Festive Feasting: Designing Your Table Setting For Winter

By Bruno Povejsil, studiobstyle guest blogger

Winter came early this year, then left, and now it’s back while we start thinking about how to decorate for the winter holiday gauntlet. Getting into the spirit is a big part of what makes the festive season fun, and designing a tabletop is a great way to do that. Even if COVID-19 means your celebrations won’t be as busy as usual, design projects are a good way to keep yourself busy and engaged with your home space, so join us as we explore the best trends for this year’s holidays.

Pottery and ceramics are naturally perfect fits for a table setting, and taking some time to pick out one or two handmade pieces will take your composition a long way. Handmade pieces will have character and unique features that should inspire you to work around them, making them an important first step for your design process. Furthermore, by finding and designing around unique dishes and centerpieces, you’re creating a tabletop design that can’t be replicated by anyone but you. This is also a great opportunity to discover local artists and shop vintage for something special.

While you don’t need your whole dinnerware set to be handmade, you should make sure you’re using your handmade pieces to set a tone, and the rest of your pieces should mix and match textures around that base. In the image above, see how the wooden chargers contrast with the rougher texture of the stoneware plates. The plates themselves also contrast each other, but match the smaller, rough-textured dishes in the center. The overall effect keeps the composition visually interesting and consistent throughout.

On a similar note, you should combine more formal, refined elements with less flashy elements. Imagine using a tin table, normally a very rustic base, with an elegant set of glassware. The rough background makes the glassware stand out, and the overall effect elevates the room as a whole. Look for other ways to mix rough and refined, especially this year. Since gatherings will be smaller this year, you have more room to experiment and perfect your techniques.

Incorporating greenery into a festive spread is both traditional and a good way to add color and texture to your design. It’s okay to look beyond wreaths and holly, though; ferns and other plants with distinct textures can provide the same effects without feeling too cliche. For more contrast, add some branch cuttings to a small vase, as shown above. The branches will provide some structure and a darker color against the leaves, or may have their own leaves as above.

This year is a great time to branch out and experiment with design choices for your holiday spread that you can practice and perfect for the future. When COVID-19 is a thing of the past, you’ll really have something to celebrate with your fresh and unique tabletop!