Decorating Ideas for a Black and White Table

A black and white table can take many forms, from a country kitchen breakfast table to an elegant foyer console. Establish a style for the table through the use of textiles and accessories. Black and white is a classic combination, so you may wish to embrace this color scheme even if you don't already have a black and white table. Does this Spark an idea?

French Influence

If your table top has a black-and-white checked pattern, you are off to a great start. Play up the French style with touches of metallic gold added to more black and white. Add a table runner in black or white, or black and white toile, trimmed in gold. If your table top is plain, black-and-white checked tablecloths are available. A console or sofa table can be accessorized with a miniature Eiffel tower and a lamp or vase in black and white porcelain. A small gold box and framed black and white prints can be finishing touches. For a kitchen or dining table, fill a black and white bowl with fruit. Golden candlesticks with white tapers complete the centerpiece.

Glamor

Think of the fashion and home accessories of old Hollywood. Black or white silk or satin textiles can be spread and rumpled across the table top. Crystal vases can hold black and white feathers for a console or dining table. Use silver candlesticks and bowls. A white sculpted bust set on the table is reminiscent of a glamorous Hollywood home. A crystal lamp adds just the right lighting to a console. For an even more feminine touch, drape some strands of imitation pearl beads to cascade from a vase or bowl.

Stately Elegance

Black iron, rich woods and bronze lend stately style to a black and white table. Wrought-iron lamps or candlesticks can adorn the top of a console or dining table. Soften the area with a fabric runner or some greenery in a simple brass or bronze container. A realistic sculpture in bronze or wood adds sophistication to a table top. Look for handsome wood boxes in rich tones and miniature framed paintings or prints in traditional frames that can be displayed on a console or sofa table.

Bright and Bold

Red or yellow, when used in small amounts, complement a black and white table without detracting from it. Employ black and white accessories of your choosing but intersperse them with pieces in red or yellow. A bowl or tall glass container of lemons or apples looks fresh and appealing against black and white. A red or yellow runner will make anything black or white that is placed on it more noticeable. Lamps, urns and vases in red or yellow are available in home decor stores. For the decorator look, limit the color to either red or yellow instead of using both.