Winter Time Table Scape
One of my absolute favorites is a table filled with charm. Each season brings new inspiration for ways to fill this space. Although we rarely have 6 visitors to help fill this table, my prayer is that decorating it encourages me to change that. This season I used a color scheme that is sprinkled through out our home & a few natural elements. This is how the rest of the decor is for Christmas, so keeping things consistent has been key. Also, no links for this one! These items are thrifted, dollar store, collections from the years & treasures that just cannot be duplicated easily. The charm comes from the uniqueness & I challenge you to start/build your own collections from treasures found & acquired.
Disclosure : This post may contain affiliate links, meaning I make a commission if you decide to make a purchase through my links at no cost to you. This is made for full transparency.
In this blog post you will happily find…
+ why I love setting the table & what it means for our home.
+ items we have collected & tips for filling your scape.
+ gallery of images of our wintertime Christmas table scape.
Filling our table in hopes of filling our home.
Filling our table means filling our home. Yes, this is my dream as we work to grow our family. This is also my dream as a Proverbs 31 woman that is called to be hospitable & care for my home. I love the idea of fellowship filling these walls, prayers of encouragement for one another & good, good food being shared. This house is over 130 years old. That means this home holds years of conversation & stories & I need that to continue. If these walls could talk. Decorating our table might seem irrelevant if not being shared with others, but I see it more as a daily reminder as I walk by to keep working towards these goals. Whether our neighbors, church members, family or our own little ones, these seats will be filled many times during our time here calling this home. I am excited to witness the growth that happens here & the community that is built.
All of this floods my mind & fills my heart just by simply decorating the table.
Building a table scape collection for every season.
I like formulas, I have shared them for other decorating projects & will do the same here. By no means is this educational based & for that I am embarrassed. But hey, it works for me & maybe it will work for you. When building your table scape pay attention to these elements :
texture + layers + heights + balance + color scheme + elements
Texture — Add knit, woven, wood, copper & all different textures to your table with table cloths, napkins & chargers. Your cups & plates could have intricate designs & some fancy silverware will also do the trick. I do not set my tables with dinnerware, however, so using table cloths, chargers & napkins are helpful.
Layers — A plate on the table is simple & nice, but put a charger or two under it with a napkin on top & your visitors eyes will feel right at home. If you visit a friends house & they have a few pillows & a cozy throw on the couch, you want to dive in, right? But if there is just a couch, you aren’t necessarily drawn to it visually. This is the same for your table. There are many ways to add layers, but a base table cloth, some chargers & then a final napkin & you’re all set.
Heights — Bringing eyes up & down is the ultimate challenge when it comes to decorating. It adds dimension & interest. Use different servicing dishes, stands & holders to bring dimension to your food display. Candle sticks, trays & stems create an airy vibe, too!
Balance — Balance is key. I like to have pattern without too much consistency. When things are the same, the visual is quick. I like to keep my visitors intrigued & interested for as long as possible. Getting inspiration & ideas from each corner of the table. Using the same colors, elements & decor items, spreading the height around & not having the same exact item right next to each other is all how I create balance in the space but keep the interest.
Color Scheme — As mentioned before, a color scheme is important. This is how you make your designs less overwhelming & more desirable to indulge into. I am much more of a neutral, natural visualizer. I get overwhelmed by color easily & it actually makes me not interested. Muted, dusty or deep tones are what I strive for with a balance of adding lighter, duller tones to help neutralize the space.
Elements — My color scheme is natural. This means I like colors from natural elements. Pick out what your elements will be for your space & start collecting. My favorites to use are dried greenery, some fruit or spices, copper or other metals, usually golds. For this space you will see I picked our dried hydrangea tops, some berries from the tree, greenery & twine for natural elements. All these colors look good together & help the greens & golds pop without being over stimulating.
Tip 01 : A few other tips to add or look into for your table is consistency without pattern. What I mean by this is using the same objects, but mix them up. Pictured I have multiples layers of chargers being used. Layer them differently for each place setting & repeat the pattern throughout — avoiding too much of a pattern however. Don’t have each side of the table mirror the other exactly, instead just make sure you are using the same materials but in different orders.
Tip 02 : Use napkins on top of your chargers to add texture & layer as mentioned above, but fold each one differently & use different elements to tie them with to keep your eyes moving through out the space. I did some napkins with a simple fold, others in a bow & then some in the shape of a tree. I am no pro, but Google is your best friend here. They can give you better napkin folding tutorials than I will ever be able to.
Tip 03 : This setting is obviously best used for dinners that are buffet or plated. If doing a family style then keep the middle of your table open & focus on those layers at each table setting. Use your cups & different serving dishes to add your heights & dimensions. It is not worth stressing anyone out when it comes to passing dishes when the middle of your table is filled with unedibles.
Tip 04 : Another stresser = candles. Invest in a collection of battery powered lights & candles that you can spread through out your scape. This will create the warmth & ambiance without the warmth & fire hazard.
A list of my favorite places to look for table scape fillers.
Thrift Store — chargers, place mats, vases & candle sticks. Best place to build a collection of china for the seasons as well. Fun cups & bowls & different serving where to add dimension & charm. Honestly, the thrift store would be my number one recommendation when it comes to anything table scape related. If it can’t be found there or the antique stores, then go to the regular box stores.
Hobby Lobby — greenery stems, dried stems, napkins, chargers, candles & display stands.
Your backyard or local florist — real stems, leaves, berries, flowers, pinecones, acorns, any natural element from the season.
Dollar Store — chargers, plates, cups, bowls to build a larger collection if needed, battery powered candles.
Setting your table is not only a fun way to get your creative juices going, it is a great encourager to host. It filled the room with decor that is meant to be used in fellowship. I hope you enjoyed this little tour of our table scape & the tips I shared to build your own. I would say there are no rules when it comes to setting the table, but that is probably not the case. I am not talking about which silverware goes where either. The biggest thing I would say is that if your table is welcoming to you, it will be welcoming to others & that is what truly matters.