Make your table centre the star of Christmas

A table centrepiece can make – or break – your Christmas table. If it’s too tall or too wide, you won’t be able to pass the cranberry sauce across. Too small and it runs the risk of being overlooked.

So how do you go about creating an Insta-worthy table hero? Start by mocking up a few placesettings, seeing not only how much space you have to play with, but the shape too. With an extended rectangular table would something long and thin work best? Should you keep your styling contained to a round hero piece to echo your circular table? These are the sort of questions to think about.

There are other practical elements to consider, too. If you’ve small children, then replace real candles with LED ones (or strings of battery-operated fairy lights). Going for a plant-based garland? A top stylist’s tip is to sit it on a length of bubble wrap to avoid any water damage to your tabletop. Want to make your turkey the hero? Then try placing two smaller arrangements at either end of your table to frame it. Make sure you aren’t taking up all of your table space – you need room to pop down serving dishes and glassware too. If you need to give your arrangement more height, then try placing it on a cakestand. 

Over recent years, there‘s been a trend in Christmas styling land to lift the centrepiece off the table, with suspended wreaths and decorated branches freeing up space below. Forage for a suitable branch, or use invisible thread to hold a more lightweight wreath from the ceiling.

From vases filled with baubles to light-up mini trees, from collections of festive animals to candlesticks wound with fresh foliage, get creative and make this year’s centrepiece your most stylish yet.