Color Me Christmas: Deviating from Red and Green Holiday Tables

By Marni Elyse Katz
December 15, 2011

Setting a holiday table doesn’t mean have to mean begging your grandmother for her Spode Christmas china. It doesn’t even require going red or green, though if you do, we suggest a more minimal approach—greens that echo the color of pine needles, interspersed with earth tones and a touch of gold look gorgeous, as does any hue of blue combined with silvery accents. We tapped designers and everyday merrymakers for ideas.

Simply Red

Each year Boston-based event planner Bryan Rafanelli, who organized the nuptials of Chelsea Clinton and Marc Mezvinsky, decks out his family’s Christmas dinner table. Last year’s theme was candy canes. The color scheme is a pared down, clear red and bright white, set on black (the tabletop was an actual chalkboard). For the placemats Rafanelli purchased red and white bubble-patterned cloth at a fabric store and sewed them himself. He hand-wrapped white floral containers with red ribbon, and packed them tightly with amaryllis. The white candles are little red gnomes and the place card holders are three candy canes that he tied together at each end. Red plates, ruby glasses, starched white linens and seat cushions, and cylinders filled with candy canes complete the festive look.

Holiday Tables

A minimalist table setting in Portugal. (photo: larabacate)

We spotted this photograph of a minimalist red and white Christmas table on Flickr. It was taken by Flickr handle "larabacate" last Christmas at her sister's house in Mata do Duque, near Lisbon, Portugal. It’s absolutely appealing in its simplicity. "Larabacate" tells us what inspired her sister’s design: “The felt center is a path that unites everybody around the table, and the small felt stars represent the starry sky the night Jesus was born.” Even the lantern centerpiece plays off this idea.

Event planner Bryan Rafanelli’s candy- cane- themed table. (photo: Matt Teuten)

Source red and white tabletop accessories on eBay:

Roll over items for details

Red Sweet Pea Square Felt Placemat

(buy it now price, $6.61)

Arcoroc France Classique Ruby Red Glass Dinner Plate

(buy it now price, $24.99 )

Baxton Studio Honeycomb Modern Dining Chair

(buy it now price, $319.49 )

Holiday Glassware Vintage Ruby Red Flashware Footed Cordial Glasses

(buy it now price, $45 )

Red/White Linen Napkins

(buy it now price, $12.99 )

Box of 12 Peppermint Red & White Twist Candy Canes

(buy it now price, $3.98)

Color Me Christmas: Deviating from Red and Green Holiday Tables

The Color(s) of Money

Another Flickr find, this holiday table hails from Australia, and combines playful and antique elements to a sophisticated, yet lighthearted, end. A cutout of a reindeer head is tied with twine to a natural linen napkin stuck into a gold-leaf decorated green glass amidst etched crystal. Mat Tyrell, who shot the photo, says: “I get to do all the cooking while my partner decorates the table. It was just for a quiet Christmas with a couple of friends in our courtyard in Surry Hills, Sydney. The designs normally reflect our present-wrapping theme and this time also used unused Christmas decorations."

Matt Teuten
A table in Sydney, Australia. (photo: Mat Tyrell)

Donna O’Brien, owner and creative director of Philadelphia-based Beautiful Blooms Events set a Christmas table with equal parts gold and green. The look is rich, but still refined, thanks to the simple shapes of the cylinder centerpieces and sleek goblets.

Holiday Tables

Table designed by Donna O’Brien of Beautiful Blooms Events. (photo: Marie Labbancz)

Opting for hardy, seasonal flowers is always more cost effective, but you needn’t resort to poinsettias. DC area floral designer Holly Heider Chapple created these tables for holiday inspiration. She says, “The white and gold designs are solid, elegant winter florals—white cabbage florets, white roses, gold-tinted foliages, pinecones, white snowflake mums, white stock, and white veronica.”

Holiday Tables

Table and flowers designed by Holly Heider Chapple of Holly Chapple Flowers. (photo: Genevieve Leiper)

Source green and gold tabletop accessories on eBay:

2 Vintage Glass Xmas Christmas Ornaments

(buy it now price, $7.95 )

Dozen ZestCandle 10" Metallic Gold Taper Candles

(buy it now price, $14.99 )

Pair of New Martinsville Glass Green Moondrops 3 Light Candelabra

(buy it now price, $185)

9 Natural Pine Cones

(buy it now price, $1.55)

Dugan Quill Green Tumbler with Gold Decoration

(buy it now price, $39.99 )

24-Inch Pre-Lit Battery Operated Wisconsin Christmas Wreath

(buy it now price, $45 )

Setting the (Subtle) Blues

Camille Styles, founder of Austin-based Camille Styles Events styled and designed a pared down but very pretty holiday table at her house using plain white dishes topped with presents wrapped in powder blue, offset with pale yellow roses. Silver bowls hold shimmering ornaments, a couldn’t be easier holiday decorating trick.

Holiday Tables

Camille Styles designed this table for her house. (photo: Kelly West)

Blogger and floral designer Janie Medley of the Brides Cafe and floral designer Holly Chapple placed a mercury glass style ornament at each place setting. The dishes and napkins are just plain white, but the iridescent pop of color adds an element of ethereal beauty.

Holiday Tables

Table décor designed by Janie Medley of the Brides Cafe and Holly Heider of Holly Chapple Flowers. (Photo: Katelyn James)

Each year celebrated porcelain maker Royal Copenhagen invites well-known Danish families to design Christmas tables in their historic flagship store in Copenhagen. This table was done by former foreign minister Uffe Ellemann-Jensen and his son Jakob, who is also a politician. The design highlights the clan's love of fishing. The table is set with Royal Copenhagen’s latest series, "Blue Elements," mixed with antique blue glasses and Georg Jensen “Bernadotte” flatware, which Uffe Ellemann-Jensen’s mother collected. Shimmery fishing lures are sprinkled throughout, including in the mossy pots at each place setting and on a mobile hung above the table.

Holiday Tables