Christmas tablescaping ideas for a magical gathering

Find inspiration for a beautifully decorated festive dining table, to create a special sense of occasion

During the holiday season, tablescaping really comes into its own, as creating a beautifully styled dining table is now increasingly becoming part of our Christmas decorating rituals.

Tablescaping is more than just getting out your best dishes and proper linen napkins. It’s about putting together a look, coordinating glassware, dishes, cutlery and textiles together with decorative details, such as candles, plants and ornaments. It’s also about creating a sense of occasion. Although professional tablescapers such as @fionaleahydesign and @the.table.stylist can provide inspiration, at home just a few simple ideas can turn your dining table into something a bit more special.

Before you get started, consider a few practical details. Do you need room for serving dishes at the table, bottles of wine or passing round the cranberry sauce? Some items could be kept to hand on a trolley or sideboard to keep the table free for your decorations, if needed. Tall items – wine glasses, candlesticks or vases – should be positioned with care so they don’t get knocked over, especially if you’re entertaining young family members.

Take a look at our festive tablescaping ideas, to whet your appetite for beautiful dining.

This contemporary pared-back look, based on soft greys and a touch of dusky pink, makes a feature of the table’s beautiful wood surface. A white table runner is used to display a garland with frosted details and white berries, together with a centrepiece ring of tapered LED candles from Lights4fun.

Jewel tones give the ultimate luxe feel to a table setting. Use rich crimson as the accent colour (always a festive favourite) with branches of berries (artificial or real), napkins and baubles, against a backdrop of inky-blue crockery, tumblers and mini vases. A cake stand elevates this showstopping dessert (in both senses of the word) turning it into a centrepiece.

Traditional Swedish Gustavian style is recreated with an elegant vintage chair beside a table dressed in soft grey-green and white. A crumpled tablecloth from Chalk Pink Linen Company gives an informal feel, while frosted candleholders and sheer white ribbons tied around the napkins give a wintry vibe. The colour theme continues with a hanging branch strung with shimmering baubles in different sizes.

Let print take centre stage with your table – this stone-washed linen tablecloth from Mind the Gap is inspired by Transylvanian folk designs. When choosing a richly patterned cloth, avoid adding small accessories to the table which will get lost in the design; instead, opt for taller items that lead the eye up. Here a vase holding a profusion of colourful berries and arum lilies, plus two ornate antique candelabras, complete the look.

All is calm around this table from Nkuku featuring textured neutral linens and woven placemats. Brass candlesticks with a rustic finish add elegance with their height, while amber tea-light holders lend a cosy glow. Simple stems of eucalyptus strewn down the centre of the table form an unfussy garland.

Modern rustic meets winter wonderland in this dark navy and snowy-white setting. Although normally associated with weddings, here dried gypsophila provides a ‘frosty’ centrepiece, together with the Sienna speckled jug and tumblers from ProCook. A weathered old bench and fluffy sheepskin throw provide a contrast to the elegance of the table, hinting of a woodland retreat.

Kitsch details with a bit of bling always create a sense of fun. Here unusual bamboo-edged dishes and coordinating cutlery are paired with glitzy baubles, including a cute cowboy boot and gold mini disco balls. This table setting would work just as well for a New Year’s Eve party too. Shop the look at Rockett St George.