No matter what your style is, there are many ways to set a beautiful table for your holiday guests. Maybe you like formal china in the dining room for Christmas Eve, but a casual farmhouse look in the breakfast room for a Christmas Day brunch. If you’d like a warm and inviting tone to your entertaining this holiday season, here’s how to create a cozy Christmas tablescape with floral and plaid.
I’ve partnered with Pier 1 to bring you this relaxed Christmas table setting. A huge thank you to Pier 1 for providing the product but the selections, styling and opinions are all my own.
My concept for this table was to use bold traditional colors and rustic homestyle elements to harness the cozy family-oriented feel and then layer unexpected patterns to add interest. This is in stark contrast to my more formal and ornate pink and gold Christmas table, yet both have a place in our holiday entertaining plans.
It’s also interesting to note that it only takes a few “specifically holiday” pieces along with a well-planned color story to get the message across, while the rest of your tableware can be everyday items that will be used throughout the year.
Looking at my plate stack, I started with a chunky distressed wood charger with embossed scroll, next added an antiqued scroll dinner plate in solid cream, and topped it all off with a gorgeous berry poinsettia salad plate. I love to use printed salad plates to telegraph my theme, but save money by using solids that are multi-functional for the rest of my pieces. You will see these chargers and dinner plates many times in the future in very different tablescape looks.
(See resource list at the bottom of the post.)
Playing off the floral salad plates I used a plaid table runner as an underpinning, and it’s the marriage of these two prints that gives this table its unique personality. The country vibe of the wood chargers and the whip stitch on the runner also help create that cozy Christmas tablescape feel.
For the centerpiece I stayed simple with white roses, holiday greenery and a touch of red berries. I love to use seeded eucalyptus for the flow and movement it brings to an arrangement.
The goblets I used are a golden crackle lusterware and they help bring a note of holiday bling without being too over-the-top formal.
The overall effect is dramatically holiday but if you removed just the poinsettia plates you could turn this into a very different table setting. The runner is reversible with solid red on the other side, so I can get quite a bit of mileage out of all of these wonderful pieces.
I added vintage brass candlesticks with rose-toned bobeches and silver flecked candles for festive flair.
The napkins are a lovely red cotton hemstitch, and they’re clustered in a chunky carved scroll napkin ring. The slub weave of the cotton and the wooden ring further add to the homespun character of this cozy Christmas tablescape.
I like to encourage lively conversation at my tables so I chose a slender vase from my collection for the floral centerpiece, as it raised the flowers above eye level while taking up limited space on its own. I used decorative shot glasses at each place setting for sculptural interest and added a sprig of greenery for a fun accent.
The rustic nature of this table works so well with my French Country decor and it feels special enough for the holiday while celebrating a cozy family-oriented sensibility!
Cozy Christmas Tablescape Source List – Click on the items below for direct links to the products. Where actual items were no longer available, I’ve provided similar options. (This post contains some affiliate links for your convenience. Click here to read my full disclosure policy.)
- Wood Scroll Chargers
- Antique Scroll Dinner Plates
- Poinsettia Salad Plates
- Red Hemstitch Napkins
- Carved Scroll Napkin Ring
- Golden Lusterware Crackle Goblets
Note, the plaid table runner I found at my local Pier 1, but it’s not currently available online. If you want the same look, I would recommend going with a solid red runner and using these plaid placemats.
Today I’m joining with a group of bloggers to bring you our “It’s All Set” Tablescape series. Please take some time to visit the other table settings below. I promise, you will not be disappointed!
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Your table looks so elegant and ready for a gathering of friends. I love the plaid and those pretty chargers!
Cheers!
Shelley
Gorgeous, Lory! Every detail is perfection, as always!
Thank you for the table inspiration, Lory. I haven’t decided what our tables will look like, so I’m adding this to my “idea” pile. I love the bright, happy colors and those goblets, gorgeous! Xo Lidy
Lory, it’s gorgeous, affordable, and multipurpose! Love the mix of floral and plaid; it’s like toile and ticking;). I really covet your candle holders, as you can likely change the bobeche’s to compliment you different tablescapes. Thanks for a great post!
Ginger
I love your table as always Lori! I especially love the salad plates. Your tablescspes always inspire me! Where did you get the clear silver flecked candles? I’ve seen those before in your tables and wonder if they’re still available.
Thanks, Jennifer! Here is a link to the candles. The come in a box of 12. http://rstyle.me/n/b9rcrmb63g7
What a beautiful combination!
So pretty Lory and I always love a nice touch of plaid on a holiday table!
You always set an amazing table. If Pier 1 still had that runner I would’ve jumped on the purchase
Cindy
Lovely tablescape as usual. Please tell me when chargers are removed during a dinner. I would love to use them if I knew how.
Thank you, Sherry! I actually don’t remove mine during the meal. If not serving a salad, I normally collect the salad plates when my guests are seated and put them on the sideboard to use for dessert. I keep the dinner plates on the chargers and serve the meal that way (most often buffet style, so guests take their dinner plater to the buffet and serve themselves). Then I collect them with the dinner plates.
Nice combo, Lory! I do a floral salad plate on a tartan dinner plate, set on a dark green quilted velvet placemat, for our more casual Xmas breakfast or brunch when I decorate the house and tree with a red and green theme–so cozy feeling. I love our formal china settings (so elegant), but I never get that warm, fuzzy feeling with them like I do with the tartan, or maybe it’s just that red and green brings back wonderful childhood Xmas memories for me.
Love your table, Lory. It’s just beautiful! You always do such a lovely job with your decorating! Have a wonderful holiday!
Your table is so pretty. I love the combo you used. I do have a question though. Where did you get the tall vase and is it still available? It would be so versatile for a variety of things!
Thanks so much, Bren! I do not remember where I got that vase, but I’ve gotten a bunch of questions about it so I will try to find a source and add it in. Thanks for visiting… 🙂
Oh my goodness! I adore your Christmas tablescape! Red is my favorite color and I love the plaid you used.
I’ve got to clear off my dining room table and set it up for Christmas dinner this afternoon. Thanks so much for the inspiration!
An elegant yet festive table setting, Lory. Love your wood chargers!
Oh Lory, I don’t think you can do “cozy” without it being elegant. Your tables are always so incredibly beautiful! Every detail is perfect! Happy Holidays to you and your family! Happy Anniversary, too!
OH OH WOW!!!!! What a beautiful table I love the poinsettia plates … I love poinsettias!!! Oh my you are such an inspiration for me … Thank you
That is such a nice thing to say! 🙂
Pier 1 is my all time favorite store and you have put together some of the prettiest table settings from there. I can’t do plaid in my house but the gold goblets and wooden chargers are perfect for a casual but elegant mix. This combination could be used for a soup and sandwich dinner to a fancy evening of entertainment. I love following you and learning about the latest trends. Merry Christmas!!