THE STORYBOOK CENTERPIECE

A compelling tablescape hits the right balance of nostalgia and wit, says COLETTE VAN DEN THILLART. Imagine a clever Dickensian arrangement, she suggests, using conversation-worthy books as plinths (think Proust’s In Search of Lost Time, Lesley Blanch’s The Wilder Shores of Love) for inquisitive silver birds and Thomas Messel’s faux-leather-book ice bucket repurposed for greenery. Gold rechargeable lamps trimmed in a ruby silk brush fringe (Samuel & Sons) replace candles, and a botanical fabric (like Greenbrier, which she created with Nicky Haslam for Fabricut) in nuanced shades of holiday green. That’s a table that speaks volumes.