10 ideas to create a beautiful Christmas Table

We love preparing for the season ahead. Check out our ideas to create a stunning Christmas table.

1. Beautiful table linen

It goes without saying that a fresh tablecloth elevates a table to mark a special occasion. For Christmas, we think our Pietronella block print tablecloth sets the tone perfectly with its alpine green pattern. The block print design is subtle enough to not overshadow all the delicious food and drink that will be served on the table.

2. Crisp napkins

Real napkins are so much more beautiful than throw away paper napkins and better for the environment too. You have the power to inject a surprising amount of personality into your table design with just a napkin, so we encourage you to make your decision wisely! Whether you opt for crisp white napkins or something more colourful like our Marin block print napkins, make sure that neatly folded napkins are central to the overall look.

3. Velvet Ribbon

Don’t overlook the power of ribbon to ‘up’ your tablescape game! We love a thick velvet ribbon in deep green or red at Christmas. Use the ribbon to tie up our block print napkins or wrap it around candlesticks. Presents aren’t the only items that need wrapping!

4. Table flowers

At a time of the year when we spend most of our time indoors, it’s vital to find as many ways as possible to bring the outside inside. When it comes to decorating a table with Christmas flowers think about height, you want to be able to see your guests, so opt for low designs. White and red flowers are particularly seasonal with lots of dark and silvery green foliage. 

It could be as simple as a collection of bud vases scattered down the table and filled with eucalyptus and red berries. Other ideas include scattering fern foliage down the length of the table and interspersing with candles or for a hopeful design you could line up small pots of shooting bulbs. You don’t always need to buy everything fresh, with a bit of hunting you can find some excellent artificial foliage and berries to go alongside fresh flowers.

5. Lighting

Regardless of what time you eat your Christmas lunch or supper, it’s vital to get the lighting right. If you have a dimmer switch, dim down the lights and embrace candlelight and fairy lights. These battery run fairy lights can be added to your floral designs and create a beautiful, twinkly atmosphere. Make sure you opt for ‘warm white’ rather than the harsher ‘bright white’ or ‘blue’ options. One fun and cheap idea is to wrap fairy lights around a root of Brussel sprouts. It looks brilliant and stylish too.

6. Candles

You can never have too many candles at Christmas. Embrace as many as you safely can into your table scheme. It’s nice to have candles at multiple heights running down the table, so if you have a selection of different sized candlesticks dig them out. When it comes to the candles themselves warm white is the most classic at Christmas, but there is nothing stopping you trying other colours. Black candles can be very striking and if you find the right shade, red candles work too.

7. Large floral decoration

If you have space, it’s lovely to incorporate a larger flower display to echo the colours you’ve included in the flowers on the table. For these, height is not an issue so if you can afford it, buy some white or red amaryllis and add hydrangeas, eucalyptus, ilex berries and blue thistles for maximum impact.

8. Symmetry

Try to keep a sense of balance on your table. To create a sense of symmetry this often means working in odd numbers, for example start with one central candle, or one central flower arrangement in the middle of the table and then work outwards.

9. Think about fragrance

If you are using fresh eucalyptus in your Christmas tablescape, then the room will already smell festively delicious. But if you want to add a little something extra, consider including a wintery room diffuser into the room. I would never place it on the table as that could be too overwhelming, but if you find a spot in a subtle corner it would really add to the Christmas ambiance.  

10. Have fun

Creating a beautiful tablescape can be an excellent way to block out the stress of the season! Play some carols or blast out the Christmas tunes and let your creative juices flow. There is something deeply satisfying about creating a gorgeous environment for others to enjoy, so have fun!