Is it just me or is Christmas getting more hectic every year? I haven’t even had a chance to think about my Christmas decorating game, which is totally unlike me. So in light of this, I thought I would take an opportunity to share my Christmas table setting hacks for the time poor peeps.  

First off, to make sure your scheme feels cohesive, get out the table cloths, napkins and plates that you have and a look at the colours. Will they go together? Can you make them feel Christmassy? These items are a great starting point without having to go out and buy anything.

What’s your theme?

I like to create a bit of a theme around my schemes. A couple of years ago, it was a tropical theme, so I included lots of oranges and yellows and greens on the table. I collected tropical looking leaves from the garden and frangipanis for the centre piece.

Last year it was a native Australian Christmas. We decorated the table with a sage green table cloth and foraged the bottle brushes and wattle from the trees outside.

The key thing is, to have a bit of fun with your theme and don’t get too stressed about it, just come up with something based on the colours and table items you already have.

How do you make it look cohesive?

This is the most important part, use the rule of 3 or 5. I LOVE this trick because it helps you successfully style anything.

How this works - always repeat each of the colours in your scheme 3 or 5 times. This will ensure your table feels balanced and harmonious. Place the colour in different ratios on the table to draw the eye. This method absolutely works and will have you styling like a pro!!

So make sure when you’re buying (or finding) items for your scheme, you think about where the colour will live and how you will bring it through. Strategically place each element so it takes your eye on a journey across the table.

How much of each?

For a tablescape, pick a maximum of 3 colours so as not to overwhelm. This should be made up of a primary colour which will be about 60% of the scheme. This will most likely be a colour that acts as a subtle background hue, which can easily be layered with other stronger colours. Then pick 2 accents that will go with your primary colour. Metallics could be a great accent too. They’re a perfect shortcut to level up on the specialness.

Accent colours should be limited to pops of colour and make up 10%-15% of the scheme.
Accents might feature in water jugs, glasses, napkins, ornaments, gravy boats or foraged items from the garden. Think about using different shades of a colour too. You don’t have to stick with the same shade. This allows you to make your scheme feel cohesive without feeling too staged or forced.

Finally, create pace and scale through using items that sit at different heights on the table and at different sizes. This creates a sense of balance when you look at the table scape.

This is all about creating an exciting space for your entertaining area. It should feel inviting and warm. It doesn’t have to be magazine worthy, just have fun with it and enjoy creating. I love to get my kids involved. A big part of creating a table scape for Christmas is the time we spend planning and foraging and coming up with ideas. This is now a Christmas tradition for our family.

I hope it brings something special to your family too.