December 12, 2024

5 Ideas for your Christmas Table Place Settings

With just two weeks until the big day, now is the time to check that you have everything you need for your Christmas table. First, we delved into everything from colour schemes to centrepieces in Rebecca’s ultimate guide to Christmas table styling ideas, and now we’re focusing on the place settings themselves and how to make them shine. Our Christmas Day table setting ideas are here to give you inspiration for making each place setting and guest feel special. From napkin styling to layering crockery, here is our advice for elevating your place settings this festive season along with five place setting ideas to recreate at home.

Classic linen tablecloth in tobacco / Francesca waxed linen placemats in ivory / natural rattan charger / Madeleine dinner plate with gold filet / Nora cutlery / Daphne red wine glasses / Murano swirl tumblers in autumn / Georgiana ladder stitch napkins with chocolate embroidery

How to layer your place settings

As mentioned in our previous Xmas table dressing blog post, we are great believers in creating layered tables through texture, pattern and colour.

Start with adding waxed linen placemats in colours that complement your choice of tablecloth. These stylish yet functional placemats have a unique coating which retains the natural drape of the fabric while being wipe-clean – making them incredibly functional for large dinner parties featuring messy foods such as jugs of gravy. Spills can be immediately wiped with a damp cloth and they can also be washed on a cold setting.

Classic linen tablecloth in forest green / brown rattan charger / Madeleine dinner plate with gold filet / natural wood cutlery / Julia white wine glasses / Julia tumblers

The next layer isn’t essential, but we like to add a rattan charger for texture as well as extra height with their slightly raised side profile. You can also forgo a linen placemat and place a charger or rattan placemats directly onto your tablecloth for a more relaxed look. What’s more, they help to protect your table from hot plates and can easily be wiped clean.

We then place our chosen crockery upon our rattan chargers. For Christmas table place settings (that don’t have to be strictly formal), we love the contemporary touch of placing side plates or small bowls atop your dinner plates, rather than to the side. This works especially well when using crockery with detailed edging, such as our Olivia scalloped plates. Position your cutlery to each side of the place settings, choose your glassware, then reach for your napkins for the final flourish.

Marble linen tablecloth in green / scalloped rattan placemat in brown / Madeleine dinner plate with gold filet / natural wood cutlery / Julia white wine glasses / Julia tumblers / Sophie classic two-cord napkin in forest green / antique gold braided napkin rings

How to style your napkins

How you style your napkins can make a big difference to the overall look of your Christmas table. You could fold each linen napkin in half and place it either on top of the plates or to one side beneath the cutlery, but the festive season offers the opportunity to try something different.

Try folding your napkins over until they are long and thin, with any decorative details such as stitching positioned closest to your seats. Delicately loop a silk or velvet ribbon around the centre of the napkin and either leave the ends loose or tie a neat bow. Alternatively, use napkin rings – we like the more contemporary look achieved by bunching the middle of the napkin, adding a napkin ring and then fanning out the edges (you can also do this using ribbon instead of a napkin ring).

Play around with colours. Match your napkins to your tablecloth, opt for classic white with detailed embroidery, or if your tablecloth is patterned pick out one of the colours. We love the look achieved by contrasting your ribbon or napkin rings with the colour of the napkins but monotone can also work well.

Classic linen tablecloth in black cherry / Georgiana ladder stitch linen placemat with nougat embroidery / brown rattan charger / Madeleine dinner plate with gold filet / tortoiseshell cutlery / Julia red wine glasses / Julia tumblers / classic linen napkin in black cherry

How to personalise your place settings

An especially lovely touch for Christmas table place settings is to personalise each place for your guests. Go beyond the expected by opting for small, beautifully wrapped gifts instead of Christmas crackers, using wrapping paper and ribbon that ties in with the rest of your table styling. These small presents could be anything from gourmet chocolates to miniatures of their favourite skincare products or vintage Christmas decorations.

If you’re catering for a large group or have complicated seating arrangements, consider adding place cards to your table – not only will it allow your guests to quickly find their seat, but you can spend time hand-making them for a really lovely personal touch. You could also add menu cards so your guests know what to expect from the meal.

Festive foliage and decorations offer a joyful way to make each place setting feel noteworthy. Place a sprig of berries or gold-spray peppercorn branches on or beside each plate for a considered, seasonal touch.