we are still part of the believers that you don't start decorating for christmas until after thanksgiving. which means that we don't finish decorating for christmas until like the 15th and only have ten good days to revel in the glory
Read Morei have shown you lots of ideas on how to create the perfect holiday table here and here, but this is how we are actually decorating our christmas table. somehow having the dining room table always set makes everything feel so much fancier. in a good way of course.
for the table we went with a green and gold theme, with black and white and a few hints of pink. we started with a black and white tablecloth (which was really just a giant piece of fabric, the edges aren't even hemmed. remember, we said to get creative!) we layered in a solid emerald runner (from ikea). for the place settings, we used our favorite gold chargers, topped with black and white damask plates and green flowered salad plates. we were also so excited to pull out our new gold rimmed glasses, courtesy of the salvation army. the centerpiece was a cluster of vases filled with garden roses and rosemary, tea lights and glitter. our favorite part was the pomegranates on the plates, they added such a nice contrasting color. of course we only had two pomegranates at the time so we filled in with grapefruits. we didn't spend a dime creating this table, we only used thing we had or could cut from our garden. let's see what you can pull together for your holiday table!
[this is the second part of bobette's table setting class, you can find the first part here]
Last month we talked about how to put your individual table settings together, and this month we are going to talk about how to put your entire table together. (This guide was adapted from Nat Berkus' guide over at Elle Decor)
1. first things first you need to start with a blank slate/blank table. it will make your life so much easier
2. lay down a tablecloth. it doesn't always need to be a traditional tablecloth, you can use fabric, sheets, a shower curtain, a quilt or throw. anything that covers the table will work.
3. add a contrasting runner. again, this can be anything- wrapping paper, rugs, scarves, doilies, trays, mirrors, empty frames, wood planks.
4. build your centerpiece, and keep it low. you could include fruits, nuts, succulents, candles, greenery, sticks, cylinder vases wrap with ribbon, wheat herb leaves, or burlap and candles in them.
5. create your first table setting (see our instructions here).
6. mix things up. everything doesn't have to be matchy-matchy-green-squared.
7. add flowers. no table is complete without flowers- add them to your centerpiece and even your individual settings.
8. layer in glassware.
9. get creative. you can add to anything on your table, or even decorate your chairs with wreaths, ribbons ornaments. don't be afraid to view things differently- you can pull something off the wall to use as your centerpiece, use dishtowels as napkins, wrap your silverware in a thousand different ways. once everything comes together, no one will second-guess you.
this is my favorite table setting of today's post. not only does it have the best colors (which i think should be everyone's christmas palette), but also the cutest place card. for this table, bobette chose to forego the tablecloth and just use her chartreuse runners. the centerpiece is a glass vase with succlents. we wrapped the plates with a red ribbon and put her festive napkin underneath. we added a sprig of rosemary to her place card- and a gift for our guests to take home. who wouldn't want that 'we wish you a merry christmas' sign? the glassware is a vintage goblet.
i love the color palette of this one- that rich purple makes it fit for a king. for the centerpiece, bobette used a little reindeer platter with glittered pears. she used her gold chargers and black and white damask plates. she wrapped her napkin with a sprig of rosemary as her place card.
this table setting uses the more traditional red and green palette, but we've updated it a bit. that red chevron table cloth is actually a rug (we cleaned it, we promise). we did another succulent centerpiece and leaned our mini holiday sign up on it. we used a simple white plate with a red glass one. again, we used the napkin as the place card holder, but wrapped it in red pom-pom ribbon and used our mini chalkboard signs. oh, and we were dying over the addition of the magnolia leaf- it really pulls the whole thing together.
bobette taught a class on how to set your holiday tables recently, and i loved everything she did so much i had to share! she created 5 different place settings ranging from vintage to modern styles. it's never too early to get started on holiday planning right??
first let's talk about what you actually need for a table setting. the diagram above shows the general way that they should be set up, but your place settings can be more or less complex depending on what you have and how fancy-pantsy you want to be. consider the diagram a guideline, you do not have to do it exactly like that- and you will see in the examples below that we strayed a bit from what is shown.
1. placemat- my grandma always has a placemat set for dinner, and for some reason it makes everything feel so much more elegant. i always loved that when i visited her house for sunday dinners. this category could include your tablecloth, should you choose to use one.
2. charger- i feel like this is the place where you can be the most creative. there are so many different things that you can use as a charger, because you don't have to eat off of it. we thought of using: cutting boards, tiles, paper, serving dishes. really anything that is slightly bigger than a plate would work.
3. main plate- this is pretty much the only thing that you have to have for a table setting. unless you are super progressive and don't want to be confined by plates. no judgment.
4. salad plate- this could also be a soup bowl. either way it has to be killer since it is on the tippy top.
5. name tag- you can play with lots of different things here too. bobette has a killer collection of name tag holders (see below). i also love when people have little treats as their name tags (ie a chocolate box with the name on the outside). the name tag can be placed anywhere really- tied to the napkin or cup, on top of or next to the plate.
6. fork/napkin/spoon/knife- there are proper ways to set all of these if you are proper and are using multiple utensils. we like tying all of them together and putting them to the right of the plate (though if i had it my way they would be on the left hand side #lefthandedproblems).
7. cup- again, you can have multiple glasses and there are certain ways to set them. we usually stick with just one glass for our signature drink, and have extras near the drink bar.
for this setting we nixed the placemat and opted for that awesome lacy tablecloth (from my wedding, excuse the wrinkles). i love this look for thanksgiving- the palate of pinks browns and yellow are perfect. that charger is a serving platter, and i love how it matches the silver centerpiece. how perfect are the flowers too? oh and you can see one of bobette's name tag holders- the pink ornaments. loves.
this is the way that bobette is planning to have her thanksgiving table set. i don't think i could love it more. i have always wanted to steal those gold chargers, and combined with the charteuse napkins- she is killing me. those white plates are super old from target, and the salad plates are from anthro a few years ago.
we have seen this look quite a bit on pinterest lately. it has a limited color palette (she wanted to use tan napkins, but i needed more color/pattern- i can't go that modern). i do love the combination of the two white plates. that wreath was made of a boxwood branch in her garden, as was the rosemary surrounding the candles. those chalkboards with the wooden stands are new- i feel like they are super diy-able for those of you who are crafty.
what plans do you have for your thanksgiving table?
