Creating a Christmas Tablescape
With the subject of who's hosting this Christmas on everyone's lips, we've turned our minds to - not just who will be round our dining table - but the table itself. A phrase that's grown in popularity over the last few years, 'tablescaping' essentially means how you decorate your table with centrepieces, ornaments, foliage (and lets not forget the food) to create a festive spectacle.
Below you'll find our teams top tips to create a standout dining table that will not only impress guests, but give you an excuse to showcase your creative skills this Christmas.
Strike a balance
Whilst abundance is key to achieving a tablescape that looks interesting, there still needs to be room for people to congregate and eat with enough space (to avoid elbow wars). Choosing one main feature - a centrepiece - for your tablescape is a good place to start. The centrepiece could be a vase of festive foliage - eucalyptus, ivy and holly - a display of fruit, an array of candles, a decorative table light, or simply a favourite pendant light suspended lower than usual to bring some drama to your mealtime. Whatever you choose, make sure your centrepiece is standout.
TR tip: be conscious not to block anyone's eyeline with your centrepiece, not being able to see some of your guests could be a Christmas dinner spoiler.
Settle on a colour scheme
Whilst your Christmas tree may well bear the same traditional ornaments each year, switching up your annual tablescape is a good way to introduce some colour and texture to your interior and explore the year's decorating trends. The best thing - your tablescape doesn't necessarily have to match your other decorations, especially if the dining room is a separate space.
As those of you who have been following our brand for many Christmasses will know well, here at Tom Raffield we take a pretty minimal approach to festive decorating. This year we chose neutral linens, subtle metallic and plenty of eucalyptus to adorn our latest Christmas photoshoot dining room set, exploring a Scandi-Christmas aesthetic, whilst introducing some light with copper wire fairy lights and chocolate-dipped mulled pears for some added flare.
If you're a little more daring, mix things up with clashing prints, colours and textures. You could add place name settings for added formality, or even small table gifts to really get into the celebratory spirit.
Layer up and add some height
The addition of small festive decorations will help fill the centre of your tablescape and add some height. If you've chosen a neutral colour pallete look for natural materials to add to the effect and introduce pine cones, carved wooden decorations and even paper baubles to add some sparkle.
Introducing a candelabra will also help set a festive scene - as candle light is a great way to instantly make any space feel cosy and warm.
Happy decorating!
Posted: 10.12.20
Updated: 15.04.21