Decorating is an integral part of our everyday work as interior designers. Between space planning for large remodels and drawing up furniture layouts, we also think about all the little details of a home that makes it feel welcoming and lived in. With the fall equinox just behind us, the Holiday Season is officially upon us and we’re diving deep into the art of tables-cape :

Entertaining is all about community; inviting your family and friends to celebrate and make memories with. The event not only entails delicious food but you want to create an atmosphere that is welcoming and immersive.

That’s why we created this blog post – to provide you with some inspiration for your Holiday tablescapes. Plan early and get creative, so you can enjoy the time with your loved ones and relax! You’ll also find a couple of yummy recipes to try. Let us know what you think and always feel welcome to contact us for your decorating or interior design needs.

Moody table setting with scalloped plates

Sweden, and we often look for inspiration to them. Scandinavian designs are always an inspiration to me but especially during the Holiday season. The team at Artilleriet created a beautiful photo series showing their take on a tablescape decorated for the Holidays. The plates and bowls are unique and artisanal. There’s a flair of mysticism in the air.  I am someone, who doesn’t like her Christmas décor limited to the colors green and red; so this color selection speaks to me very much. The tablescape feels like a treasure trove of stylish home accessories. It is rather minimal, with only a few ribbons, some sprigs of evergreen, advent wreaths, a small tree, and apples in lieu of baubles (ball ornaments) … And I think it is gorgeous! Moody, but warm and welcoming; simple and yet sophisticated. Always keep in mind that it’s good to set a table in a style that coordinates well with the overall style of your home. This table setting would very much resonate with your guests in various styles, I think. I can see this tablescape in a modern and traditional interior. The colors are well suited to coordinate with many interiors

Bright Fall Decorations

We love bright and colorful table settings; especially, when it’s still warm outside (thanks to the California Sun) and there’s nothing but a slight fall breeze in the air.

Bringing the outside in is a great way to make your table feel more inviting and cozy. Use some leaves from your garden and seasonal fruits like persimmons or pomegranates.

I love a good Rosé before moving to the red wines during the colder winter months. I should probably think about creating a post about our favorite wineries in Northern California some time. Any suggestions for places to go are always welcomed at our design studio ;)

Using mixed metals is also a great idea to decorate your table with. The brass candle sticks and copper Moscow Mule cups bring in elegance to elevate the atmosphere.

Sharing Delicious Food with Family and Friends

We thought we’ll share a delicious recipe with you on this moody tabletop picture

This will make your belly happy and your heart feeling all warm and fuzzy inside: a Creamy Mushroom Soup with Roasted Brussel Sprout Orange Skewers.

The below list of ingredients will serve 6 people (as a starter):

+ 300g mushrooms (we took champignons)

+ 20g dried porcini mushrooms (plus 250ml water)

+ 3 potatoes

+ 1 large onion+ 15g ginger, finely grated

+ 2-3 garlic cloves, finely grated or pressed

+ 200ml coconut milk+ 500ml vegetable broth+ 2 tbsp olive oil

+ 1 tbsp honey or sugar

+ 1 pinch fresh nutmeg+ 1 lemon

+ salt & pepper

. . To make the Roasted Brussel Sprout Orange Skewers and Toppings, please visit Our Food Stories to view the full recipe and instructions.

Tone on Tone Monochromatic

For our Christmas Eve dinner, I prefer a traditionally simple meal; oftentimes, serving only bread and soup (and some salad). It’s a precursor to the Holiday festivities to follow the days after, which are celebrated in more splendor and culinary opulenceFor those intimate meals, I prefer pared down table settings. The key is to use quality in order to keep your tablescape and interiors elevated.

Photography by @colinking for @rwguild

Cheerful pops of color

For our Christmas Eve dinner, I prefer a traditionally simple meal; oftentimes, serving only bread and soup (and some salad). It’s a precursor to the Holiday festivities to follow the days after, which are celebrated in more splendor and culinary opulence

For those intimate meals, I prefer pared down table settings. The key is to use quality in order to keep your tablescape and interiors elevated.

Eucalyptus is a great choice for the senses: it smells wonderful. It also makes for a great centerpiece that stays fresh for a long time. Add some flowers or fruit with pops of orange/tangerine and combine with any ivory table cloth or place settings; linen is always preferred.

Table setting by Kourtni at House of Longwood Lane used tangerines and cute “thankful” place cards at each place setting. The striped cloth napkins are from Target, Magnolia line, Hearth & Home. They might be from a few season back, but it’s still a good place to look for inexpensive decor.  I love her idea of chargers that wouldn’t break the bank. Instead of purchasing chargers, you can use kraft paper and cut out round or square sections to place under each table setting.

wabi sabi plates

Wabi-sabi is the view or thought of finding beauty in every aspect of transience and imperfection in nature. It is about the aesthetic of things in existence, that are “imperfect, impermanent, and incomplete”I recently found a beautiful article about how the teachings from this Japanese Wabi Sabi Philosophy could influence your perspective of life in general. I encourage you to take the time to read the article. It’s beautifully written and describes well how the philosophy itself is elegant and denotes a more connected way of living; similar to the slow living movement mentioned in our previous blog post about current design trends.

I love handmade pottery for its artisan character and how it pays homage to the beauty of imperfection. The salad plates on this table are handcrafted and truly Wabi-sabi. The plate’s edge is shaped by hand and rounded to be smooth and chip-resistant, while the gunmetal gray finish makes them both beautiful and rustic at the same time. You can mix and match with bright white, or layer gray on gray for a moody ambience.

Using personalized cards of gratitude is always a really touch at Thanksgiving gatherings.

This scene was created by the wonderful host Athena Caldrone for her blog Eye Swoon. The star of the photo is a pear tart and you can find the recipe for it here.

Thanksgiving entertaining

Another simple tables scape but what stands out to me is the integration of the surrounding interior. Several decor items are repeated on the sideboard and colors chosen for the table don’t stand in contrast with the dining room’s interior but rather compliment the overall design.Simple table decoration consisting mostly of fresh fruit, a linen table runner, and beautiful white plates adorned with an elegant gold trim.