Later this week, CBS is coming over to film some of the rooms of my home for a piece that they’re doing on my design firm. While my living room has been done for a while, the entryway table (across from the actual living room) had been bugging me. It looked great but didn’t feel styled or fully pulled together.  Since this is the first thing anyone sees when they walk into our house, I wanted it to really make a statement. The print did a good job of that but now that the table is complete, I’m obsessed.

I picked up two new ginger jars, an amazing tray, and some other statement pieces from Horchow (ps everything there is 20% off through tomorrow, 6/1!) to create the perfect vignette. During this process, I wrote out the rules that I follow when styling a coffee table or side table because I get so many questions about how I decide where to place things. It took me a while to realize that I actually do follow rules but now that I’ve put my finger on what they are, it makes the process so much easier!

How to style an entryway table:

Pick a color scheme. As you know by now, I decorate with a lot of blue and white which makes it easy for my to pick a color scheme in any given space. My white table and navy benches set the tone and I knew ginger jars were a must. While they can be an investment, you will have them most likely forever and they make a worldly statement. I kept the rest of the pieces, like this monogrammed mercury glass candle cloche (it smells amazing btw) neutral so that the space didn’t feel too busy.

Create vignettes. While the table itself is a vignette in my house, I created sections within the whole design that worked together but also stand on their own. Making sections like this on a longer table has the effect of making it look styled as opposed to jumbled. I started by placing this tray in the middle to divide the two sides. I placed the ginger jar full of flowers on the tray and decided anything more in the middle would be too much. Then I  moved to the left where the navy ginger jar took up so much room that I left the rest blank. I knew I wanted to do a trio of candlesticks  on the right but when all was said and done it looked too bare, so I added the gold hand sculpture that I’ve had forever and then the cloche on the left to make it more symmetrical.

Include varying heights. Not much else to say here except that if everything is too uniform height-wise, the space will look flat and not very well thought-out. My personal preference is generally three taller pieces and then two shorter ones in between for a very symmetrical (slash OCD) look.

Add flowers. When you walk into a hotel or any other fancy lobby, there is almost always a grand floral display. While this area certainly isn’t the plaza, a full bunch of flowers makes it feel special and elevated. While I don’t always include so many blooms, I try to buy white or pink roses (They’re under $10/bunch at Trader Joe’s) every week for this space.

What are your rules for styling surfaces in your home? I’d love to know as I feel like I’m constantly learning about interior design and want to brush up at any chance!

Take advantage of the Horchow Memorial Day Sale: 20% off + enjoy Free Shipping on select products at Horchow.com with code: MEMORIAL. Offer valid 5pm CST 5/25 – 5/31.

Thank you to Horchow + Shopstyle for sponsoring this post.