How to Style a Fresh, Fruity and Festive Table
For a fun take on a traditional Christmas decorating scheme, try using an abundance of fresh fruit and greenery
If you’re after a low-effort, high-impact way to style your Christmas table this year, look no further that the fruit and flower sections of your local market. As a fan of the traditional Christmas look myself, I find fruits such as limes, cherries and pomegranates, and flora such as poinsettia, spruce, eucalyptus and magnolia leaves lend themselves to the red-and-green colour scheme, while adding a sculptural, modern twist to the proceedings.
Here’s my guide to a fresh, fruity and festive table that’s good enough to eat.
Here’s my guide to a fresh, fruity and festive table that’s good enough to eat.
Start with green foliage
Like with most table setting schemes, this starts with the centrepiece. I used fresh magnolia leaves from my local market as it created a bed of greenery in which the fruits could be nestled.
Magnolia leaves work particularly well with a rustic timber tabletop such as this one, as they are green on one side and brown on the other, so the colours tie in perfectly to create an earthy effect.
Other great greenery and foliage options are eucalyptus, spruce, variegated boxwood, cocculus and ivy.
Like with most table setting schemes, this starts with the centrepiece. I used fresh magnolia leaves from my local market as it created a bed of greenery in which the fruits could be nestled.
Magnolia leaves work particularly well with a rustic timber tabletop such as this one, as they are green on one side and brown on the other, so the colours tie in perfectly to create an earthy effect.
Other great greenery and foliage options are eucalyptus, spruce, variegated boxwood, cocculus and ivy.
Add bursts of natural colour
Introduce colourful touches to the table using fresh fruit. I like the combination of crimson red pomegranates and fresh limes to create a traditional red-and-green colour scheme.
Easy alternatives could be crisp green granny-smith apples with fresh red strawberries. Or why not try a bowl of red cherries thrown into the mix? Fresh limes and red apples even? Concentrate on a colour scheme and allow this to inspire your choices.
Another great festive combination to try is orange and green. Swap the pomegranates for oranges, mandarins or kumquats and include cinnamon sticks and pinecones to the mix as festive touches.
Introduce colourful touches to the table using fresh fruit. I like the combination of crimson red pomegranates and fresh limes to create a traditional red-and-green colour scheme.
Easy alternatives could be crisp green granny-smith apples with fresh red strawberries. Or why not try a bowl of red cherries thrown into the mix? Fresh limes and red apples even? Concentrate on a colour scheme and allow this to inspire your choices.
Another great festive combination to try is orange and green. Swap the pomegranates for oranges, mandarins or kumquats and include cinnamon sticks and pinecones to the mix as festive touches.
Add a pear or two
Pears are traditionally festive, think of the partridge in a pear tree! I love their sculptural nature and they introduce a wonderful styling element when added to the centre of a plate, anchoring the place setting. I’ve added the name tag to one side, but you could just as easily tie the tag to the pear stem as a fun place card idea.
Pears are traditionally festive, think of the partridge in a pear tree! I love their sculptural nature and they introduce a wonderful styling element when added to the centre of a plate, anchoring the place setting. I’ve added the name tag to one side, but you could just as easily tie the tag to the pear stem as a fun place card idea.
And don’t forget Christmas cherries
Cherries are synonymous with Christmas Down Under. In fact, when cherries begin to hit the markets, we know it’s almost time for the fun to begin. Not only do they add to this fruity red-and-green colour scheme, but a bowl of cherries is such a useful addition to a Christmas table. Use them to embellish drinks, pop them into your Champagne, lay them atop your desserts, or simply leave them there for guests to pick at throughout the day.
Cherries are synonymous with Christmas Down Under. In fact, when cherries begin to hit the markets, we know it’s almost time for the fun to begin. Not only do they add to this fruity red-and-green colour scheme, but a bowl of cherries is such a useful addition to a Christmas table. Use them to embellish drinks, pop them into your Champagne, lay them atop your desserts, or simply leave them there for guests to pick at throughout the day.
Use complementary dinnerware
My colour scheme was rustic traditional, so I chose off-white ceramics that had a natural pottery-style feel to complement the look. Linen napkins placed between each plate added a soft, casual feel.
As the centrepiece was overly abundant, I kept the timber table bare, without any place mats. This helped balance the setting and allow the natural, rustic timber to come through.
Finally, to add some glimmer and shine, work with metallic cutlery. I chose rose gold as it worked really well with the earthy tones of my table and setting, while still adding some festive bling.
Studio Dinner plate, Raww Side plate and Host Cutlery in ‘Rose Gold’: Salt & Pepper
My colour scheme was rustic traditional, so I chose off-white ceramics that had a natural pottery-style feel to complement the look. Linen napkins placed between each plate added a soft, casual feel.
As the centrepiece was overly abundant, I kept the timber table bare, without any place mats. This helped balance the setting and allow the natural, rustic timber to come through.
Finally, to add some glimmer and shine, work with metallic cutlery. I chose rose gold as it worked really well with the earthy tones of my table and setting, while still adding some festive bling.
Studio Dinner plate, Raww Side plate and Host Cutlery in ‘Rose Gold’: Salt & Pepper
Light candles
In my opinion, no festive table is complete without candles of some sort. To include some height to the tablescape, I chose two pillar-style candles and placed these in the middle of the table. The candles act as a central anchor point for the greenery and fruit to be styled around.
Michigan Small and Hurricane Candle Holder: Salt & Pepper
In my opinion, no festive table is complete without candles of some sort. To include some height to the tablescape, I chose two pillar-style candles and placed these in the middle of the table. The candles act as a central anchor point for the greenery and fruit to be styled around.
Michigan Small and Hurricane Candle Holder: Salt & Pepper
And now for the drinks!
Set up a drinks station on a bar cart, buffet or console. Guests can come and go as they please.
A good-looking festive cocktail is a style element on it’s own that will also add to the cheerfulness and celebration of the day. To tie the look together, use your fruity decor as inspiration. This cocktail is made with cranberry juice, ginger ale, fresh cherries and mint leaves (full recipe here). Be sure to make an alcoholic and non-alcoholic version for your guests. Finally, pop in a fun paper straw and lots of ice to serve.
Polo Stemless Glasses: Salt & Pepper; Soho Bubble Base Carafe: Marks & Spencer
TELL US
How will you be setting up your table for success this Christmas? Are you inspired to go fresh and fruity? Share your thoughts in the Comments.
MORE
Read more fun Christmas decorating stories
Set up a drinks station on a bar cart, buffet or console. Guests can come and go as they please.
A good-looking festive cocktail is a style element on it’s own that will also add to the cheerfulness and celebration of the day. To tie the look together, use your fruity decor as inspiration. This cocktail is made with cranberry juice, ginger ale, fresh cherries and mint leaves (full recipe here). Be sure to make an alcoholic and non-alcoholic version for your guests. Finally, pop in a fun paper straw and lots of ice to serve.
Polo Stemless Glasses: Salt & Pepper; Soho Bubble Base Carafe: Marks & Spencer
TELL US
How will you be setting up your table for success this Christmas? Are you inspired to go fresh and fruity? Share your thoughts in the Comments.
MORE
Read more fun Christmas decorating stories
On the other hand, you might be hosting a busy family do, or simply might not have space at the table. The beauty of this look is that you can pare back any elements you like, and choose your own key fruits as inspiration.