A Modern Holiday Tablescape
Holiday tablescapes don’t have to lean red, green, and overly traditional to feel festive. This year, I wanted to create a tablescape that felt modern, cozy, and a little unexpected: something that would work just as well for a relaxed at-home brunch as it would for a more styled holiday gathering. The result? A mix of colors and textures that feels elevated but still easy to pull together.
Instead of starting with holiday motifs, I started with texture and tone. A natural colored table cloth would’ve been amazing, but since I wanted to work with what I had, I opted for one of my linen duvet covers. Worked perfectly in grounding everything and keeping the palette feeling fresh. From there, I layered in some fun olive napkins for contrast and whimsy, paired with green and white block print tapered candles to bring in a subtle seasonal nod without going full holiday cliché.
Chrome candle holders add a sleek, modern contrast, reflecting light beautifully and keeping the table from feeling too rustic. The chrome coffee cups and saucers continue that polished feel, so it’s perfect for brunch, and they work great with the white ceramic serverware. To balance out the cool blues, greens and metallics, I added gold silverware which brings just enough warmth and contrast to keep things interesting and still tie everything together. Lastly, a beautiful centerpiece sourced by The Mane Wildling completes the look. It’s festive, but in a quiet, intentional way.
I created this tablescape with brunch in mind: casual, cozy, and meant to be enjoyed without spending all morning in the kitchen. One of my favorite hosting hacks (especially during the holidays) is catering the food instead of trying to cook every single dish yourself. Outsourcing the food frees you up to focus on the details that make gathering feel special; aka setting the table, lighting candles, and actually spending time with the people you invited over. Whether it’s pastries, pancakes, or coffee service, catering brunch is an underrated move that instantly lowers stress while still feeling thoughtful and elevated.
Hosting doesn’t have to mean doing everything.
A lot of the table décor came from Anthropologie, but not everything is still available online (and that’s okay! The goal isn’t to recreate this table piece-for-piece, but to use it as inspiration). We’ve linked similar items so you can recreate the look using what’s accessible to you. Whatever color palette you choose, look for:
Soft, muted colors instead of traditional holiday hues
Mixed metals for contrast (chrome + gold works beautifully together)
Simple linens that let the accessories shine
It’s less about the exact products and more about the balance: cool with warm, modern with cozy.
What I love most about this tablescape is that it doesn’t feel limited to one day or one holiday. With a few small swaps, it works well beyond the holidays, making it a great foundation for entertaining year-round. That kind of flexibility makes investing in quality basics (linens, flatware, and serverware) so worth it.
A beautiful table should feel welcoming, effortless, and lived-in. And if it saves you time too, even better!
So, Happy Holidays friends! I hope that yours are filled with joy and ease this season!