1. Create An Elegant Winter Floral Arrangement
For a beautiful fresh centerpiece with a difference, switch the traditional Christmas foliage of holly and fir for a beautiful display centered around the hellebore, also known as the Christmas rose, suggests florist Philippa Craddock.
2. Create A Rustic Gold Centerpiece
For a show-stopping centerpiece that is easy to simple to create at home and brimming with natural charm, try spraying foraged branches in gold and arranging them in floristry foam. For best results choose a selection of foliage with varied textures and take a relaxed approach when arranging them, combining different sizes for a whimsical, rustic look. You can then use off-cuts to embellish Christmas table gift ideas.
3. Keep It Simple
If you're playing host then the run-up to Christmas can be a stressful time. There's no need to spend hours creating a homemade centerpiece, a simple bowl of baubles and colorful dinner candles can be just as effective for bringing festive joy to tablescaping, as demonstrated here by Plum & Ashby. Dotting around plenty of beautiful winter-scented candles is another quick way to create a warm welcome for guests which won't take too much time and effort.
4. Go For A Woodland Theme
Woodland is an enduringly popular Christmas decor idea. For a simple but effective woodland centerpiece, group rustic pots in different sizes filled with colored candles and top moss – placing the candles in sand will keep them upright. To finish arrange moss, foraged ivy and pine cone decorations around the base. In this scheme by John Lewis & Partners, textured Serax flowerpots that look like stumps of wood evoke a magical forest feel.
5. Create A Sculptural Scandi Centerpiece
To create a tablescape with big impact but with little effort, steady sculptural branches in a vintage galvanized planter and hang with your favorite baubles or decorations to match your Christmas kitchen decor or dining room decor. For a cool Scandi look try dainty blue glass baubles, or, to keep the kids happy, you could hang festive treats. For a look that is more elegant and less rustic try spraying the branches in white or metallics.
6. Add Sparkle And Shine With Greenery
Create a stunning Christmas table centerpiece using seasonal flowers and winter foliage enhanced by candles and fairy lights to make the mood feel magical as day turns into night.
7. Make It A Moveable Feast
‘Christmas table centerpieces don’t have to be foliage and flowers,’ says Lucy. ‘Try candles in different colors and finishes and in a variety of shapes and heights. Add baubles, pine cone Christmas craft ideas and just a few sprigs of festive holly here and there. And make sure that it’s not so big that guests can’t see each other across the table.
8. Create A Relaxed And Rustic Feel
‘To create a full and inviting atmosphere in the dining room, you want to include as much as you can on your table without creating a cluttered and busy space, says Ailie Williams, stylist at Neptune.
9. All Is Calm, All Is White
Knowing how to set the perfect Christmas table isn't all about scale and sparkle. Small gatherings and cozy suppers can still be an occasion that calls for festive adornment. Scale down your table centerpiece in size so that it doesn’t overpower the table. Try opting for an informal pitcher or jug filled with foliage and fresh blooms that can be easily put to one side on a buffet when space is required for platters or serving boards.
10. Add Richness And Warmth With Foraged Greenery
Go for an all-encompassing tablescape with a layered arrangement that runs the full length of the table and weaves in and out-of-place settings. Use foliage foraged from outdoors if you can, in mixed greens and rich russets to add drama, with sprigs of berry and rose hips for a pop of color.
11. Make It A Vintage Affair
Tradblescaping needn't be a traditional affair. Prepare a magical table for seasonal celebrations by collecting up linens, crockery, candles and decorations in a soft palette of blush hues and leafy greens.
12. Load Up The Table For A Majestic Look
Christmas is a time when you can go a little over the top, especially when it comes to table decorations. A traditional red floral and festive spruce centerpiece is taken to another level with extra adornments adding a quirky touch. Work in a few key pieces along the length of your table, from glass domes and bell jars filled with magical fairy lights to oversized brass candlesticks and, of course, a pheasant standing proud.
13. Create A Characterful Setting
Overly-large Christmas table centerpieces can take up valuable table space, so try a combination of a table decoration and a hanging centerpiece to give your dining table double the wow-factor. A cluster of tall candlesticks with jolly striped candles creates a slimline arrangement on the table’s surface, but ties in perfectly with a hanging candelabra above, decked out to match.
14. Enchant With An Elevated Display
In recent years, hanging centerpieces have become a staple in many a festive dining room scheme. As well as creating drama and sparkle, suspending decorations from the ceiling leaves the table free for dishes and drinks, a must if you've a long, narrow dining table like this one.
15. Fill Your Table With Colorful Blooms
Traditional berries and greenery isn’t the only option for a festive scheme. Why not go full-on with colorful florals and foliage to create an exuberant table centerpiece that will delight your guests? Choose flowers that are readily available, in a heady mix of colors for an informal feel. Add colorful paper pom pom and stars strung from the ceiling for a flamboyant finishing touch.
16. Gather Round With Greenery
Round tables tend to feel more relaxed and intimate when dining as often the whole table can see and hear each other. But with less surface space available, the centerpiece you choose for a circular table needs to be fairly compact so that table space isn’t compromised.
17. Try A Mixed Ensemble
Putting together a table centerpiece shouldn’t be stressful, after all ‘tis the season of joy. Sometimes the less structured a table is, the lovelier it looks. Throwing together a last-minute centerpiece is do-able if time is tight. It’s just a matter of choosing the right pieces.