Create the perfect festive tablescape this Christmas
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Can you believe it’s nearly five years since we were incarcerated in lockdown and started making tableaux of our best wares and linens to show off our banana bread and sourdough?
Tablescaping became our outlet for dressing up when our lack of a social life furloughed our going-out clothes and personal accessories. It has since launched a thriving industry fuelled by tantalising camera angles on social media.
This level of 'scaping, as it’s abbreviated, can be intimidating but the reality is it’s just one of those things you can pull together in ten minutes or devote hours to planning and gathering the necessary components to assemble what could be an informal look with crumpled tablecloths, pine cones and slices of citrus strewn with abandon, or the formality of designer wares, hand-spun napery and glittering crystal.
Siobhan Lam, owner of interiors boutique April & The Bear, suggests something alternative based on her plans for her own dining table. “We’re embracing over-the-top slogan napkins, bold patterns and charming glassware,” she says. “Our colour scheme for Christmas is red and pink, one of my all-time favourite colour combinations and it works perfectly with my recent bow obsession.
"We'll be dotting bow-shaped candle holders and vases all around the table and we’ll have our fanciest glasses in the house. “Your guests will appreciate it but try to enjoy every moment. We spend so much time thinking and planning Christmas that sometimes we forget to just be in the moment and enjoy it, so that's my goal this year.”
Pink and red are also the choices of Laura Nolan Horgan, founder of online homeware retailer LNH Edit and designer of a series of Christmas tablescapes based on the seven deadly sins.
She sees trends based on strong colour palettes. “Traditional Christmas colours are being replaced with more unconventional choices like fuchsia, ruby and deep jewel tones,” she says.
“Burgundy is huge at the moment paired with natural, fresh greenery. Bold, vibrant colour combinations are moving away from understated, minimalist designs. Think [in terms of] mixing pinks, reds, and greens for a more dynamic, playful look.
"Greenery isn’t just about wreaths or garlands, it’s being used to make a statement with rich, textured foliage bringing life and freshness to the table.”
Buying sustainably can be a challenge at this time of year, but Laura suggests making choices with lasting value. “Investment in high-quality, versatile tableware that can be used for various occasions year-round allows you to build a collection that feels both timeless and sustainable.”
Hannah McCarthy, visual merchandiser at EZ Living Interiors, has been layering up tablescapes since last month to provide customers with ideas of what’s possible at home.
“Begin with ware and what you already have that’s similar in style and layer up with accessories,” she says. “Use a solid base colour of green or red or navy. White and gold are helpful as additional colours and you can add sprigs and greenery and personalise each place setting with ornaments. Something like gold cutlery can change up the whole look and pattern-heavy napkins help a minimal look.”
For some tablescapers, the be-all and end-all is the centrepiece. “Get a tray and pick three items like candles and holders at different heights that complement each other,” says Hannah. “Add a garland along the centre of the table draped over short ends if no one is sitting there. Put your bigger bowls on either side of the centrepiece with napkins and cutlery for symmetry.”
If you’ve gone all out and made a tablescape resembling a work of art, where do you put the food when it’s time to tuck in? The cook doesn’t need the added stress of having to plate up individually, according to Nicole Reid, co-owner of interior boutique Interiosity, Cork. “Make your centrepiece on, for instance, a chopping board which you can lift off the table when you’re serving your main course,” says Nicole, who has the added idea of organising the serving bowls to integrate into the tablescape.
“Beforehand, lay out your serving bowls and see where a garland and candles can go in between, add in fresh greenery and flowers in small vases dotted around the table. The food is then your focal point in the tablescape. Don’t be afraid to add in decorations from around the house and dot them down the table.”
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