Tag Archives: Christmas tablescapes

The Christmas Greens Holiday Tablesetting

I’m going with a green theme for this seasonal Christmas Greens Holiday Tablesetting, drawing the color scheme from the green leaves in my Royal Albert “Lavender Rose” china.

I often like to use a three-piece floral centerpiece featuring one larger arrangement flanked by two smaller satellites.

There is no need to completely replicate the smaller satellites to match the main arrangement entirely. However, the satellites should draw one or more colors and flowers from the central arrangement so that the three arrangements all connect and tie together.

During the Christmas season, I keep buckets of various types of greenery in my garage and then use them in arrangements.  I like to limit the selection of flowers to two to three colors but use different kinds of flowers in the same colors. Here I have used two different kinds of white flowers and two different green flowers.

Floral centerpieces need not cost a lot. I often buy packages of supermarket flowers and use them to build the centerpieces.  Economical containers can often be found in dollar stores.

I also like to use different shapes and textures of greenery, flowers, and berries. They add interest and depth to arrangements.

Adding a pine cone or two always adds interest to Christmas arrangements.

One of the advantages of this style of centerpiece is that various juxtapositions can be used with them on the table – the arrangements can be placed in a straight line, at angles to each other, close together to make it look like one large centerpiece, or spaced apart for distinctly unique pieces.

I’m letting the wood in my table shine in this tablesetting as opposed to covering it with a tablecloth.  I am using a white placemat for each setting. The gold charger plates pick up the gold rim of the china and add an air of elegance to the table.

I like the shape and colors in this china pattern. The shades of pink, lavender, and green in the pattern lend themselves to a wide variety of color options for the tablesetting.

Royal Albert “Lavender Rose” China

A simple pointed pocket fold for the napkin provides a nest for the forks.  This type of fold works particularly well for napkins that, like these, have a motif on one corner.

One sure way to add sparkle to any table is to use glassware with lots of cuts. Sometimes, I mix and match my glassware but, since I am using my formal china in this setting, I decided to use all the same pattern of glassware.

This is the look when all the elements of the tablesetting are put together.  The other great thing about the trio of floral arrangements is that, if the table is larger, there can be more than one larger centerpiece and/or more satellites to extend down the length of the table. It’s the type of centerpiece that is scaleable to the size of the table.

I hope you have enjoyed viewing my Christmas Greens holiday tablesetting.

Pin This Christmas Greens Tablesetting to Pinterest!

 

Christmas Tablesetting
Christmas greens are the focal color in this three-part floral centerpiece for a holiday tablesetting that features Royal Albert “Lavender Rose” china

 

For more holiday tablescape inspiration, click on the links below:

Glitz ‘n Glamour New Year’s Eve Tablesetting
The Warmth of the Christmas Light Tablesetting
Christmas Eve Tablesetting and Dinner
A Tartan Holiday Tablesetting
Pretty Poinsettia Tablesetting
Poinsettia Trio Tablesetting
The Holiday Table
The Pink and Green Holiday Table
Christmas at My Island Bistro Kitchen
Purple Tablesetting for the Holidays
Evergreens and Reindeer Christmas Tablesetting
Cupcake Tablescape
Twas The Night Before Christmas

A Tartan Holiday Tablesetting

Christmas Tablesetting
Tartan Holiday Tablesetting

I am not sure why but a red plaid pattern evokes thoughts of Christmas for me.  As I have discovered, red tartan dishes lend themselves well to setting a beautiful holiday table.

Christmas Dinnerware
Red Plaid Dinnerware

Dinnerware

The dishes I have chosen for a holiday dinner are by designers Colin + Justin. Apart from the dynamic look, there are several things I like about this dinnerware pattern.

First, the dinnerware has the look and feel of fine  china, complete with gold-colored trim, but is actually easier to care for since the dishes are both dishwasher and microwave safe.  Second, they can work effectively either in a formal or informal tablesetting. In fact, I’d suggest they are quite contemporary in look and design and could easily transition from breakfast/brunch to lunch to dinner. And, third, they don’t scream Christmas which means they can be used throughout the fall and winter months.  With their dark color, they would be a bit heavy for spring and summer, in my view, but I would certainly use them from October to March.

Holiday Dinnerware
Red Tartan Dinnerware Placesetting

The dinner plate has a white center so food will still stand out against the plate. I’m a big fan of white plates for food presentation! This dinnerware gives the benefit of a nice plaid border against the white center.

The salad plate is a full tartan design. The dinnerware has the versatility of allowing for an exchange of a plain red, green, or white plate with the plaid salad plate for added contrast to the setting or to change it up for different occasions.

The bowl is white inside so the soup color certainly stands out.

DSC_0239

Linens

The dinnerware with its bright red and green plaid has a somewhat heavy look to it so it needs some bright white neutral contrast on the table for it to stand out.  For this reason, I have chosen to use large plain white placemats as the base for each place setting.  The white connects to the center of the dinner plates and bowls – always try to connect the linens somehow to the dinnerware pattern.  If, for example, I had chosen red or green placemats or a full tablecloth in either of these heavier colors, the dinnerware pattern would have been lost and would not have stood out. And, sometimes, I just want to see the maple wood in my table and placemats allow for that. The placemats are also in keeping with the contemporary look of this setting.

Christmas Tablesetting
Red Plaid Tablesetting

If you are not knacky with napkin folding, or simply don’t have time, using napkin rings is an easy alternative solution.  I think of napkin rings as the jewelry on the table.

Napkin Rings
Poinsettia Napkin Ring

I bought these beautiful poincettia napkin rings on an after-Christmas sale last year and think they go particularly well with this dinnerware.  With their deep red color, they need a bright white napkin for their color to pop. The white napkin, of course, connects to the white placemat.

Apart from the speed and ease of threading a napkin through a ring, napkin ring-folded napkins can be placed in various locations at a placesetting — to the left-hand side beside the fork, in front of the plate if space allows, or laid across the plate or atop a soupbowl (as I have done in this setting) if table space is at a premium or you simply want to add some pizzazz to the top of a placesetting.

Centerpiece/Tablescape

For the tablescape, I pulled in colors from the dinnerware.

Table centerpiece
Easy-to-construct Table Centerpiece

I have opted for a relatively simple and easy-to-construct centerpiece – two faux green kissing (or pomander) balls on high glass pillar candlesticks surrounded by greenery, holly berries from outside my front door, Christmas balls, and pinecones to fill in some empty spaces.

Since I am not a huge fan of taper candles that can easily tip with a guest’s knee jerk against the table, I have chosen to use a series of small white votives interspersed along the edges of the centerpiece. They add a lovely upward glow to the kissing balls which are the focal point of the tablescape.

One of the things I am doing this season in my tablesettings is trying to use existing product and props in my centerpieces as opposed to buying more or always opting to use fresh flowers.  As lovely as fresh flowers are, they do require some work and, if I want to set my table well ahead of an event as my time allows, it’s easier if I use other options for centerpieces. Additionally, if you already have suitable props, it’s a more economical option.

Glassware

Because this dinnerware is quite modern, I am using extra-tall and very contemporary wine glasses.  The height of the glasses complements the high centerpiece as well as the dinnerware.

Christmas Tablesetting
Red Plaid Christmas Tablesetting

I hope you have enjoyed my contemporary tablesetting using red tartan dinnerware.  Happy Holidays!

To view other Christmas and New Year’s Tablesettings, click on the links below:

Glitz ‘n Glamour New Year’s Eve Tablesetting
Twas the Night Before Christmas
The Warmth of the Christmas Light Tablesetting
Christmas Eve Tablesetting and Dinner
Pretty Poinsettia Tablesetting
Poinsettia Trio Tablesetting
The Holiday Table
The Pink and Green Holiday Table
Christmas at My Island Bistro Kitchen
Purple Tablesetting for the Holidays
Evergreens and Reindeer Christmas Tablesetting
Cupcake Tablescape

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Christmas Tablesetting
A Tartan Tablesetting for Christmas

 

 

The Warmth of the Christmas Light Tablesetting

I love setting beautiful tables any time of the year but the Christmas season lends itself so well to many creative tablesetting options.  Sometimes, I have many more ideas than I have need to create new tablescapes!

Today, I am veering off the traditional color theme one might ordinarily expect to see on a Christmas table though I have incorporated some red and green into the design.

The Dishes

The dinnerware I have chosen is manufactured by Royal Stafford in England. The pattern is called “Christmas Home”.

These earthenware dishes are durable and not nearly so fragile as fine bone china.  The dinnerware is both microwaveable and dishwasher safe so, for this reason, the dishes are a suitable option for everyday use during the holiday season or they can be dressed up for a Christmas dinner as I have done here.

The predominant black/gray color may not be what one would think of first for Christmas dinnerware.  However, look closer and you can see the black/gray makes a lovely frame for the heartwarming scene on the dishes. It really makes the red and green pop in the pattern.

As soon as I examined the scene, I knew my tablescape would draw its inspiration from the glow of light in the windows of the dinnerware pattern and I have called this tablesetting the “Warmth of the Christmas Light“.  I like how the nostalgic pattern in the dishes tells its own story.

Charger Plates

I have a wide collection of charger plates and use them frequently in my tablesettings.  They are as functional as they are decorative.  They are functional as they help to keep each placesetting clean.  If a morsel of food escapes a plate, the charger plate (as opposed to a fine tablecloth or wood table) catches it.  Charger plates also allow for the elements of each placesetting to be coralled in an orderly fashion.  From a decorative point of view, chargers add a touch of class, elegance, and color to a finely set table.  Charger plates are very inexpensive and I have chosen basic black to complement the black and white dishes and the black lanterns in the tablescape.

Linens

When the dinnerware pattern is busy, I recommend choosing a plain tablecloth that matches the background color in the dishes.  In this case, I have selected one of my white Irish linen tablecloths because the background in the dinnerware is white.  The blank white canvas of the tablecloth allows for the elements of the tablescape to stand out.

I am a big fan of cloth napkins and, in particular, plain napkins.  Plain linens are very important if the dinnerware has a busy pattern so neither competes with the other.  The plain napkins help to ground the patterned dinnerware. To use patterned napkins and tablecloth with this dinnerware would make it very cluttered to the eye. To add some brightness to the tablescape and to tie in with the hints of red in the dinnerware and the bow on the lantern, I have chosen red napkins.

Candlestick Napkin Fold
Candlestick Napkin Fold

In keeping with my theme of the warmth of Christmas light, the napkin fold I have selected is the freestanding candlestick. This is a very easy-to-do napkin fold and a stiff napkin is required.  The red napkins I have used have white trim on the edges so, when rolled into a candle shape, the white resembles candle drippings. If you find this napkin fold too tall for your liking, the napkins can always be laid across each place setting where they will appear as simple, elegantly rolled napkins.

Centerpiece

For the centerpiece on this table, I have used two black lanterns along with red pillar candles.  I like to use props I already have and incorporate them into different table settings.  The black lanterns blend well with the color of the dinnerware and are continuing the theme of light. I have dressed up the taller of the lanterns with a swag in colors complementary to the dinnerware along with a perky red bow. The lanterns also provide a safe place for the candles yet still allow them to add light to the tablescape.  Some faux red berries and pine cones complete the look.

Glassware

To complement the nostalgic dinnerware, I have opted to use very traditional glassware of about average height for stemware.

I hope you have enjoyed my “Warmth of the Christmas Light” tablesetting that features Royal Stafford’s “Christmas Home” dinnerware.

To view other Christmas and New Years Tablesettings, click on the links below:

Glitz ‘n Glamour New Year’s Eve Tablesetting
Twas the Night Before Christmas
Christmas Eve Tablesetting and Dinner
A Tartan Holiday Tablesetting
Pretty Poinsettia Tablesetting
Poinsettia Trio Tablesetting
The Holiday Table
The Pink and Green Holiday Table
Christmas at My Island Bistro Kitchen
Purple Tablesetting for the Holidays
Evergreens and Reindeer Christmas Tablesetting
Cupcake Tablescape

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Christmas Tablesetting
Warmth of the Christmas Light Tablesetting

Thank you for visiting “the Bistro” today.  If you enjoyed this posting, please share it on your social media websites.

Connect with “the Bistro” through the following social media:

Join My Island Bistro Kitchen on Facebook

Follow “the Bistro’s” tweets on Twitter

Follow “the Bistro” on Pinterest

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Evergreens and Reindeer Christmas Tablescape

It’s no secret that I love setting beautiful tables!  I genuinely believe it enhances a wonderful meal by providing the ambiance and it shows your guests that you put some thought and care into the dinner party.

Evergreens and Reindeer Tablescape

Christmas is a wonderful time to be creative (and a bit over the top) in extravagant table settings.  It is not uncommon for me to change my tablescapes three to four times during the holiday season.

I don’t own Christmas china.  It’s not because I haven’t been looking but I haven’t found anything I like at a price I’m willing to pay for tableware that will be used only for a very short time of the year.  Some of the Christmas patterns are just way too busy and I would truly use them only for display because food would certainly not show up on them.  Plain white dinnerware is best for food presentation.  Other Christmas dishes on the market just look too chintzy or cheap to me and so I leave them on the store shelves.  Besides, I have my Royal Albert “Lavender Rose” china and Christmas provides a prime opportunity to use it.

Having specific Christmas china is not necessary to set a beautiful holiday table.  What I do is work with the colors in my existing year-round china when designing my tablescapes.  For example, the background in my china is white and the primary color in the floral pattern is pink and the secondary colors are lavender and green.  The edge of each piece bears gold-colored trim.  Therefore, I work with those colors, no matter the season, and stay away from reds, yellows, blues, and so forth.  If I was doing it again, I would choose a plain white china pattern with either a gold or silver trimmed edge for two reasons.  First, food looks great on white and, second, it lends itself to the use of any color scheme you want to use.  The other thing I do is make sure the wall color and soft furnishings, like draperies, chairs, etc., in my dining room are of a color that they work with my china.  In my case, my dining room wall color is sage green with white trim and chair railing.  My chairs carry that green and also have gold color in them so that ties them to the gold on the china.

So my approach this year.  I decorated my dining room fireplace mantle in winter white.  That allows me to add color to the tablescape without conflicting with another color on the mantle and it leaves several options open.  For my first tablescape of the season, I have picked the green color in the china and made green my primary color with gold as the accent color that picks up the gold trim in the china and the gold-colored chargers.

Royal Albert “Lavender Rose” china

These Christmas tree candles have proven versatile.

Versatile Christmas Tree Candles

In this tablescape, I have elevated the tree candles on to candlesticks of various heights.  I then casually draped a short gold berry garland around them – this, again, picks up on the gold-rimmed china and ties the centerpiece to the gold charger plates.  I like to mix and move my Christmas decorations around the house so the three reindeer moved into the dining room as they nestle beneath the green trees.

Glittery Reindeer

I am famous for using Christmas tree balls everywhere throughout the house during the holidays so I have strewn a few amidst the tablescape to fill in some gaps.  To keep the theme going, I used my petite ornament placecard holders and selected placecards that had a tree theme.  I don’t always use placecards but they do add a finishing touch of class to the tablesetting.

Christmas Ornament Placecard Holder

 

Christmas Tree Ornaments Incorporated into Tablescape

To add a glow of light at the base of the tablescape, I added some tiny gold-trimmed votives.  Their glow adds to the ambiance.

Tiny Gold-Trimmed Votives

I like white tablecloths because they are clean and pristine and provide a wonderful blank canvas for the table setting.  The white makes any tablescape stand out, no matter its color (with the exception, perhaps, being a white tablescape).  This is an antique Irish linen tablecloth I am using in this table setting.  Because my oval dining room table is not large, I opted for a napkin fold design that would fit inside the soup bowl because available table space is at a premium and, placing the napkins on the table, would interfere with the tablescape focal point.  The napkin fold I chose is called “Pure Elegance” and it is a relatively easy fold to do.

“Pure Elegance” Napkin Fold

Be sure to use good quality large cloth napkins in a formal table setting, never paper napkins.  Again, white is always a good choice for napkins because it goes with anything.  As well, plain napkins lend themselves well to any napkin folds.  If, however, you have patterned cloth napkins that blend in with the tablescape you are designing and they don’t detract from it, by all means, use them. Just keep in mind that some napkin folds don’t lend themselves well to patterned napkins.  As is always my recommendation, after you have finished setting the table, take photographs of it from several angles and view them – this will tell you if something is amiss, too much, too little, and so forth.  This allows you to make the necessary adjustments before your guests arrive.

Overhead View of Table

 

Overhead View of Individual Place Setting

 

View of Tablescape

Setting a beautiful holiday table does not have to cost a fortune.  Look around your existing Christmas decorations and see what you may already have that could form a tablescape for your holiday dining table.  I bought nothing new for this tablescape.  It has been constructed completely from my existing Christmas ornament and candle collection. 

Sometimes, we think the centerpiece has to involve flowers and, lovely as they are, that is not always necessary.  Early in the season, I tend not to go with real flowers but, as we get closer to Christmas, at least one of my tablescapes will involve fresh flowers.  How elaborate you choose to make your tablesetting is up to you.  I have two suggestions.  First, consider the event you are hosting.  For example, a brunch or lunch will merit a much less elaborate tablescape than will, for example, a formal evening dinner.  Second, consider the dinnerware you are using and work with it.  Earthenware is more casual than formal china so make sure your tablescape bears that in mind as the dinnerware will be the cue from which you take your design for the table centerpiece.  In order to achieve a harmonious and coordinated look for your table, the elements must all work and blend together.

Happy tablesetting!

To view other Christmas and New Year’s Tablesettings, click on the links below:

Glitz ‘n Glamour New Year’s Eve Tablesetting
Twas the Night Before Christmas
The Warmth of the Christmas Light Tablesetting
A Tartan Holiday Tablesetting
Pretty Poinsettia Tablesetting
Poinsettia Trio Tablesetting
The Holiday Table
The Pink and Green Holiday Table
Christmas at My Island Bistro Kitchen
Purple Tablesetting for the Holidays
Christmas Eve Tablesetting and Dinner
Cupcake Tablescape