For more formal gatherings, half the fun is setting the perfect table. Here are pretty, seasonal ideas for choosing chargers, cutlery, textiles and accents — no matter what your home’s style.
A palette of pale greens and blues lends a whimsical, vintage Victorian air to this pretty table. Ornate dishes and fancy silverware would normally feel formal, but colourful bottle brush trees and a sweet place card featuring a faux egg turn the overall mood playful.
Photographer: Kim Christie
Source: House & Home December 2013 issue
Think outside the box when it comes to themes. This avian-inspired look used traditional china as a jumping off point, but layers of pattern take the look in a modern direction. Pale blue eggs and a tiny silver bird are quirky additions to the look.
Photographer: Monic Richard
Source: House & Home December 2010 issue
Designer: Jane Charron
If your walls are painted in a pretty hue, deck out your table to match. Shades of green abound, from the retro-cool glasses to the table cloth to the painted-brick walls, giving the table a fun, monochromatic look. Tall candles in ornate gold candleholders are warm additions of colour that pick up on the vintage chairs.
Photographer: Angus Fergusson
Source: House & Home November 2014 issue
A little bit of candlelight is nice, but a lot is even better. On this luxe table, a cluster of tiny vases and tall candles — set in mod gold holders — feels casual but special. Facetted tea light holders add to the warm glow.
Photographer: Janis Nicolay
Source: House & Home November 2014
Designer: Sophie Burke
When your chairs are upholstered in a luxe, eye-catching purple, the rest of your table doesn’t need much colour. Simple white dishes, weighty silverware and some pretty vintage accents provide a refined, understated elegance.
Photographer: Virginia Macdonald
Source: House & Home November 2010 issue
A mix of seating lends an eclectic air. The tufted, high-back bench feels glam, especially with the addition of silk and velvet throw pillows. But keep table décor low, otherwise you risk block guests’ view of one another.
Photographer: Michael Graydon
Source: House & Home November 2013
Products: Stacey Smithers and Sarah Hartill
A mismatched place setting that includes speckled ceramic plates, two-toned cutlery and a hit of copper feels thoroughly modern. Skip the table cloth (especially if you have a beautiful marble table top!) and layer in greenery plucked from the backyard for a hit of natural texture.
Photographer: Michael Graydon
Source: House & Home December 2013 issue
Designer: Stacey Smithers and Joel Bray
A linen table cloth and coordinating — but not matching — napkins lends a homey, cosy vibe to this holiday table. Gold-toned cutlery strikes a glamorous note, while dishes have modern silhouettes. Tiny sprigs set in shot glasses are sweet additions to the table, while a pear at every place is a playful touch.
Photographer: Donna Griffith
Source: House & Home November 2013 issue
Designer: Grace Castaneda
Sturdy ceramic dishes in crisp black have an almost Japanese vibe, and pop when set against a simple, homespun linen runner in wintry white. A lush plant in a pretty white vase is another point of contrast.
Get more holiday decorating ideas .
Photographer: Michael Graydon
Source: House & Home November 2009 issue
Designer: Stacey Smithers