Team KBB

Festive table decoration ideas: Christmas trends for 2024

Posted on 25th October 2024

festive tablescaping ideas for Christmas 2024

Want to create a show-stopping festive table this year? We’ve got all the inspiration you need!

Decorating for the festive season can bring so much joy. Every year, there are different trends that emerge, which you can tweak to suit your own personal style. And, when it comes to tablescaping, you can bring your creative flair in a number of ways, including personalised place settings, swoon-worthy centrepieces, handmade decorations and more.

“A celebratory table is a key part of Christmas traditions, enjoyed by both family and friends. It’s where many happy memories are made, so it’s important that the table enhances these moments,” says Poppy Munsun, product developer at Nkuku.

So, to get your imagination going, KBB journo Becca Cullum-Green has compiled the key festive table decoration ideas for Christmas 2024 along with some tips and tricks that you can follow to curate a beautiful table…

Cosy, cool-toned festive table decoration ideas

Adopt a cool-toned colour palette this year for your Christmas table with a mixture of green and blue decorations. You can pair these colours with either silver or gold cutlery, depending on what suits your personal style best.

Cool-toned Christmas table with green glassware, illuminated twigs, white crockery and tiny tree decorations. — Four feather bird clips, £26; six swirl glass baubles, £40; 12 glitter shatterproof baubles, £45; frosted light up willow garland, £50; six luxury handmade forest green crackers, £50; Provence dining table, £650; 12 mini brush trees, £12.50; four brush tree napkin rings, £8.50; Ada dinnerware, from £55; four olive wine glasses, all Cox & Cox.

Mix cooler white and blue tones with pops of orange and burgundy for a contemporary feel. Use traditional paper decorations and hang them at varying heights to beautifully frame your Christmas table. “A few scattered tree decorations and your finest stemware, and you’re good to go – an Instagrammable table that all the family will love,” says Suzy Humphreys, founder of Layered Lounge.

Modern tablescaping idea with white linen, brown and terracotta decor and fluted glasses. — Gold dot white paper star, from £19; extra-large white teardrop paper decoration, £42; set of four tapered espresso candles, £17; set of three white ceramic tealight holders, £22; set of two textured white candle holder short, £26; Shoreditch dining chair, £350; Putty table linen, from £25; Tejo ribbed glassware, from £56; five-metre, wide brown satin ribbon, £7; Vela tableware, from £10; Salema silver 16-piece cutlery set, £98, and set of three white ceramic snowflakes, all Layered Lounge.

Get creative and make your very own personalised place settings for your festive table. Adorn each plate with some spray-painted foliage and a handmade name tag to make your guests feel special.

Closeup of name tag on charcoal-coloured tableware. — Christmas Blue Malmo charcoal dinner set, £139, Procook.

Farmhouse chic

Stay elegant and sophisticated this year and decorate your Christmas table in a mindful way. A vase of fresh foliage, a dinner candle or two and some wrapped presents all in a neutral colour palette, are all effortlessly stylish additions.

Country chic dining room with classic wood furniture, light pink candlesticks and paper crackers. — Jigsaw kitchen table, £1395; drummer kitchen chairs, £460 per pair; soft scoop seat cushions, £49 each, and bobble rug in grey, from £245, all Loaf.

Try and make your own hanging centrepiece this year by foraging for some foliage and fixing it above your table. Decorate it with fairy lights and oversized baubles for that added wow factor.

Country chic dining room with a simple tree, hanging decorations and LED stars. — Table mesh star, £19.95, Sparkle Lighting.

Be as formal or as informal as you like with your festive table. The farmhouse chic trend lends itself to a more elevated design, so layering placemats, plates and cutlery is a must!

Country dining room with warm tones of terracotta and brown, rattan place mats, patterned plates, textured glasses and a striped tablecloth. — Victoria striped linen, £20, Rebecca Udall.

Sugar & spice

Be inspired by chocolate and candy shades this Christmas, such as light pink, beige and soft brown. Add a dose of glitz and glamour and design your very own festive-themed lighting installation to hang in the middle of your table.

White, Scandi dining room with classic furniture, and oversized hanging decorations. — Chevron oak dining table, £795; raw oak bow back dining chair, £250; oversized light up glass drop, £20; oversized light up glass snowflake, £18.50; two light up wooden stars, £45; light up naked wire tree, £175; indoor outdoor wire twinkle lights, £45; New Zealand sheepskin seat pad, £60, and Sidi rug, £495, all Cox & Cox.

Cream and brown are a match made in heaven, and we love these scallop-edged placemats – they act as the perfect foundation to an adorable place setting. Go the extra mile and make your own personalised biscuits to place on each plate.

Festive tablescaping ideas with brown glassware, star-patterned crockery and ginger biscuits. — Recycled aluminium oval platter, £12; bitter chocolate scalloped placemats, £6; sprayed wine glass, £4; winter starlight dinner set, £16; tree tumbler, £2.50; Sascha oval table, £599; sparkle bitter chocolate napkins, £8, and sparkle runner with contrast edge, £10, all Dunelm.

“Find some nice napkins in a drawer, the ones you never have time to use, or if you have none, remember for next year to buy some Ikea tea towels as they are the perfect size. Tie these with festive ribbons for each place setting and use a bauble as a place setting centrepiece,” says Emma Deterding, founder and creative director of Kelling Designs.

Light pink table linen and baubles with sparkly place mats and coasters. — Open close bauble, £5, and set of two scallop beaded placemats, £15, both M&S.

Wild thing

Last, but not least we’ve got festive table decoration ideas for the maximalists and colour lovers out there. This trend is all about embracing your wild side and taking risks when it comes to your tablescape. Ditch the traditional shades and go for an unexpected combination instead, like red and hot pink.

Maximalist festive tablescaping with a hot pink tree and red decor. — Six-feet hot pink tree, £60, and Larsa six-seater solid birch dining table, £300, both Habitat.

Don’t take decorating for Christmas too seriously, have some fun with it. A great way of doing this is to invest in some quirky table crackers that will, no doubt, be a talking point between you and your guests.

Red and green modern decor with candy striped glasses, gold cutlery and funky festive crackers. — Felt scalloped placemat and coaster set, £14; dinner plates, £18; side plates, £15; green ric rac napkins, £14; copper cutlery set, £55; candy stripe cocktail glass, £12, and candy stripe tumbler, £10, all John Lewis.

Cowboy boots and disco balls are both massive trends this year, and we’re ready for the rodeo! Adorn your festive table with mirrored baubles and remember, decorations aren’t just for your Christmas tree; you can use them to decorate your table, too.