PLEASE BE Seated

Dignify a woodsy-themed table setting with touches of gilt and crimson to make your next holiday gathering a hit. Barb invites you to recreate her tabletop styling ideas.

Create a monochromatic expanse to build upon by laying down a lightly patterned paper runner that blends with the hues of your table.

Compose a natural centerpiece by arranging a trio of birch-inspired pillar candles in a vintage metal dish, ringing the candles with artificial greenery dotted with mini pinecones and red berries.

Flank the centerpiece with small frosted trees to visually elongate its impact; wrap the tree bases in burlap.

Set holiday-themed dinner plates atop gold chargers that have a satin or matte finish for a subtle border of luxe. Include cloth napkins in a similar tone.

Intersperse place settings with deep red accents, such as coffee cups or dessert plates, that echo the red berries in the centerpiece.

Call attention to a beloved Christmas quilt by displaying it on a wall-mounted rack topped with a wood shelf. Barb found just the right spot above the wainscoting in the dining room for this holiday treasure. Heighten a similar grouping with signage that picks up tones from the fabric, and invigorate the whole vignette with an evergreen garland and basket bouquet.

Barb composes vignettes on her heirloom cupboard’s shelves with vintage advertising boxes and holiday-themed paper ephemera and drapes coordinating table runners over the open doors. Delicate lace window treatments fade into the woodwork while allowing maximum light to enter the dining room, and pip-berry garlands provide texture along the curtain rods.

Barb stages an alluring tableau in the awkward space beside the living room staircase. She establishes horizontal lines with a wood bench tucked under a narrow table and fills the angular area in the corner with a small cabinet. The crocks, creamers and handicrafts on display are in harmony with the colors of the textile featured on the open door.