Effortless rustic elegance! Get easy Christmas tablescape ideas with green & gold decor. Festive & chic tips for a stunning holiday table.
This Christmas, bring the magic of the season to life with a touch of rustic elegance. Think shimmering gold accents, lush greenery, and natural textures that evoke a sense of warmth and wonder. We’ll explore inspiring ideas for creating a festive and chic Christmas setting, perfect for any space in your home.
(Posts on stacyling.com may contain affiliate links. Click HERE for full disclosure.)
How to Blend Rustic With Elegance
Rustic and elegant may seem like opposites, but that’s what makes them such a stunning pair! Rustic brings the cozy, natural charm with elements like wood and greenery, while elegance adds sophistication through metallic accents and refined details.
The key is finding harmony between the two. Imagine a rough-hewn wooden table adorned with gold-rimmed chargers and flowing linen napkins. That’s rustic elegance in action!
And the best part? You can achieve this look without breaking the bank. Incorporate what you already have, and add a few key pieces to level up your Christmas table to new heights of style.
Ready to create your own rustic elegant Christmas tablescape? Let’s get started!
Start Your Christmas Tablescape with a Natural Foundation
The key to achieving rustic elegance is to begin with a natural, organic foundation. A wooden table or a table runner made of burlap or linen can serve as an excellent base for your Christmas tablescape. These organic materials not only evoke a rustic feel but also provide a warm and inviting backdrop for your holiday decor.
For this Christmas tablescape, I started with an ivory tablecloth and burlap table runner as the base. I could leave the table exposed so you can see the wood, but instead opted to use a tablecloth to brighten up my holiday tablescape in the potager garden.
Incorporate Christmas Greenery
Christmas greenery is your best friend when it comes to decorating for the holidays. Add fresh or faux pine branches, juniper, cedar branches, eucalyptus, or holly berries as table runners or wreaths. This lush greenery instantly infuses your table with a touch of the great outdoors, creating a rustic ambiance.
Evergreens tend to dry out indoors if you don’t properly care for them, so if you plan to use fresh greens, learn how to stop the needle drop with my free guide and keep your greens looking fresher longer here.
If you don’t have access to fresh winter greenery or you don’t want to care for it, there is no shame in going with faux Christmas greenery. There are so many beautiful options out there. Just make sure it looks real and authentic so it will be hard to tell the difference. And there are also a few ways to blend faux with real to get a more authentic look too.
Since I like to build my tablescapes with cozy layers, I used these GORGEOUS, like I mean seriously beautiful, cedar branch garlands. It’s really full, the branches look authentic, and I would run to get this if you don’t have it because it looks great on a table but would also look incredible on a mantel or staircase. Just sayin’!
You could use just one if you don’t mind the garland not spanning the full table, but I’d go with two. I love how it looks layered over the end of the table.
Christmas Tablescape Ideas With Gilded Accents
Elegance comes to life with the introduction of gold accents. Incorporate gilded elements such as gold-trimmed dinnerware, flatware, stemware, candlestick holders, and other table decor items. These metallic touches add a sense of opulence to the table while beautifully contrasting with the organic materials.
I lean towards vintage gold versus brassy gold. To me, the vintage gold looks a bit more rustic and elegant than using brass but that’s just my personal preference.
For this table, I used those gorgeous vintage gold candlestick holders and mini gold lanterns on the table. To add a bit more bling, I opted to go with my Lenox pattern that has a gold rim and my Grandmother’s vintage gold flatware.
Christmas Tablescape Ideas Incorporating Candlelight
Candles are a timeless symbol of warmth and coziness. Place an assortment of pillars or taper candles with tea lights or votive candles in gold or glass candleholders to create a romantic and elegant atmosphere. The soft flickering of candlelight against the rustic backdrop is pure enchantment.
I like to use dripless taper candles and votives so there is less of a mess. But you can also use flameless taper candles that are set-and-forget.
As an aside, I use these all year round for a soft glow when the sun sets to cozy up my living spaces. They are battery-operated and you can set them on timers so they go on and off without you having to lift a finger.
Natural Christmas Centerpieces
Enhance the rustic charm with natural Christmas centerpieces using fresh or faux winter greens. Consider using pinecones, berries, or cinnamon sticks. A vase filled with fresh flowers like white roses, Christmas amaryllis, or poinsettias adds an extra touch of elegance too. You can also include small twinkle lights within the arrangement for a warm, magical glow.
While I am using that gorgeous garland as a table runner it is also the centerpiece. I could use just that as the centerpiece alone. But I wanted to level things up! So I added this gorgeous holiday centerpiece that I made in this beautiful vintage gold fluted bowl.
Yes, that centerpiece now would obstruct the views during the meal, but I’ll just remove that when we are ready to sit down and keep the garland.
Oh and if you want to learn how to make this rustic elegant Christmas centerpiece idea, it is super simple to make! I shared a step-by-step tutorial here.
Rustic Christmas Place Settings
To complete the look, opt for rustic-inspired Christmas place settings. Use rattan or wooden chargers, cedar branches, handwoven placemats, or even wooden slices as coasters for your guests.
Tie gold, red, or green velvet ribbon around the napkins, or use a festive napkin ring with a little bling for an extra dose of holiday charm.
For this table, I used a gorgeous red plaid linen napkin in a wood napkin ring that sits atop the Christmas place settings.
Personalized Place Cards for the Christmas Tablescape
Add a personal touch to your table with handcrafted place cards. Use natural elements like birch bark, twine, or miniature pinecones to create unique place cardholders. Handwritten name tags or elegant calligraphy can add a touch of sophistication.
I have to admit that I don’t always use place cards. It really depends on the kind of dinner party I’m throwing. When we enjoy a formal sit-down meal, like Thanksgiving, I prefer to use personalized place cards. But don’t do it for all the holidays.
Rustic Elegant Christmas Tablescape for the Little Ones
Don’t forget the little ones at your celebration. Create a kids’ table with miniature versions of your rustic elegance theme. You can provide coloring books with Christmas designs, kid-friendly utensils, and festive gingerbread cookies for them to decorate and keep them busy while the rest of the family is dining.
Christmas Tablescape Ideas: Keep it Cozy
If you want to level things up a bit more, create a cozy ambiance with soft, neutral-toned throws or blankets draped over the chairs for guests to snuggle up in. A rustic wooden tray with mugs of hot cocoa or mulled wine will add another layer of warmth and cheer too if you celebrate outdoors.
Bringing These Rustic Elegant Christmas Tablescape Ideas Together
Incorporating rustic elegance into your Christmas tablescape can transform your holiday celebration into a glamorous and inviting event. By blending natural elements, gold accents, and a touch of your own personal style, you can create a memorable and enchanting atmosphere for your guests.
Embrace the beauty of the great outdoors with the allure of elegant decor this holiday season, and you’ll be well on your way to hosting an unforgettable Christmas celebration friends and family will be chatting about for years to come.
Happy decorating!
Will you create a rustic elegant Christmas tablescape this year? What features will you include in your table design? I would love to know more in the comments below.
Thank you for visiting the blog today!
Enjoy your day! xo
Shop the Look
Want to recreate the look? Here is a list of Christmas table decorations used to create this cozy, rustic look.
The Table
- Burlap Table Runner
- Ivory Tablecloth (similar)
- Linen Napkins (similar)
- Linen Napkins (similar)
- Cedar Branch Placemats
- Mini Gold Lanterns
- Votive Candles
- Dripless Candles
- Vintage Candle Holders (similar)
- Flameless Candles
- Candle Holders Vintage (similar)
- Vintage Wine Glasses
Centerpiece
- Gold fluted bowl
- Artificial Cedar Garland
- Faux juniper branches with berries
- Real touch fir branches
- Real Touch Hanging Cedar Branches
- Natural Touch Cedar Pine Branches
- Real Touch Cedar branches.
- Red Berry Branches
- Dull Red Berry Branches
- Red Berry Stems
- Red Berry Garland
Wait Until You See These Rustic Christmas Tablescape Ideas
My supper club and I got together this month to share a cabin-in-the-woods-inspired Christmas dinner party. Wait until you see how gorgeous each Christmas party decoration looks. Click on the blog name on the image to head over to the post.
Want to Learn How to Decorate With Fresh Greens for the Holidays?
Sign up here to get a discount on my ebook, 15 Easy Ways to Decorate With Fresh Greens for the Holidays which offers beautiful, budget-friendly, and sustainable holiday decorating inspiration using fresh greens from the landscape.
This 40-page guide is full of simple DIY holiday decorating ideas that include how to cut, care for, and design with fresh greens, as well as tips to purchase and incorporate faux greens with your holiday decorating style to create a cozy, beautiful, and organic vibe.
From porch styling to cozy centerpiece and tablescape inspiration, wait until you try these budget-friendly holiday decorating ideas using fresh greens for every room in your home.
