How A New Task Lamp Inspired A Console Table Style Refresh

I don’t tell many tales on the blog, but I’m pretty excited about sharing this one. That’s because what started off as simply adding a new piece of decor – a gorgeous task lamp – to our Great Room turned into a decorating project extravaganza! And what home style enthusiast could refuse the prospect of restyling a space? So, how did I get there? Well, here’s the story of how a new task lamp inspired an entire console table style refresh 🙂

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My New CO-Z Gold Desk Lamp

When I first styled our console table a few years back, I always regarded it as a temporary measure – including the decor above it (this lovely DIY ombre yarn garland, for example, that’s hung on the wall these past few years). I always intended on doing something fresh to match the mid-century modern (MCM) feel of the table itself, but just hadn’t gotten that spark of inspiration I needed. So when I was contacted by Banyon Imports recently – an Amazon 500 top seller – about teaming up with them to showcase their CO-Z Gold Desk Lamp, it was quite honestly a no-brainer for this MCM fan!

The lamp has a delicate, vintage design with a beautiful brass finish, which makes it work as both a trendy and classic piece.

That’s a win-win, in my opinion, especially if your loving the brass and copper trends in interiors these days, a trend that’s holding strong.

The lamp’s natural white marble base adds to its charm and appeal, too, making each and every lamp a truly unique piece.

When it comes to functionality, I personally like how easy the metal shade adjusts to whatever angle I want, providing a concentrated light in whatever direction it is pointed in.

This little beauty is just over 18 inches tall and comes with a bulb, making it a great reading lamp that I could use in a living room, bedroom, a bedside table or in my office.

The designers also had modern home owners in mind when they created this clear power cord, making it easy to hide away.

All in all, I knew that this MCM style lamp would be the perfect starting point for my console table style refresh.

Console Table Style Refresh + My Tips For Styling Long & Narrow Tabletops

Once my new task lamp arrived, I began sourcing out my accessories and re-imagining my console table style options.

I’ve shared a couple of posts on tabletop styling before, including:

3 Steps To Easy-Breezy Coffee Table Styling

How To Style A Buffet Table in 3 Easy Steps

In the case of my MCM console table, however, it’s a bit narrower than my other tabletops and required a bit of a different approach.

If you have something similar, you’ve probably already experienced that feeling – as I have – of wondering how to arrange your accessories without overcrowding the table? Or making it too sparse, even if you’re a minimalist (like me)?

Don’t panic!

One of the easiest ways to style a long and narrow console table with accessories you love is by using what I call “The Mountain Method.”

Wait. What?

The Mountain Method goes something like this: arrange your accessories in a zig-zag formation across the entire length of the table with the tallest items flanking either side.

The Mountain Method – Why this look works:

1. The zig-zag formation mimics nature by keeping the eye moving across, giving it a rugged, landscape effect. Anything that reminds us of the outdoors, of natural shapes and features will often resonate with us.

2. There is a kind of symmetry that’s created with this look, but without feeling too stiff or formal.

3. The design also follows the “Rule of 3” which is a basic design principle.

For those unfamiliar with the Rule of 3, it goes something like this: Arranging accessories in odd numbers – such as 3 – is more appealing than grouping them in even numbers. That’s because it is unexpected, visually interesting, and more memorable. For this reason, it is a basic design principle that many designers use.

In the case of my console table, I used Visual Triangles (or The Mountain Method) across the length of the table to achieve the look.

With a combination of new and old accessories – all fairly neutral decor picks, too – I was able to style this console table using the Mountain Method with ease.

Here’s a closer look at all those MCM-inspired accessories.

Of course, all this style inspiration was made possible with the introduction of a single task lamp! Who knew? I am absolutely in love with it. It’s both functional and beautiful and balances a modern and vintage aesthetic that works well within my space. And once I had it in hand, it became the foundation for all the rest of my console table style refresh 🙂