Happy holidays!
In this season which is meant to be celebratory and exciting but can often become overwhelming and stressful, I wanted to share a couple of tablescape ideas that are beautiful yet simple - and draw from ye olden days when seasonality was a necessity and nature was the guide when it came to holiday decorating.
(Quick side note: though I completely understand that decorating can sometimes be part of what feels daunting during the holidays, creating a naturalistic tablescape can feel a bit meditative. With the “nature as your guide” approach, there’s the chance to pause and go out in nature to gather ingredients. And once you have all you need to prepare, there are no perfect lines to form, no perfect balls of flowers to shape, and the end result is a lush reminder of how the simple beauty of nature is abundant in all seasons.)
So first up, a look best suited for a large table, as this one involves footed compotes, lush greenery centerpieces, and bowls of extras to create an almost cornucopia effect.
Above is a sample on a 4 foot table: I imagine repeating the look for a longer table (and be sure to leave space for the dishes and glassware;)
Materials needed to recreate a similar look
Brass bowls in an assortment of sizes (Note: a footed bowl thrown into the mix will add interest with height variation, but it may block visibility across the table. This is perfect if you have guests who should avoid one another! But if you wish to not impede anyone’s vision, placing the tall footed bowl smack in the middle and leaving extra space at its sides should allow people to see around it.)
Mixed evergreen branches (Shown above are juniper, magnolia, cypress, and nandina stems + berries)
Fruit (pears, pomegranates, oranges, lemons, and cranberries are personal favorites for the holiday)
Pins and brown paper (if you wish to create place cards for the table, as shown above)
Brass candlesticks and/or candleabras + taper candles (a collection with mixed heights adds interest)
Table runner (not required, and please know that it may need to be one you’re okay with ruining for the open pomegranate look - they stain horribly but are so worth the look they provide when cut open)
To create the footed bowl centerpiece
Place a large flower frog in the bottom of the compote so greenery will stay in an upright fashion. It will still droop in a natural way, but without splaying out too far into the eating space.
Add water.
Begin adding in the heaviest stems first, in a triangular shape to evenly distribute weight. In my case, it was the magnolia branches. Then do the same triangular additions with another greenery, making sure there is height variation and insuring that there is some “spilling” happening around the edge of the bowl. Continue until you use all of the different greeneries. Then, I typically save berries for last, as I did with the nandina in my arrangement.
Do a 360 check to make sure there are no obvious holes and add in as needed!
This could also be done with one variety of evergreen, though be sure to compensate for the lack of textural interest by really making sure you have height variation amongst the stems.
In the other bowls
A similar approach can be done as was with the compote bowl for a structured look.
I also recommend making beds of evergreens and topping with fruit, and/or creating bowls of only fruits and cones (such as cranberries and magnolia seed pods), and/or creating bowls of only one type of fruit (either whole or cut up).
How to create place cards out of fruit
For a naturalistic look, I use slightly rumpled parchment paper (I just ball is up a little and flatten back out) with raw edges to write names onto. Then, I use a pin to poke it into the fruit. Simple as that! I used two different colors of pears for this example, but a mixture of different fruits would be an interesting look as well.
Once you have all of the above pieces prepared, it’s time to lay them out! As mentioned earlier, placing footed compotes first is ideal to ensure they’re not blocking guests’ vision (unless you want them to). Then, begin placing the bowls about 8-12 inches apart in a slightly off centered way (not a straight line, more like a slightly curved snake). Add in the candlesticks amongst the bowls as you wish (working in odd numbers with those is best), and finally, add in loose bits of fruit such as sliced pomegranates and oranges to lay along the runner. Lastly, put out your place cards, table setting, and glassware - and voila. A feast for the eyes to compliment the holiday feast.
Looking for something a little more simplistic but just as naturalistic?
Ditch the compotes and plethora of bowls, and instead allow your candlestick holders to be the focus amongst a single bowl of evergreens, fruit, and cones.
Using candle holders with a bit of a gutter around the stem opening is a great way to incorporate cranberries (or nuts and other dried fruits) around the table without a big spread.
These glass star shaped holders are vintage but easily found on Etsy or in other vintage shops. Using tea light holders is also an option: use Stick Um candle wax adhesive to hold the tapers in place and then put the fruit around them!
Playing with candle colors is also a way to make a big impact in a small tablescape. Go with dark colors to add a moody pop if you want to keep with a naturalistic color scheme, or go with bright reds or greens if you’re hoping to add umph to the muted greenery.
Lastly, little sprigs of greenery placed amidst the candle holders adds another dimension and can bring cohesiveness with a bit of whimy to the overall look.
Hope you find this helpful, and please let me know if you have any questions!