TIPS FOR THE TABLE
Christmas entertaining with style
With a location as picturesque as the vine-covered courtyard of Bennetts of Mangawhai, setting the scene for a special Christmas Day entertaining shoot for Viva came fairly easily for stylist Lauren Freeman. Inspired by the Italian feel of the greenery-covered alcove, Lauren chose a white, silver, wood and fresh green colour scheme for the table setting. “I wanted an elegant chic look with a touch of glam. The Italian vibe lends itself to classic neutral tones.”
Elements of shimmer and sparkle add wow factor to a table arrangement, and Lauren has used metallic, pewter and silver tableware to elevate the pared-back colour scheme. “The use of metallic is a nice way to add that special touch, and of course fairy lights never go amiss!” Add some solar-powered fairy lights or festoon lights, and watch them slowly come into their own as the sun fades.
For the individual place settings, Lauren has set the scene with stacked white plates, linen napkins and a Christmas decoration on each setting. “I wanted it to look sophisticated, but not too formal, so I chose not to use napkin rings — linen napkins give more of a relaxed look. The mixed and matched decorations add a festive decorative feel and also, from a practical sense, hold down the napkins for your outdoor setting.”
A focal point or centrepiece for the table is a nice touch, particularly at Christmas, with candles and lighting important for creating ambience. Lauren chose a striking candelabra from French Country Collections for the job. “It was perfect and ticked both boxes. It also added to the Italian flavour I was going for.” A loose cheesecloth runner adds to the floaty romantic Italian feel, “and, of course, the Italian-style dinnerware and glasses”.
When it comes to placement, creating different heights on a table setting is pleasing to the eye. “As opposed to having everything lining up at the same level it creates a more interesting composition,” says Lauren. To create height, choose tall glassware, add a water jug, perhaps some candlesticks, or the show-stopping centrepiece.
To get the look at home, set the table up under a tree in the garden, against a vine- or plant-covered wall, or, if you’re in a small space, artificial hedge panels from hardware stores do a surprisingly good job at adding that lush green look — just add fairy lights.