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The holiday season is approaching and with them comes the magic of gathering family and friends around a beautifully set table to share special moments and create lasting memories. The art of setting a flawless table is not only about the food we serve, but also about the aesthetics, layout and mise en place, which can turn a simple meal into an extraordinary experience. In this article, we will explore the five most beautiful tables for the holiday season, each with its own unique style, setup and mise en place that will make your guests' eyes sparkle. Whether you love the classic, or are looking for something that sets your style apart, you are sure to find inspiration to create the Christmas table of your dreams. Get ready to immerse yourself in a world of style and beauty that makes Christmas even more unforgettable
The classic Christmas table
We begin, of course, with a table set according to tradition, a table marked by understated elegance but not without details, a tribute to our sweetest memories with a little twist. In choosing the elements for this table, the goal is to create an atmosphere that evokes the charm of the holidays, combined with a timeless style. Therefore, my suggestion is to opt for a linen tablecloth in a light color but not white. Better in my opinion to choose a softer shade such as ivory, putty or refined sea salt, with that hint of powder that adds an effortless touch of elegance.
The tablecloth hems can be floor-length and finished simply with a matching embroidered cord or with a silver thread that echoes the cutlery. Still in shades of ivory, you can instead opt for a pattern with a more elaborate border such as a Gitane or a Sfogliatella with gold or silver trim. In this case I recommend raising the hem a little and keeping the drop between forty and fifty centimeters at most. The napkins, as on each of our tables, also play an important aesthetic role; on this table they will be linen in the same color and finish as the tablecloth, with silver outline or with the same soft ruffles as the border, in the case of a Gitane. As for china, the choice of white or ivory plates gives an aura of classicism to the table. If you like the idea of coordinating the spotlight you've already used on the tablecloth, choose dishes with a gold or silver rim. Make sure you have a complete dinner service, including flat plates, serving dishes and salad plates, for a flawless presentation of the various dishes for your holiday meal. I especially love to use vintage services, which belonged to grandmothers and aunts or were purchased second-hand. Thanks to my passion for antique china, metal cutlery silver-plated and crystals, I have over time created a vast collection that I now make available to my customers in our store in Bologna, and which is always a great success. Don't forget also to prepare a sufficient number of coffee cups, with sugar bowl and milk jug. I like to serve it in the living room, after Christmas lunch, placing everything on a large silver tray and accompanied by chocolate orange peels. For coffee you will also need mocha spoons and cocktail napkins that are smaller than the classic table napkin.
For the choice of glasses you will certainly need wine glasses, white and red, and flutes or champagne glasses, in addition to the water glass, of course. You can go for plain or ground goblets with delicate patterns, while I would avoid colored glasses for this table. Silver flatware is the perfect complement to the Classical table. Arrange them neatly, think carefully about the different courses, and if in doubt, check the correct way to place them according to the Etiquette, which I link here, with forks on the left and knives to the right of the plates, and spoons to the right of the knives, following the etiquette of a well-set table. If you are serving fish, don't forget to add appropriate cutlery. For lighting, place white and silver candles in elegant candle holders along the center of the table. Candles create a cozy and romantic atmosphere that perfectly matches the elegance of the table. In these cases, if you want to add an extra touch, I always recommend our silver mirror underplates that gently reflect the candle lights by lighting up the table. Add fine details such as silver-plated napkins and personalized name place cards. These small touches complete the elegant look of the table.
Red! A joyful Christmas, with a touch of Scottish fantasye
Do you love Christmas in red? Do you know why the color red is associated with Christmas in the first place? Because it is a symbol of royalty, but it is also a color that represents stability and therefore roots, family. If you love it you are the kings and queens of your home and guardians of your nest and family! Beautiful isn't it? So I would like to propose a couple of solutions in this much-loved color for the holidays because it is joyful and vital. I chose a particular tone of red, deep and intense, somewhere between a red and a burgundy. I named it Heartwood because it has all the warmth of a passionate heart! Such a rich and full color is in itself capable of creating the right Christmas atmosphere, but it is just as beautiful and elegant when paired with a classic plaid tartan to match. For this, I propose two options:
1. The warmth of simplicity
The first, a tablecloth with matching napkins rather linear and without elaborate borders, long to skim the floor in soft linen, with only the accent of a very thin embroidered cord to finish the outline. I chose a warm gold color because it gives light and a touch of refined elegance to the table Let's come to the china I would also choose here, classic and elegant. Opt for porcelain instead of ceramic and stick to white or white and gold. I recommend the use of underplates, and I again chose mirror, but perhaps octagonal or the brand new version in ground red mirror with decorations reminiscent of the wonderful Bohemian crystals. Don't forget the candles, very long and in the same spot of red or slightly darker. The monochrome effect always turns out very elegant
2. Rustic gets elegant
My second proposal for a table in shades of red, instead combines Scottish tartan with hearty red. The effect will be elegant or rustic depending on the details you choose. First of all, here again, the length of the tablecloth plays a key role on the final effect, the longer the hem in fact, the more elegant your set table will look. You will achieve the best if you combine a floor-length undercloth with a slightly shorter tablecloth finished with an embroidered border. I like to pair an elegant tablecloth with a plaid undercloth, a fabric generally used for informal tablecloths, but thanks to the proportions and juxtapositions it becomes the completely perfect for a very elegant and original table setting. Let us now look at the other elements that will complete your red plaid table. Since we played the mix and match card, I would continue by emphasizing the desired maximalist effect and match underplates, napkins. I chose these in white linen embroidered in red, they are precious and playful at the same time and have the great virtue of being able to be stored in very little space after use! Oh I forgot, they are made of stain-resistant treated linen, so you won't go crazy washing and ironing them. For napkins I almost always tie in the edges of the tablecloth and given the occasion I opt for precious, embroidered napkins, They are the finishing touch to an authentic holiday table. For cutlery china and glasses, I repeat myself, but at Christmas, be classic! Finally, decorate the centerpiece with green holly branches and red berries, and of course don't forget the candles!
3. A Glamorous Christmas, the trendy colors for the table
If, on the other hand, you are looking for a holiday table idea that goes beyond the more classic white or red, I propose a table that combines fashion and refined elegance. One of the most beloved and most suitable colors for a haute couture style table is forest green. A saturated and deep shade, a dark and bright green at the same time that is not likely to go unnoticed. While it is a bold color, I find that it blends easily into many homes. Given the importance of the color, you will only need a few details to complete the table, and Forest Green finds its fullest expression of glamour when paired with touches of antique gold, possibly satin. I paired octagonal underplates with neoclassical and geometric lines but with delicate cracklé gold encrustations and gold satin steel flatware. I completed with the elegant coasters elongated and matched to the coasters and of course the napkins also in linen with the same finish as the tablecloth. If you like the idea, you can treat yourself to an additional festive touch by substituting these soft linen gauze ribbons coordinated with the tablecloth for the classic place cards, to be knotted on your diners' plates Arrange small glasses and containers made of glass and gold metal along the center of the table to hold candles dotting your mise en place in an irregular fashion.
4. Fairy Tale Holidays
In the fourth table, we immerse ourselves in Fairy Tale festivities enriched by bright elements that capture the magic of Christmas. The tablecloth sets the stage for this table, with shiny fabrics or gold or silver embroidery adding a touch of fairytale and festivity to the atmosphere. The ideal choice is our new Venaria tableware line, embellished with precious gold lurex floral embroidery, perfect for creating a sumptuous atmosphere inspired by the great royal receptions at the palace of the Savoy. For tableware, choose porcelain or glassware decorated with enchanting elements, such as stars, or small golden buds. These elements will lend a magical atmosphere to the table. The key to staying elegant is that the decorations, while reminiscent of gold, are small and delicate. For the underplates, I preferred to match these in fabric of the same style, with a ton sur ton result that is less conspicuous than a classic silver underplate . Thanks to the double color of the embroidery, which combines silver and gold, you can match silver or gold steel cutlery with a refined design. The mise en place is completed with napkins embroidered on the corner with the same motif Turn off the lights, light long golden candles and welcome your guests to your regal table.
5. A French table in keeping with the decor of your home
I would like to make a premise here that I think is important whenever you think about setting an elegant table at home. Not every home is suitable for a red table, and the first thing to consider when designing your table setting is to choose it in harmony with your home. Certainly you will have made your choices when it comes to decorating, and the more character you have given to your choice of colors and upholstery, the more you will have to remain consistent with them also and all the more so when choosing your Christmas table setting. Therefore, I would like to propose here some elegant tables that are very suitable for important holidays such as Christmas lunch but definitely far from the classic themes of these holidays. I have combined decor fabrics that I love such as toile de jouy or floral patterns and complemented them with elegant underplates and napkins. I would like to tell you that it doesn't matter if your Christmas table won't be red green or gold, the important thing is that it should be elegant, and in harmony with your style. Dare! I will let you look at the pictures and remind you that if you need any advice I will be happy to help you. We have been making custom tablecloths and equipment for over 25 years, and it is my special pleasure to create unique tables for each client!
