The name comes from the French word console, referring to a bracket fixed to a wall — because the original versions were wall-mounted slabs supported by decorative brackets, not freestanding legs.
In 17th and 18th century European interiors, console tables were literally attached to the wall, with the bracket doing the structural work. The flat surface projected outward, useful for displaying candles, vases, or decorative objects in entryways and hallways. Over time, freestanding versions replaced the wall-mounted originals, but the name stuck. Modern console tables still carry the defining trait of that ancestry: a shallow depth designed to hug a wall rather than occupy floor space.
- The term "console" derives from the French architectural bracket used to anchor wall-mounted surfaces in the 1600s–1700s.
- Console tables are typically 10–15 inches deep — shallow enough to sit flush against a wall without blocking foot traffic.
- Standard console table height runs 28–32 inches, aligning with sofa arm height for use as a sofa table.
- The Einhomn console table sits 11 inches deep — narrow enough to slide behind a sofa without pushing it away from the wall.