News/Blog

On the eve of the holiday season, it’s time to get decorating. 

Christmas is a great time for family and friends to enjoy delicious food and great company. Create the perfect atmosphere with a well-prepared Christmas table setting. Decorating your table can pull all your planning and organisation together. 

It’s easy to create a gorgeous and festive table setting; follow a few simple steps and you will get it right in time for holiday entertaining. 

 

Select a Cohesive Theme 

Start by choosing your colour palette and decorating theme. There are so many festive décor options to choose from.  

A traditional theme includes red and green, the two main colours of the festive season.  

Gold and white is a modern, aesthetically pleasing palette that suits a wide range of neutral homes. 

Silver is a traditional highlight that complements a range of colours. Select a secondary colour, like pink, blue, or light green to pair with the metallic base. 

A rustic table setting suits a wide range of Australian home aesthetics, particularly neutral and white tones. When setting your table with rustic festive decor, introduce wooden tones and natural shades, including white, beige, and pine green reminiscent of the classic Christmas tree. 

 

Decorate Your Table 

Before setting your plates and cutlery, decorate the centre of your table with festive decorations. 

First, lay a table runner or tablecloth to add dimension and protect your table from scratches or spills. 

Arrange your decorations depending on your colour palette.  

There’s no need to head out and purchase new festive décor – gorgeous decorations can be made at home with materials you already have.  

Create unique paper snowflakes, miniature cone Christmas trees, and cookie-cutter ornaments just by spending a little extra time. 

Fill a large vase with baubles, tea lights, or with warm fairy lights for warmth.  

Use natural Christmas tree branches or stalks of holly for texture and natural tones. 

Tall candles on candle sticks make a classic centrepiece. Candle and candle stick colours can be changed to suit your theme. 

 

Set the Table 

Once your table is decorated to your liking, it’s time to arrange your crockery and cutlery accordingly.  

Many families may use more expensive cutlery and crockery for special occasions like Christmas. While you may choose to purchase a new collection for the occasion, this is not essential. You can make a beautiful table setting with the items already in your drawer. 

Only place the necessary cutlery on the table – unrequired cutlery can clutter the table. Place the cutlery from the outside in, that means the cutlery for the first meal is located furthest from the plate. 

For a three-course meal that would appear as two forks on the left-hand side and two knives to the right. 

A dessert knife, spoon, or both should be placed above the plates, closest to the centre of the table. 

Place a small plate and butter knife for bread and butter to the top-left of the main plate, if necessary. Any drinking glasses should be placed in the opposite corner – the top-right of the main plate. 

Upgrade your table setting with cloth serviettes. Available in various colours, cloth serviettes look fantastic and are better for the environment – wash them after your lunch or dinner and they are ready for the next occasion. 

Tie your theme together with a serviette ring. These can be purchased at homewares stores and online, or make your own with a chain, ribbon, or string in a matching colour.  

Place the serviette in the centre of the stacked plates. They can also be folded neatly on top, without a ring. 

There’s no need to go to great lengths for one day. A minimal table setting of a fork, knife, dessert spoon, plate, and glasses will suffice – and won’t increase your dishwashing load. 

 

Christmas Hosting Tips and Seating Arrangements 

Keep track of guest seating with name cards along your Christmas table.  

Name cards allow you to monitor who sits where for family gatherings. This can be particularly important for keeping the peace during mealtimes. 

Keep track of your wine glass while you mingle with a customised wine glass tag or charm.  

Ideal for large gatherings, a wine glass charm reserves your glass even when you’ve walked away.  

Wine glass tags come in a variety of styles, including small trinkets or name tags hung around the stem of the glass, which are easier to keep track of as the evening wears on. 

 

Entertain in the Perfect Space 

Important meals require the perfect setting. That’s why Dennis Family Homes’ Balmoral and Atherton designs include grand entertaining spaces to fit even the largest families. 

The Balmoral 50 is loaded with space for families who love to host. 

The grand meals area comfortably seats eight people around a large dining table and adjoins the alfresco – a well-placed outdoor entertaining space that can be fitted for dining or lounging.  

Make the most of a summer Christmas with a big table in the alfresco space. The alfresco makes the perfect space for hosting Christmas in proximity to the majestic kitchen and its fully fitted butler’s pantry. 

The Atherton 49 seeks to entertain with its large alfresco, meals, and kitchen area all adjoining its feature void above the family room. 

The large kitchen and its 2.26-metre bench are perfect for cooking Christmas lunch and dinner.  

The meals area can comfortably seat six people, while the 17.6 square metre alfresco seats six people with space for more. 

As displayed, a bi-fold window to the alfresco is ideal for easily serving dishes on the table. 

 

Tour our Display Homes 

Visit the Balmoral 50, on display at Peppercorn Hill, 24 & 26 Warrnambool Street, Donnybrook VIC 3064. Google Maps. 

Visit the Atherton 49, on display at Berwick Waters Estate, 189, 191, & 193 Honour Avenue, Clyde North VIC 3978. Google Maps. 

Our display homes will be closed from 5pm Sunday 15th December and reopen Saturday 4th January.  

Tour our display homes online, anytime!