Using a Dresser As an Entryway Table

When deciding on what type of table to use in your entryway, consider using a dresser from a bedroom instead of the typical console table or sideboard.

Swapping furniture from one room to another is one of my favorite “free” ways to get a new look in any room.

Entryway modern farmhouse decorated for fall.

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Notice anything new?

Actually it is something rather old, but new to the entryway to give the space a new look without having to buy anything.

Why I Removed the Previous Blue Sideboard in the Entryway

Looking from entryway of house into brick floored foyer.

When I started to decorate the two-story space for fall, I wasn’t liking anything I was styling on the blue sideboard and finally gave up.

After some thought, I figured out what it was that was bothering me. The two-story space was suffering from too many small out-of-scale furnishings.

Affordable foyer lighting tips.

In my previous house the blue painted sideboard (unpainted back then) in the entry worked well as the space was two-story, but narrow.

I had to remember that in decorating, just because something has always been used in the the same room, doesn’t mean it always has to be. I was forgetting all about repurposing furniture the way I do many other smaller objects.

It was time for a change.

I began to do a mental inventory of all the furniture in my house to see what I could use to swap out with the blue sideboard. When I got to the colorful guest room I got an idea. An idea that had me slapping my hand on my head, saying “Now why didn’t I ever think of this before”.

I ran for my measuring tape to figure out if my idea would work in the entry, and it did!

With Ed’s help we had the two pieces of furniture swapped from the guest room and entry with each ready for a new life in each room. The blue sideboard looks just fine in the guest room and since it is a smaller piece of furniture makes that room feel more spacious now.

The White Dresser Decorated for Fall in the Entry

When I say a big change, I am referring to the larger scale of the white sideboard/dresser compared to the smaller blue sideboard, not a big room makeover.

Although the white dresser really does give the space a whole new look that welcomes us home in a bright new way.

View of entryway from second floor.

The two story space needed something bigger all over and the white sideboard was just what it needed without the need to buy a new piece of furniture.

You Don’t Need “Fall Decor” to Decorate for Fall

Fall decorating on a entryway sideboard.

Once we had the furniture swap done, I had no problem coming up with a way to decorate the space for fall. I never know exactly how a display or vignette on a table top or mantel will come out.

I always take my time to play and experiment with many different items until I like what I see.

Natural elements create fall decor on a white entryway sideboard.

I ended up using only one decorating item that is specifically “for Fall” – the brown and white pumpkin. The rest of the items I used to create fall in my entryway can be used any time of the year.

To make them look fall-like, the pumpkin, along with the colors and textures of the items I used are what bring it all together to say… it’s fall.

Birds eye view looking down into entryway from second floor of house.

I am so happy I took my time to think about options for the space.

The Many Lives of The White Sideboard/Dresser

Pine Hutch before and after painting white.

I am pretty content with the hand-me-down furniture I have and you know that I have no problem changing furniture and more to fit my style.

The white sideboard/dresser has had a few previous looks and lives before its new role in the entry. It was once the bottom of the dining room 3 part hutch in my previous house. I painted it white when I first started blogging 11 years ago.

When we moved to the lake house, we no longer had a dining room, so the bottom of the hutch became a dresser for one of the guest rooms and the crown molding along the top of the hutch became the mantel for the living room fireplace.

The center hutch section went to the dump as we had no place for it and no one wanted it.

Entryway fall decorating ideas using what you already own.

Now I think the bottom of the old dining room hutch as an entry sideboard is my favorite use for it so far.

Purple distressed photo frame on tray with rocks and a wood bean garland.

To decorate the top, I used a distressed frame that was previously in my living room as the pop of color I always like to see in my decor. I placed a recent photo of my granddaughter in it. :-) The rocks were found outside.

Ways to style your entryway console table for autumn.

I made the beaded garland two years ago, but did change out the original orange and yellow raffia tassels to a more subtle yellow-green to go with the dried hydrangeas and overall “White and Woodsy” decorating I have throughout the house.

The tall candle holders I have used both inside and outside my house.

The branches are from a tree in my yard. I placed foam in the crock and pressed the end of the branches into the foam to secure them.

I added three fall floral stems from the craft store to the crock and arranged them among the branches. Everything outside is still green except for the dried hydrangeas so a little help from faux foliage was needed.

Decorating Fall Entryway Idea Takeaways

White sideboard decorated for fall in two story entry.
  • Choose a few colors to add a pop of color to add interest to mostly neutral decor. I chose a light purple accent to go with the wood tone, pale orange and yellow-green.
  • Mix and match items of different heights to create flow and balance across the top of the sideboard, table or console.
  • Add texture in the way of baskets, wood, and branches or dried hydrangeas from your yard.
  • Color can come from natural elements or rustic designed accessories like the distressed purple frame.
  • Add a candle that you can light at night. If you don’t want to have a lit candle on unattended, these battery operated candles are the best. They come in a few different sizes, both in ivory and white.
Tall handled basket with stone pumpkin in front of it.

The only other items in the room are an antique music stand from Ed’s family and a tall basket with branches from a dead shrub placed inside, along with…

Tall handled basket with stone pumpkin in front of it.

…a craft store orange pumpkin that I made over with some DIY’ing to resemble stone. I will share how I did this in an upcoming post.

I intentionally do not use a rug in the space as it is a tripping hazard and blocks the swing of the doors.

Sideboard in entryway of house decorated for fall using various heights of decor.

Shopping my house and opening my mind to not overlook anything I owned to use in the space gave me just what I wanted… a fresh new look for the fall season.

Fall decorating ideas for entryway table.

More Decorating Ideas

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26 Comments

  1. Love your entry fall decor. I am especially fond of the trio of candlesticks. I purchased a group last year and used them all fall and winter as is, which is a solid smooth gray. I am wanting to give them a more rustic look. Did you do the finish on yours? I am among the fans of the blue sideboard and am happy it still has a different home with you!

  2. I think that the white sideboard brightened that entire area up. And the way it is decorated really goes great in that area. I like going with a white sideboard or console table because then I am not limited in my choice of decorating colors.

    1. Diane Henkler says:

      Hi Pam – I agree with you that when you use white furniture you are not limited in your color choices. I am so happy that I made the furniture swap.

  3. What paint did you use for the white sideboard in the entryway?

    1. Diane Henkler says:

      Hi Connie – I painted the dresser/sideboard in my entryway using Sherwin Williams paint in the color: Alabaster in a satin finish. I did age the finish. When it was dry, I ran sandpaper over the edges of the drawers, doors and the edges to give it an aged look.

  4. Futura Interiors says:

    Great blog and was very useful.
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  5. Dream house says:

    Love this idea much. I try it!

  6. My heart dropped when I saw the beautiful blue sideboard (that I covet) was gone. You did an awesome job revamping your entryway. The white sideboard does look more to scale for the room. I do miss the ?blue one?though. ?

    1. Diane Henkler says:

      Hi Kim – No worries… the blue sideboard likes its new place in the colorful guest room.

  7. Diane, I love every single square inch of your fabulously creative fall entryway. Changing out the blue sideboard for the white dresser is genius, it’s the perfect stage for your natural, yet colorful autumn space. Your combination of different textures, non-traditional fall decor and colors evoke the warmth and coziness of the season.

  8. Terri/HoustonLady says:

    Hi Diane,
    The Sidebar/Dresser is perfect for that space. Love the fall decorating too : )

  9. franki parde says:

    YESSS! Like minds…it IS rewarding, imo, when, Presto…”that” (any room) painting works perfectly in the hallway, etc etc… We do that a LOT! LUV WHAT YOU DID!! franki

  10. This was my first time seeing your entry. The blue piece was really too small for the space, I agree. Love the new look, great move!! You are so talented! I love all your ideas; so glad I found you!

  11. I noticed the different side board right away! Lol. Looks great. Looking forward to the tutorial on the ‘stone’ faux pumpkin!

  12. Love it! You have helped me not to take the spaces in my home to seriously.

  13. Love you new look. You always are such an inspiration.

  14. Miche Ortega says:

    Just beautiful, and full of cozy fall. Love it, and great choice on moving the dresser down to the foyer. Thanks for inviting us in.

  15. What a fantastic change in your foyer! I loved the blue dresser but see what you mean about the scale. Your fall decorating on the dresser is so beautifully balanced. Love it!

  16. Love the swap! And it is perfect timing! I need to put my china cab on the wall where my mahogany buffet is. I was thinking of putting the buffet in that exact same space in my home. My stairs are similar such that you do not have wall behind all of the buffet. I was thinking it would be too BIG with not enough ” negative space” around it. A BIG job to empty and move just to see if maybe….. could you please tell me the size of your buffet?? Thanks so much!!

    1. Diane Henkler says:

      Hi Barbara – The buffet/dresser now a sideboard has had many lives. :-) It is: 66″ long, 34-1/2″ high, and 21″ deep.

  17. That piece looks absolutely perfect there & so beautifully decorated too. As someone else said, really goes nicely with your flooring like it was meant to be!

  18. The white dresser fits the space well and I love your decor for Fall! Just the right amount of Fall color ?

  19. Amanda Daly says:

    I love how the white sideboard looks with your white-washed brick floor! Such a nice compliment to each other!

  20. Did I miss what you did with the blue hutch? I love that piece! Pray you did not get rid of it! If you still have it and want to sell it, let me know!

    You new/old white hutch looks so wonderful in the entry!

    I’m off to get items to make a beaded garland/rope for my fall decor today …. thank you for the ideas!

    1. Diane Henkler says:

      Hi Linda – I love the blue sideboard too. I swapped it out for the dresser that was in one of the guest rooms. So it is in the color filled guest room now and looks fine there. Actually makes the room feel larger since it is a smaller piece than the white dresser.