How to Style a Credenza: Calm and Neutral

A dresser with drawers and a cabinet is set up against a light colored wall.

A cabinet with closed drawers having a candle stand holding three candles, three photo frames of varied sizes, lamp shade, few books, small flower vase and two individual candle holders on its top.

Sometimes I get a little overwhelmed by all the bright colors around me. Maybe I’m getting old. Or maybe it’s the onset of fall and cooler weather. Either way, every so often I like to step back from the vivid neons, deep, saturated hues, and loud primary colors. A neutral, calming color palette is what guided this little credenza re-styling. Read on to see how I did it.

I channeled a more minimalist, cool style to decorate our dining room credenza. Using items we already had in our decor arsenal and a few new pieces, I created a simple vignette. Here are the rules I followed to bring a bit of serenity into our home.

THE RULES

1. Keep it Simple: Cool colors are classic callbacks. For a slightly more modern look, focus on the neutral color palette of black, white, and gray.

white wall with a horse picture frame

Keep it natural and organic

2. Keep it Quiet: With a neutral color palette in mind, it can be easy to over-style. But minimalism thrives when it creates space for pieces to breathe.

3. Keep it Natural: Adding subtle elements of nature – be they plants or weathered woods. These organic elements lend a natural feeling to the style, creating softness and delicacy.

WHAT I DID

1. I kept the color palette very simple: black, white, and grey. The modern horse photograph anchors the whole style, and everything that went on the credenza had to complement that bold steed.

2. Everything I included in the styling had simple lines. But, oh no — simple does not mean boring! The long legs of the candelabra are striking, as are the geometric lines of the single candle holders. The vase is covered in a Scandinavian print that scales well with the surrounding pieces.

3. The books and smaller art pieces fill in and ground the space. Although they make the credenza feel full, their cool colors and minimalist lines keep things very chill.