HOW TO STYLE A CHRISTMAS TABLE, PART 3
CHRISTMAS TABLE STYLING SERIES, PART 3: A TABLESCAPE THAT ALLOWS YOU TO SERVE FOOD IN SHARING PLATTERS
My lovely mother in law throws the most amazing dinner parties. Her cuisine is flawless, and her hosting skills enviable. She discreetly swaps everyone’s starter plate to main, to dessert, while everyone eats and chats, and enjoys their evening.
It’s a skill I’ve given up on ever possessing. I tried and I failed. If I have to be honest, I am much too clumsy, and much too lazy. When I host, I do what my mum does - I serve all the food on sharing platters on the table, sit down with the guests and let them help themselves. If they eat fast enough, it doesn’t go cold, but, so far, nobody really seems to mind. The plus side of this is that I can relax and also enjoy the food and the fun - I feel I deserve it, having cooked for the whole day, huh?
This week’s table styling is meant for this type of dinner party. There are still candles (obligatory in my opinion) and a centerpiece arrangement on the table, but I’ve pushed them to the sides, leaving plenty of space for the sharing platters with food.
WHAT YOU WILL NEED
Linen tablecloth and napkins, find similar here and here.
Pretty dinnerware. I used pink glass bowls and gold rim dinner set from Wink and Elbow.
Pretty glassware. I used pink champagne glasses from Wink and Elbow.
Vase with seasonal foliage. I used this vase from Wink and Elbow, and filled it with seasonal foliage, foraged during another forest walk. I embellished it with some simple Christmas baubles and a clip on bird ornament from Wink and Elbow.
Table runner, you can find similar here. The table runner I used isn’t anything very special at all, it’s a piece of pretty pink fabric I had lying around, left over from a craft project. Sometimes, to create a pretty tablescape, all you have to do it to be resourceful and shop your home, I’m sure you’d find the perfect items to lay a showstopper dinner table.
Two tall taper candle holders. I used these beautiful candle holders from Wink and Elbow, they really are a statement on their own.
A dish for floating candles. I used these glass bowls from Wink and Elbow, and added some floating foliage for a nicer effect.
I created two different centerpieces for each end of the table. I added the vase and the tall candles on one end of the table, and the bowls with floating candles on the other end. The asymmetrical look creates a visual dimension to the otherwise simple table décor.
I added some of the foliage I used in the vase to the bowls with floating candles. This visually connects the two different centerpiece items.
HOW TO CREATE THE HANGING CENTERPIECE
To make this paired back table set-up more fun and interesting, again I added a suspended centerpiece. It really is super simple to do, all you need is some ivy vines, some Christmas tree branches, three Command hooks and a floristry wire, and that’s it really.
Please see a how-to video below:
