our console collection. And honestly? Browse around. Look at our shelving, our cabinets, whatever catches your eye. Half the fun is finding pieces that work together in ways you didn't expect.