How to style a dining room for Christmas hosting: 10 expert tips
If you’re hosting Christmas this year, getting the dining room ready is probably high on your list of priorities. To make this somewhat daunting task easier, we’ve asked interior experts to share their top styling tips for preparing your dining room for Christmas so you can make hosting an extra special success.
Christmas decorating ideas aside, there are a few components to consider when preparing your dining room for hosting. The furniture layout, storage solutions, and how you set the table are just some of the things you need to get right if you want to make hosting over the festive season enjoyable (as well as essential Christmas hosting tips of course).
But how do we make the most of our dining room ideas at Christmas? The best way to get this space ready for hosting is to create an environment that is both comfortable and practical (for you as much as for your guests).
10 styling tips to get your dining room ready for Christmas
After speaking to the experts, there are definitely a few things you can start doing to prepare your dining room for festive hosting. In fact, with the following styling tips to get your dining room ready for Christmas, we’re confident that hosting this year will be a breeze.
1. Declutter and organise
(Image credit: Future | Dominic Blackmore)
Finding the motivation to declutter can sometimes be challenging, especially when we’re busy with the rest of the festive prep. But, if you want your dining room to be the perfect hosting spot this Christmas, it’s essential that you curb the clutter now.
“Firstly I would suggest starting with clearing your dining room of unnecessary items,” says Victoria Clark, APDO Member and Owner of By Victoria Clark. “Remove anything that doesn’t belong there, such as paperwork, toys or just everyday clutter, to make space for decorations and extra dining requirements. A clean, uncluttered space sets the tone for a welcoming atmosphere.”
If your dining room only gets used at Christmas and on special occasions, all the more reason to move anything that might have been put there for temporary storage. The goal is to create as much space as possible so that when it comes to adding festive touches like Christmas lights and tablescaping ideas, your dining room won’t feel cluttered.
Victoria Clark
Victoria Clark set up ByVictoriaClark in January 2022 to help clients with their homes. Byvictoriaclark is a professional organising and decluttering service based in Cornwall. It offers a range of services, including organising homes or spaces, house moves, hoarding assistance, selling, and, most importantly, donating. ByVictoriaClark is a member of APDO (Association of Professional Declutterers and Organisers), fully insured, and registered with the ICO.
2. Give everything a good clean
(Image credit: Getty Images)
Cleaning your dining room is essential prep if you’re hosting this Christmas, and this should be done before you start bringing in festive decor. The good news is, just like you can learn how to clean a living room fast, the same can be done with the dining room.
Start by cleaning the table, paying extra attention to any sticky marks or old stains. “If you have a wooden table, consider giving it some extra care with an appropriate wood polish,” advises Catherine Green a cleaning expert at Smol.
“Give the room a thorough vacuum, including under the dining table and chairs where crumbs tend to gather. Don’t forget to dust light fixtures and any display cabinets – they’ll be more noticeable when your room is lit for dinner,” Catherine adds.
3. Perfect the layout
(Image credit: Getty Images)
Once you’ve got a clean and tidy space, the experts recommend assessing the current set-up of your dining room. It needs to be both practical for the host, and comfortable for the guests.
“Your goal should be to strike the perfect balance between intimacy and comfort,” says Sarah Ross, Co-Founder and Brand Chairman at Addison Ross. “Guests should feel close enough to enjoy meaningful conversations, but also free to move without knocking into chairs or decorations.”
Ensure there is a clear pathway around furniture which allows you and your guests to move freely around the room. If you’re bringing additional seating into the space, Sarah recommends that these are positioned in a way that encourages conversation: “after all, guests should be able to chat naturally without needing to shout across the table.”
Sarah Ross is Co-Founder and Brand Director at luxury interiors brand Addison Ross. Sarah joined David in 1990 working on the Brand Direction of the business as it grew as a B2B company. During the last five years, Sarah has led the marketing and brand efforts as the business built out the now fully formed D2C arm. Sarah works with David to create new designs, expanding the product range exponentially.
4. Assess the furniture
(Image credit: Future | Jon Day | Maxwell Attenborough)
Equally as important as the layout of the room is the furniture itself. Not only does there need to be enough seating for everyone, but the table also needs to be spacious enough for all the guests to enjoy their Christmas dinner.
Ally Dowsing-Reynolds, Co-Founder of Dowsing & Reynolds, says: “While a round dining table can help to promote conversation among larger groups, a traditional square dining table is best for smaller groups as it helps to provide a more intimate setting.”
“To make the space flexible for hosting, choose an extendable dining table and mix and match dining chairs with a bench along one side to allow the space to easily adapt for several guests,” she suggests.
You’ll need to have a clear idea of how many people you’ll be hosting to get the furniture set-up just right. If you don’t want to buy any new dining furniture before the big day, the key is to optimise what you already have. Think about the best place for people to sit, and how to create extra room around the table.
Ally Dowsing-Reynolds
Ally Dowsing-Reynolds is co-founder of Leeds-based home décor brand and retailer Dowsing & Reynolds. Immersed in the world of home interiors, Ally understands just how much our homes impact our lives.She loves to share her expert knowledge, tips and tricks for creating a space that not only looks good, but feels good too – somewhere that reflects your unique personality. Having talked on-stage at some of the biggest home shows, along with regularly appearing in leading interior magazines, Ally’s passion for exceptional design (particularly fixtures and fittings) is infectious.
5. Consider your light fixtures
(Image credit: Future | Dominic Blackmore)
Perfecting the lighting is one of the most essential styling tips to get your dining room ready for Christmas. The experts recommend a layered lighting approach, where there are multiple sources of light in the room instead of one big light fixture overhead.
“With a dining space specifically, I would highly recommend leaning into ambient lighting, with a subtle application of task lighting – utilising table lamps, candlesticks, and LED ornaments around the space to light the room,” Chloe Barrow, an interior expert at Laura James says.
“If your dining room is extremely dark, you could even opt for a tall floor lamp in the corner of the space to help cast light over the dining table without being too harsh.”
The dining room lighting should strike a balance between well-lit and cosy, which is why the experts recommend avoiding an overhead light if possible. However, if an overhead light is necessary, make sure it’s fitted with warm bulbs, as this will help create a more intimate dining environment. Cold, harsh lighting is pretty much a no-go all year round, but especially at Christmas time.
6. Maximise the storage
(Image credit: Future | Tim Young | David Brittain)
Think about what’s going to make your life easier when hosting over Christmas. We don’t want the dining room to look messy, but it’s more practical to store certain items like platters, napkins, and cutlery within the room, to save you from going to and fro to get things when serving Christmas dinner.
“I think this is where sideboards or shelves are fab to use to keep essentials like serving platters and extra napkins within easy reach,” Victoria from APDO says. “This also keeps your dining table from becoming overcrowded during the meal.”
If you don’t have any empty storage space in the dining room, get creative. “I have Christmas gift boxes we use under the tree but they store spare things for us,” Victoria says.
Use baskets for rolled-up napkins or trays for cutlery and glassware. If you’re leaving things out on display, try to make it look like a deliberate design choice rather than a purely practical need. Decorative trays are a great way to do this (I’m a huge fan of the Black Chinoiserie Tray from Addison Ross – it’s got to be the most elevated way to keep things tidy, or serve drinks).
7. Prepare your tableware
(Image credit: Future)
One thing you definitely shouldn’t leave to the last minute is getting the tableware ready. It would be a disaster if you assumed you had enough plates, glasses, and cutlery to serve everyone with, only to find out on the morning of Christmas that you didn’t.
“Take out all your tableware, including plates, glasses, and cutlery, and check for chips, stains, or mismatched sets,” Victoria advises. “Clean / polish your glassware and silverware to ensure they sparkle. Maybe only keep out what you need and store anything that’s not going to be used over Christmas to utilise the space as best you can.”
Of course, you’ll want to choose your best crockery to use on the big day, but the key is making sure it’s ready and waiting for guests when they arrive.
8. Set the table
(Image credit: Future | David Brittain)
Perhaps the most fun of the styling tips to get your dining room ready for Christmas is to set the table. Enter creative festive tablescaping ideas to really set the scene for your guests. Christmassy tablecloths always look lovely, so you may want to start here; or, try adding a runner and leaving the sides of the table showing. It is down to personal taste.
Each guest will need a place setting, and you’ll want to ensure that the set-up looks the same for everyone, equally spaced apart. What’s included in each place setting depends on how much space you’re working with, but we recommend getting the basics in place first (cutlery, plate, side plate, and glass), and then building from there.
“Identify where everything will go: serving dishes, drinks, desserts, and those thoughtful extras like napkins and place cards,” says Laura Haddy, APDO Member and Owner of Clear the Chaos Ltd. “Choose pieces that are practical and elegant to avoid a last-minute rush.”
9. Add a festive centrepiece
(Image credit: Future | David Brittain)
Christmas centrepiece ideas provide the finishing touch to your dining table. There are no rules to this other than to choose something that aligns with your personal style and works well with the rest of the decor. Festive berries, tapered candles, and natural foliage are just a few ideas to get you going.
“Just remember to place centrepieces thoughtfully to ensure no guest is physically blocked,” says Sarah Ross. “I recommend incorporating a mix of candlestick holders in varying heights in order to add depth and visual interest, but keeping in mind to prevent obstructing anyone’s view across the table.”
Remember to leave room for the food, and you should definitely have a designated spot for the turkey (or roast of choice). Think about what you’re serving the food on, as swapping out your usual crockery for festive versions can be a nice way to elevate the table. If you’re looking to treat your home to something new, I’d recommend the Daylseford Turkey Oval Platter, which has been on my wish list for a while.
10. Prepare to host, not just serve
(Image credit: Getty Images)
Lastly – but equally as important as all the other styling tips to get your dining room ready for Christmas – try to do everything you can to make hosting easier on the big day. Anything that you can get ahead with, you should do, because this will help to create a more relaxed dining experience (for you and your guests).
“Have your serving dishes prepped and labelled for specific dishes to avoid confusion,” Laura Haddy suggests. “Create a drinks station or dedicate a spot for transitioning items like bottles and gifts—it’s a little touch that makes everything feel smoother.”
The key is that your dining room feels not only fabulously festive on an aesthetic level but calm and organised as well. With these top 10 tips, we’re sure hosting will feel like a dream this Christmas.
Viners Everyday Glisten Stainless Steel Cutlery Set
RRP: £17.37 | Viners is a firm favourite for high-quality cutlery (I’m also in love with the 16-piece all-gold set). If you’re looking to upgrade your cutlery this Christmas, there’s something about the glisten-effect of this set that feels very subtly festive – perfect for Christmas, but a set you could use year-round.
Light Up Brush Trees Centrepiece
RRP: £26 | In my opinion, no one does Christmas like Cox & Cox. There’s something really special about this centrepiece, and I think it would bring gorgeous winter wonderland vibes to the dining room. I love it how it lights up as well, bringing further dimension to the cosy ambience.
Yankee Candle Scented Candle
RRP: £19.99 | I’ve always been a fan of Yankee Candle, especially their Christmas scents. Snow Globe Wonderland is one of my favourites, and for the price point, it makes the whole room smell wonderful. Pop a couple of these on the dining table for a bit of festive magic.
FAQs
How to make your dining room look Christmassy?
While the table is a big part of making a dining room look Christmassy, the rest of the room is equally as important. The first thing to get right is the lighting.
‘Think soft, warm fairy lights draped along curtain rods or LED candlesticks arranged on a mantlepiece to instantly infuse the room with a cosy, magical glow,’ Sarah from Addison Ross suggests. ‘If your dining room has a hanging light or chandelier, consider garnishing it with subtle seasonal touches like ribbon, greenery, or hanging baubles to draw the eye upwards and add a touch of festive drama.’
If your dining room has space for a Christmas tree, by all means, make that a focal point. If not, you can really go all out with festive tablescaping ideas. There’s so many themes you could incorporate, from winter wonderland, to rustic and neutral, to nostalgic tartan. The key is to choose decor that aligns with your tastes, and feels festive to you.
You don’t need to buy lots of new things to make your dining room feel Christmassy either. Sarah suggests to ‘mix contemporary lacquer pieces such as placemats or coasters, with timeless decanters or glasses that you already have at home. This creates the perfect sophisticated mix of old and new. A garland of greenery from the garden intertwined with ribbons along a windowsill or around a mirror acts as a perfect finishing touch to frame the space.’
How can I make my table look good at Christmas?
To create a wonderful festive tablescape, a good place to start is with a theme. There are lots of Christmassy colour schemes to choose from, and while not every item has to match (sometimes, tablescapes that look a little less planned are the most effective), it’s a good idea to have some sort of semblance.
‘Traditional reds and bright greens are always a classic choice, but this year, I’ve been drawn to rich burgundies and earthy moss tones for a warm, yet sophisticated feel,’ Sarah says. ‘Work to build your tablescape around this colour theme, layering textures by using a linen tablecloth or runner as the foundation – then utilise festive accents to set the tone for the entire table.’
Always include a centrepiece, big or small. Where possible, it’s nice to bring in natural foliage, such as holly, eucalyptus or pine, as this produces a lovely festive aroma as well.
‘Place settings should feel special, yet practical,’ Sarah adds. ‘Add a touch of festive flair with small ornaments, handmade Christmas crackers, or personalised place cards to carry that thoughtful touch throughout the tablescape. These simple, yet meaningful, accents make each guest feel warmly welcomed while tying the entire table together in a cohesive, celebratory style.’
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