Once the Thanksgiving celebrations are over planning for the festive holiday period gets into full flow. What gifts to buy for whom, who will be joining you for your Christmas Day feast and which color scheme will you be using for your decorations this year are all things that need to be thought about. If you are planning on hosting a Christmas dinner for family and friends or a holiday brunch over the holiday, then incorporating our clever little touches will certainly add that ‘wow’ factor to your table.
When family and friends get together for Christmas a key feature of the day is usually the Christmas dinner. This is the part of the day where all digital distractions are put down and people come to enjoy fantastic food and quality time together. As such the dinning room becomes a really important part of the special day and so should not be overlooked when decorating the home.
Both farmhouse and rustic décor embrace all things natural and imperfect. Exposed wood, brushed coppers and stone are key rustic décor features which marry perfectly with the twine, burlap and plaid textures that are frequently seen in farmhouse décor. These styles are on trend and when combined with Christmas décor, bring a beautifully unique informal nod to your dining. This year green is a key color for festive décor which embraces the beauty of the natural world wonderfully. Check out our top tips below for bringing farmhouse charm to your Christmas dinning.
Top Tips for Christmas Farmhouse Table Décor
Good Foundations
A key feature of all rustic farmhouse décor is the layering of different textures which should also be carried through to the dining table. Wooden dining tables create a great base for farmhouse decorations as the different colors in the grain add depth of color. Alternatively, a white, cream or beige tablecloth literally provides a blank canvas for your table décor.
Once you have decided on your base then choosing a runner is the next step. This could be a purpose made runner in the textile and color that you have used elsewhere in the house as part of your Christmas decorations. Burlap with touches of red plaid work very well as do ribbons of gold.
Alternatively, foliage is very effective as a table runner in a farmhouse style. This could be a great use of the cuttings from the Christmas tree or pine and eucalyptus leaves also look great. Remember that you are creating a base for your center piece and place settings so subtle hints to your theme rather than the star attraction are best.
Undulating Heights
Create interest and intrigue for guests whilst they are awaiting their food with a center piece that varies in height. Having taller features such as candles or vases with baubles & whole nuts or sprayed twigs in will immediately catch the eye. Layering this with smaller features like pine cones or tea light candles as the secondary features that add to the intrigue. Having rise and fall along the length of the table creates an impressive dinning décor display for all to admire.
Table Place Setting
Deciding on your place settings is key to your farmhouse Christmas table as they need to be functional and decorative. They are also a great place for layering textures. As the place mat is the base layer this needs to cover the largest surface area and co-ordinate with your table surface. Using purpose made place mats made from plaid or burlap work well and give the opportunity of adding pops of a color such as red to keep the festive theme. Wicker mats also work well as do using foliage which not only creates a great unique look but also adds fantastic aroma!
Upon these will lay your crockery which maybe plain or festive themed. Both work well, if plain then it is a good idea to set your cutlery and napkins on top of the plates, whereas if you have festive tableware then you may wish to keep the cutlery to the side so that they can be admired.
Placing cutlery tied onto a napkin is a classic way to lay a place setting. Tying it with twine or burlap ribbon adds a touch of farmhouse charm whilst adding a sprig of foliage or pinecone continues the festive theme. Including a small favor such as a homemade gingerbread cookie can complete the look.
Subtle lighting
Even though you are most likely to have your Christmas feast during daylight hours, adding some gentle lighting adds mood and ambiance to your table. This can be achieved by threading a line of fairy lights through your table decorations to bring light and shade to key features. Alternatively candles not only add subtle illumination but are also a staple feature of Christmas décor. You could use simple sleek pillar candles in your chosen festive color or use them in a decorative way to add intrigue. Adding cinnamon sticks tied with twine not only adds farmhouse styling to your candles but also gives a characteristic yuletide aroma to your table. Alternatively placing them in Christmas lanterns creates a warm glow across the table.
Seating
Remember whilst the table is the center piece of the room, you can continue your farmhouse Christmas touches through to the seating as well. Adding rustic wreaths to the backs of chairs gives a great welcoming look and expectation for the meal as your guests enter the room. The colors and textures that have been used in your table décor can be continued on these wreaths either as part of the wreath or as the ribbon for attaching it to the chair. Alternatively using a textile such as burlap to create a ribbon on the back of the chair with the addition of a pine cone or berry sprig adds some great rustic charm.
The Rest of the Room
With the dining table being the main feature, it is often easy to forget about the rest of the room. However, adding a few simple features in key places will soon bring the room together as one spectacular piece of understated farmhouse Christmas décor. Hanging a wreath or a rustic chalkboard with the menu on the wall are great additions to the room and connect the wall space to the table décor. Adding dwarf Christmas trees or garlands to side dressers adds visual impact to the room and certainly indicates to guests the wondrous feast that they are about to receive!
