Irina

Host in style this Christmas with these festive tablescaping ideas

Posted on 25th November 2025

If you’re stuck on which style or theme to choose for your Christmas tablescape this year, let us inspire you with five of our favourite key looks of the season…

I, for one, am eagerly awaiting Christmas day festivities – from hour-long board games, fun family films, to the unbeatable, wholesome feeling and, of course, the delicious food. But apart from your appetisers, mains, sides, and desserts (mouth watering? me, too!), the tablescape also needs to look the part.

To help give you a boost of inspiration ahead of the big day, I’ve gathered five fabulous Christmas tablescaping themes. This year, I am leaning towards the first on our list (spoiler alert) – the classic look. Picture rich reds, dark greens, and timeless plaids. Which will you go for? Read on for the full lowdown…

Festive dining room with a wood table, chairs with faux fur seats, and a tree in the corner. — Marlow dining table, £995, Peppermill Interiors.

A classic Christmas look

A heritage-inspired colour palette of dark reds and muted plums intertwined with deep greens and inky navy, and patterns such as plaids, checks, and stripes ooze a classic Christmas feel. So, if you, like me, are feeling nostalgic this holiday season, dress your table in these timeless shades and prints, and decorate with evergreen foliage adorned with holly berries and pine cones, gold cutlery, and elegant glassware. Finish off your scheme with charming crackers.

Classic Christmas tablescape with plaid and checkerboard plates, a centrepiece with foliage and gold cutlery. — Checkered dinner plate, £71, and tartan dinner plate, £89, Mackenzie-Childs.

A holly berry patterned, white dinner plate on a red tablecloth. — Holly large dinner plate, set of four for £89.60, Emma Bridgewater.

A classic Christmas tablescape with plaid tablecloth, matching napkins, rattan charger plates, floral dinner set, and green foliage. — Tartan tablecloth, from £18, Winter Forest 12-piece dinner set, £25, Dark woven charger plate, £12, and Tartan napkins, set of four for £6. All Dunelm.

A festive tablescape with paper trees, striped tablecloth, red and green candles, and an oversized bow in above the fireplace mirror. — Red Ticking Stripe cotton linen tablecloth, £65, Secret Linen Store.

A classic Christmas tablescheme with star patterned white dinner set, gold cutlery tied up with ribbons, and festive crackers. — Nostalgia Santa/Tree crackers, box of six for £19.99, and Nostalgia Santa/Tree New bone china dinner plate, £10.99, Gisela Graham London.

Classic Christmas scheme with red holly berries and pinecone garlands, red and green charger plates, and simple glassware. — Scalloped charger plate in Green and Red, £2 each, B&M.

Ribbon renaissance

Ribbons have taken over the homeware department this year – from plates and side dishes adorned with this motif, festive fabric garlands, to crackers topped with colourful bows. Why not get creative and tie charming ribbons around candlesticks, glass stems, or even cutlery to add a romantic touch to your tablescape. This delicate symbol pairs perfectly with ruffles and frills, whether it’s place mats, table runners, or tactile dinnerware, jewel tones, and glamorous metallic finishes.

A moody Christmas dining room drenched in colour, with wood furniture, ribbon garlands, and a mix of candle sticks on the table with tied bows at the base. — Terning eight-seater dining table in Dark Brown Mango Wood, £909, with Metz bench in Dark Brown Acacia, £399, Swoon Editions.

A charming and romantic Christmas table scheme with round ruffle place mats, fluted dinner sets, and cutlery tie sup with ribbons. — Twelve Gauzy organza tree bows in Berry Red, £22, Cox & Cox.

A dining room with a wood table, dressed in red tablecloth, with a festive centrepiece with candles and baubles, with white crockery, and a ceiling-mounted foliage centrepiece above it. — Porcelain Snowflake dinnerware set, £39, ProCook.

White Christmas

If you are dreaming of a white Christmas, while snow may not yet be on the forecast, you can be one step closer to a winter wonderland with a frosty tablescaping theme. Picture all-white crockery, ceramic tree and lighthouse decorations, neutral table linen, and pops of bright gold and shiny silver.

A simple table setup with white crockery with gold speckles and rims, gold decor and modern glassware. — Gold star-shaped serving bowl, £22, Gold Splatter dip bowls with handle, £20, and 12-piece White Nova gold rim dinner set, £38. All from Next.

A white Christmas tablescape with frosty garland, white crockery, champagne flutes and a tree in the background. — Florence dining table, £399.99, Furniture and Choice.

A white festive tablescape with patterned linen, ceramic trees, floral crackers and teal dinner plates. — Pennorth Amber fabric, from £66 per m, Stars glass hurricanes, £70, White set of three pre-lit ceramic Christmas trees, £35, and Teal Green Thurston Bloom 23cm plates, a set of four for £48. All Laura Ashley.

A modern and minimalist table setup with glass tree decor, a large candle holder, and frosted glassware. — Lorea extending dining table in White And Grey, £999, Dfs.

Minimalist luxe Christmas tablescaping ideas

Love a pared-back look with a luxurious twist? Keep your tablescape minimal with simple Scandi-style dinnerware, modern pops of chrome on cutlery or candlesticks, and stone serving boards. For a subtle, festive touch, run an evergreen garland in the middle of your table or set a statement vase with tall holly berry branches as the centrepiece.

A simple, chic dining room with mustard velvet chairs, a wood table, glass chandelier, and a fireplace. — Large rectangular Arthur dining table, £2855, Oka.

A modern Christmas tablescape with stone cheese board, blue crackers, white plates, and chrome decor. — Sculpt dining table, £1199, Marble and glass cheese board, £48, Polar bear salt and pepper shakers, £12, and Mini Tree crackers, £26. All John Lewis.

A modern dining room with a fluted wood dining table, red velvet chairs, cream velvet bench and festive decorations. — Hanne six-seater dining table in White Ceramic, £899, Danetti.

Into the forest

Green was the colour of the year, both in kitchen and bathroom design – think sage, olive, and forest cabinetry, avocado vanity units and painted sanitaryware to match. It is chameleonic, suiting a range of styles, from Scandi, raw and rustic, to modern and sophisticated schemes. Utterly chic yet calming, it makes for the perfect hue to drench your Christmas tablescape in. A layered mix of shades of green will inspire a fresh, inviting atmosphere.

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