TAKE YOUR DECORATING CUES FROM THE GREAT OUTDOORS
Gather round
A woodland-inspired palette is sure to set a pretty tone for the table, with dusky berry pinks and warm oaky browns pairing beautifully with shades of deep damson and burnished gold. At each place setting, combine treasured pieces with a few new favourites. Rebecca Udall’s scalloped china and the embroidered table linen at Sharland England are worth adding to your Christmas list. Mix up textures for a layered look – dainty glass candlestick holders, for example, can work surprisingly well beside heavy handcrafted ceramics when their colours complement one another. Finish with a homespun flourish: a simple sprig of berries, tied loosely to a napkin, will add charm instantly.
GARLAND, £79, Rowen & Wren
DINNER CANDLES, £30 for a set of 6, Rebecca Udall
NAPKINS, £95 for a set of 4, Sharland England
NAPKIN RING, £4.50, The Wisteria Tree
SIDE PLATE, £12.50, Bøde Living
CANDLE HOLDER, £25 for a set of 2, Tooka at The Hambledon
TUMBLER, £75 for a set of 6, The Vintage List at The Hambledon
CHAMPAGNE FLUTE, £80 for a set of 6, Rebecca Udall
SOUP BOWL, £40, Sharland England
CANDLESTICK, £19, Dowse
PLACECARD HOLDER, £8.99 for a set of 6, Ginger Ray
NAPKINS, £25 for a set of 2, Layered Lounge
DINNER PLATE, £134 for a set of 4, Rebecca Udall
CANDLESTICK, £22.50 for a set of 2, Nkuku
JUG, £85, Late Afternoon
SERVING BOARD, £42, Neptune
CUTLERY, £185 for a set of 16, Nkuku
The holly and the ivy
Garlands, wreaths and potted blooms add colour and texture to the festive celebrations. For a rustic look, create arrangements that bring in foliage and flowers from hedgerows and bushes – clusters of holly berries and delicate daphnes are ideal studded into real fir wreaths. Consider foraging for berry-laden branches and decanting them into bud vases and low tumblers to use as a centrepiece along the length of a dining table or sideboard. Not green fingered? Oka’s faux foliage makes the ultimate stand-in. Potpourri has shrugged off its old-fashioned reputation – pine cones and orange slices are the key ingredients alongside cinnamon sticks and spicy cloves, but it’s a natural essential oil, such as the luxurious versions by True Grace or Neom, that makes it seem much more now.
GARLAND, £29, Marquis & Dawe
WREATH, £19.99, Dobbies Garden Centres
GARLAND, £20, Next Home
WREATH, £29.99, Dobbies Garden Centres
