Planning a simple yet beautiful Christmas dinner tablescape can be as easy as one, two, three. I’m here to help give you two extra steps to the plan. So, here are 5 super easy tips to keep in mind when you are in the prep stage of your Christmas table setting planning.
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1. Decide on Your Tablescape Décor Style
Deciding on your décor style is one of the first things to think about when designing a tablescape. Once you nail that down, the planning can fall quickly into place because you know what style of decor pieces to look for.
Many times, your décor preference is within your home, so you can incorporate what you already have into your Christmas dinner tablescape. Feel free to go shopping in your favorite store called, home.
If you plan to go shopping for your event, keep your décor style in mind for a cohesive look. Add in table decorations that you LOVE, compliment your home, and can use for years to come.
Tablescape decorations can many times go hand-in-hand with home décor styles. Some of the most popular options include, modern, midcentury modern, contemporary, minimalist, boho, traditional, transitional, shabby chic, farmhouse, rustic, and French country. So many beautiful style options for your home and events.
For this Christmas dinner tablescape, I went with a more traditional décor style. Even though I prefer a Transitional style in my home, these two forms complement one another very well. You certainly can mix and match, just make sure the two tie in well together.
2. Inspirational Piece and Color Scheme
I always, always, always start with an inspirational piece when I start brainstorming for a Christmas dinner tablescape. I like to shop until I find something I love. Then the rest of my table décor is wrapped around that one item.
For this table design, I started with the centerpiece. I was so excited when I spotted the presents wrapped in faux alpine cedar at Hobby Lobby. I thought they were SO pretty.
Look for something that makes your heart happy. It might be the napkins, the tablecloth, the dinner or salad plates, or even the centerpiece. No matter what the IT is, start there with building your table design. Add in the coordinating colors and make sure any others compliment the décor, too.
3. Add Textures and Patterns
A close-second in my table décor favorite finds were the buffalo plaid linen napkins. I loved the pattern and the Christmas colors in the fabric and used those to not only build the color scheme around, but to also add in the prints.
Feel free to add as many printed pieces needed to compliment your look. Just make sure everything flows well together. A good example of what I’m referring to is Lilly Pulitzer. Feel free to check out how this company styles their clothes and rooms with so many fun prints. Or, take a peek here at our 4th of July post that shows how to mix more patterns and prints.
From the shiny dinner plates and flatware to the soft linen dinner napkins and rough faux greenery, there are multiple textures within this table setting design that keep the eyes busy with awe and wonder. If everything was shiny, or if everything was rough, it would seem overpowering and would fall “flat” in one’s heart when gazed upon.
4. Layer Upon Layer
If you want a super full look and feel for your table design, adding texture, pattern, and LAYERS will help make this happen.
For our Christmas dinner tablescape, you can see the many layers that were added to the mix. I started with a solid linen tablecloth and then added three Christmas red tablecloths.
At each place setting I added a gorgeous gold charger, and then a gold rimmed dinner plate, a mini evergreen wreath, the Christmas tree salad plate, and finally the buffalo plaid linen napkin looped in by a sweet golden bell.
The water goblets, flatware, candle votives, and centerpieces all sat as the very top décor layer to make the table feel full. When you stand back and hear that “Yes” saying in your mind when looking at the table all put together, you will know you added in just the right amount of layers.
5. Be Confident and Choose what You Love
Saving the best for last, be confident in your choices, and chose what decorations you love. If you have the desire to entertain and build a creative table design, be confident that you have what it takes to create a beautiful Christmas dinner tablescape.
When there is a will there is a way. Even if you don’t feel fully qualified to create a tablescape masterpiece, fuel your confidence by gleaning ideas from Pinterest and blog posts.
When you see something that you like, take notes and find similar pieces. From there you can add in anything else that you love to create a beautiful Christmas table.
Shop the Post
I hope these 5 tips to create your Christmas dinner tablescape are helpful and you are inspired to design a beautiful table of your own. If you want to shop for similar pieces that we have in this tablescape, check out the products listed below.
P.S. Note of Encouragement
I touched on this briefly above, but want to highlight again the “having confidence” part when styling and designing a tablescape. You don’t have to be an actual designer to do this. I am not either!
When I first started creating tablescapes for birthdays and holidays, I was a little rusty. I had to ask so many questions and find design inspiration from others. I can’t say that I don’t do that anymore, because I do. It’s great to find solutions when you need deeper answers. Even when it comes to design.
Have you heard the phrase, “Practice makes perfect?” Not really “perfect” perse; I feel like a better word should be excellent or splendid. The more you practice building and designing tablescapes, the better you will get.
As you are flexing your hosting muscles, enjoy the process, and be confident knowing you are a great problem solver, you know how to find solutions, and you have great taste. No matter where the inspiration for your designs comes from, you found them, and for that, you’ve got this. Keep going and remember to enjoy every minute.