How to Style a Dresser in the Living Room for Fall

Let me show you how to style a dresser in the living room for fall. I think you’ll find it’s easier than you think!

I think I may have won the lottery when I recently spotted this antique dresser for sale on Facebook Marketplace! I’d been on the hunt for an antique dresser like this for years, and to finally have found what I was looking for was like…the skies parting and angels singing Halleluiah.

That’s a bit dramatic but, you know what I mean! To finally find something you’ve been searching for, for so long, is exciting!

I’ve dreamed of adding an antique piece of furniture with loads of character to this exact spot. Do you remember the glass cabinet that was here previously? If not, check it out here. Although we loved the glass cabinet, it always felt a little cold and lacked the character I wanted in our living room. By removing the glass cabinet and adding the wooden dresser, I think we have added the warmth and coziness I was craving to this space.

Can you put a dresser in the living room?

I know what you must be thinking, “Can you really put a dresser in the living room?”

Dressers are typically found in the bedroom, however they absolutely can be used in any room in your house including the living room. Dresser drawers are great for storing frequently used items like board games, blankets, books, toys, electronics, etc.

How to Style a Dresser in the Living Room

Once the antique wooden dresser was in place, my mind began to swirl with ideas on how to style a dresser in the living room for fall. Lately, I’ve been decorating our home with intention and trying (trying is the key word!) to keep the décor in our home simple, beautiful, and meaningful. I approached styling this dresser the same way.

Curious about what I mean by decorating with intention? You can read more about it in this blog post.

If you have a dresser or are thinking of adding a dresser to your living room, here area few tips to style a dresser for fall. All you need are a few pieces to create a beautiful, intentional, and meaningful space!

Hang a Mirror or Artwork on the Wall

I was lucky enough to have the mirror we hung on the wall behind the dresser in storage. I bought it years ago to place on our fireplace mantle, but unfortunately it was too tall. So, off to storage it went. Fast forward to now and I am so glad I never returned or sold this mirror! It fits perfectly in the space between the dresser and the ceiling.

The wood tone of the mirror frame matches perfectly with the warm tones of the dresser. And, I love how the scallop detail at the top of the mirror mimics the scallop detail at the bottom of the dresser. It’s like they were made to be together!

This mirror is still sold at Target, you can shop it here. We actually have the smaller sister mirror in our upstairs bathroom. Can you tell how much I love the style of this mirror?!

A large piece of artwork would also look great above a dresser in the living room. Or a gallery wall would look really nice too!

Place an Anchor Piece on the Top of the Dresser

I talk about anchor pieces quite often when sharing how I style a shelf, table, or counter. Styling the top of a dresser is no different. By adding a larger item (the anchor) you can add smaller décor around that to create a cohesive group. The anchor piece holds everything together and helps to create balance.

For the anchor piece on the top of the dresser I added an old, vintage dictionary. Old books add warmth and character to fall décor, and are fun to read curled up on the couch on a cool autumn day. I placed the dictionary with the weathered pages facing out for extra texture & character on top of the dresser.

How to Style a Dresser With a Group of Candles

On top of the vintage dictionary, I added a group of three candles. I loved the simplicity of this grouping and the ambiance of the light reflecting off the mirror.

The gold candlestick holders are simple and beautiful and were the perfect height for stacking on top of the dictionary. I added basic ivory taper candles to the candlestick holders to add a lighter color among all of the brown and tan hues.

How to Style a Dresser With Garland

I always love to have an element of the outdoors in any space I style. This faux bay leaf garland added that element here.

The faux garland on the dresser is actually a happy accident! When this garland came in the mail, I tossed it on top of the dresser to get it out of my way. As I continued to walk by the dresser with the garland haphazardly placed on top…I thought, I actually like how this looks!

This faux bay leaf garland was very easy to work with and manipulate with it’s wire base and flexible leaves. I just kept bending and fluffing the garland on the dresser until I was able to achieve the look I wanted. Faux florals & greenery should always appear real. So, I styled the garland to look organic and natural. Free-flowing up and over the dresser.

Here are a couple other garlands I am loving for fall:

• Magnolia Light Sienna Eucalyptus Garland
• Anthropologie Faux Bleached Cedar Garland
• Michael’s Harvest Raffia Garland
• Amazon Faux Eucalyptus Garland

How to Style a Dresser With Ribbon

And finally the cherry on top…a satin ribbon tied in a bow!

I think I would tie a bow on anything and everything if I could. It adds the cutest, whimsical detail! Thick, brown, satin ribbon is my current favorite for fall. It adds the perfect pop of brown, and I think it could also work in Christmas décor as well (hmmm…you may be seeing this ribbon for quite a few months in our house!).

To create the prettiest, coziest bow, tie large loops in your ribbon that are floppy and leave long ribbon tails. You don’t want a bow that looks too structured & harsh. Instead, you want a bow that is flowing and blends in with the décor it’s accenting.

Finish styling your bow by folding the end of the ribbon in half (lengthwise) and cutting an upside down “V”. This creates a beautiful, finished edge to the end of the ribbon tail.

What looks good on a dresser in the living room?

There are so many ways to decorate the top of a dresser in the living room. Here are a few other ideas for accent pieces that would look great styled on a dresser.

• Framed Photos
• Decorative boxes
• Vase With Fresh or Faux Stems
• Potted Plants
• Stack of Books
• Basket or Tray With Collected Items
• Cloche

Shop Our Home

Links to products featured in this post can be found in our “Shop Our Home” page. I hope this page makes shopping our home a little easier for you! I earn a small commission when you make a purchase from one of our LTK links. Your support helps me continue to create meaningful content for you!

I look forward to sharing more of my home with you and inspiring you to have a well loved home! Follow me on Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, and LIKEtoKNOW.it.

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